MCT Oil Helps Manage Canine Idiopathic Epilepsy

Idiopathic epilepsy is a disease characterized by seizures with no structural brain abnormalities. It is the most common medical neurologic condition diagnosed in dogs. Unfortunately, it is reported that two-thirds of epileptic dogs continue to have seizures despite appropriate treatment. Seizures cause stress for both the affected dog and the humans caring for them. Affected dogs may exhibit behavioral problems including certain types of fear and attention-seeking behavior, or experience unwanted side effects from their anti-seizure medication such as sedation, unsteady gait, and changes in appetite. For these reasons and more, the AKC Canine Health Foundation (CHF) and its donors have invested almost $3 million in the study of canine epilepsy – looking for more accurate diagnostics and more effective treatments.

One successful avenue of study has been exploring the use of dietary supplements to help manage idiopathic epilepsy in dogs. A survey showed that approximately two-thirds of dog owners changed their dog’s diet following a diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy, and about half of them added dietary supplements such as coconut oil or medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil.

The ketogenic diet has shown success in treating children with epilepsy. So, CHF-funded investigator Dr. Holger Volk and his team at the Royal Veterinary College, University of London studied whether MCT oil – one component of the ketogenic diet with direct anti-seizure effects – could help epileptic dogs. “We urgently need more management options for canine epilepsy which

can then be tailored to the individual patient’s needs,” Dr. Volk says. “Many owners reported huge success rates when changing their epileptic dog’s diet. Hence, we started to investigate the influence of diet on canine epilepsy. We used a study design similar to what you would use

when developing new anti-seizure drugs.”

Dr. Volk and his team completed a clinical trial in which dogs were randomized and then fed one of two study supplements – MCT oil or a control oil (placebo) – with their regular diet for 3 months. Then after a one-week washout period of no supplementation, dogs were switched to the other supplement
for an additional 3 months.

Twenty-eight client-owned dogs of various breeds and mixed breeds completed the clinical trial. The promising results have been shared in numerous peer-reviewed journals and presented at several European veterinary conferences. While taking
MCT oil in addition to their regular anti-seizure medications, both seizure frequency and severity were reduced. Owners also reported improvement in medication side effects and quality of life while dogs received MCT oil. Specifically, they were better able to learn new tricks and respond to feedback while taking the supplement.