Valproic Acid

Valproic acid is a drug used in veterinary medicine to treat seizure disorders in dogs and cats. Valproic acid is typically not given as the primary method of seizure control because it has a very short half-life in pets and is eliminated from their bodies rapidly, making it difficult to maintain effective blood levels. Instead, it is sometimes used in conjunction with other anticonvulsive drugs (such as phenobarbital). It is occasionally used in dogs with refractory seizures (seizures that are difficult to manage with standard therapies). This drug is not approved for use in animals by the Food and Drug Administration, but it is prescribed legally by veterinarians as an extra-label drug.