Objectives To investigate effects of phenobarbitone on serum activities of
alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transfera
se and concentrations of bilirubin, albumin, cholesterol and total protein
in dogs.
Animals Ten crossbreed experimental clogs and 10 client-owned dogs of mixed
breeds treated chronically with phenobarbitone to control seizures.
Procedures Experimental dogs were allocated to treatment (6 mg/kg oral phen
obarbitone, n = 6) and control (no treatment, n = 4) groups in which serum
biochemical tests were performed at intervals during a 3-month period. Bioc
hemical tests were performed once on the 10 epileptic dogs.
Results Phenobarbitone caused increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity
but did not affect gammaglutamyl transferase activity or bilirubin, choles
terol, albumin and total protein concentrations. Phenobarbitone had minimal
effect on alanine aminotransferase activity.
Conclusions Individual dogs treated with phenobarbitone may have small incr
eases in serum alanine aminotransferase activity and variable increases in
alkaline phosphatase activity but are unlikely to have alterations in gamma
-glutamyl transferase activity or bilirubin, cholesterol, albumin or total
protein concentrations.