The use of intralipid emulsion therapy to treat status epilepticus in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) secondary to severe ivermectin toxicity.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the successful management of ivermectin-induced status epilepticus in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) with intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) therapy.

CASE SUMMARY

A 5-week-old, female intact guinea pig was presented to an emergency hospital for status epilepticus 24 hours after oral administration of ivermectin. Approximately 48 hours after exposure, ILE therapy was administered. Within 12-16 hours after ILE therapy, seizures had stopped and the patient's mentation returned to normal. The definitive diagnosis was based on owner history, clinical presentation, and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals poison control guidelines.

NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED

The use of intralipid therapy has been widely documented as a treatment option for numerous toxicities. Its efficacy in treatment for toxicities in both veterinary and human medicines has been well described in various case reports and studies. However, its use and success in small mammals have yet to be documented. In this case report, intralipid therapy is used to successfully treat a seizuring guinea pig that was administered a severely toxic dose of ivermectin. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the successful use of intralipids in a guinea pig from ivermectin toxicosis.