Apoquel

[jumbyjack]

Does anyone use it and have you seen any side effects?

My Parson Russell chewed her paws constantly and made them really sore. Apoquel sorted the problem in a day but after doing some research after noticing her doing some chewing again Apoquel has some disturbing side effects as it suppresses the immune system. Also she should have been blood tested before starting the drug and after 6 months. Cancer, polydypsia, interdigital cysts and weight gain are but a few of the side effects. Laska certainly has the weight gain, she's square!I

I will do more research and talk with my vet before taking her off the drug, I then have to find an alternative treatment.

 

[rara007]

The problem is you’re dealing with an immune problem, you can’t treat it without modifying that. Good luck!

 

[Amicus]

I think of Apoquel as a pretty safe drug compared to the traditional alternatives of steroids but might be worth looking up and discussing cytopoint with your vet if you've got concerns about it or it isn't suiting your dog. Its not cheap but probably works out similar to apoquel. Rather than a drug as such its an antibody so doesn't rely on being metabolised and acts very specifically on a cytokine that transmits the itch signal might be worth reading up on as an alternative.

 

[AmyMay]

Daisy's on it. I'm down to half a tablet every other day plus another change of food (fish based).

I too did research on it before she went on it - but for the moment it will have to suffice.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Weirdly, this post came up on my springer group tonight:

Samantha “My lab died of kidney failure at 4 years old and I am convinced it is due to Apoquel, read some of the literature on this drug. I urge you to stop using it.”

She provides no research/study for her claim!

 

[jumbyjack]

This is why I am so concerned about Laska, she's only 4 years old and the idea of giving her this drug for maybe another 10 years is worrying to say the least! I was going to take her off it slowly but the research indicates this is ineffective so she's off it. I do foot baths after walks and wipe her over with baby wipes. She has hypoallergenic shampoo and changed her diet to Lilly's Kitchen with amazing results at the other end! Interestingly one side effect of Apoquel is diarrhoea, Laska has frequently had a very loose bowel, the change in diet coincides with stopping the drug!

 

[AmyMay]

Daisy's never had diahorea with the drug, but has always been fed a good diet so stools have never been an issue.

Has your vet spoken to you about an elimination diet or blood testing for allergies?

 

[Aru]

Apoquels a last resort sort of drug in my eyes.
I prescribe it a few times a month but generally only once everything else has failed and the owner can't go for a derm specialist consult for whatever reason. Personally I would go to a specialist and have a work up and immunotherapy before longterm apoquel.
It does works wonders for the itch in soo many cases however and has made a massive difference to many dogs quality of lives so its definately useful..... but while side effects are rare if occur they can be particularly nasty with this drug.
Long term however it is still safer then a steriod treatment...but that just says a lot about steriods.

What else have you tried for the itching so far? when is it worse-summer winter or all year round. have you done a proper single protein food trial yet?
(food intolerances are rare enough in dogs 10 to 15 percent but worth a rule out before anything else)

Have you gone through the antihistamine trials? or bathing with malaseb etc?wipe down after walks? is your dog worse in summer or itching all year round. what age and breed?

 

[Aru]

double post sorry!

 

[twiggy2]

I agree that apoquel has a place for treating allergy symptoms but it is a drug that is for treating animals when their allergies effect their quality of life.
If you are so itchy it stops you sleeping continually, leads you to self harm, makes you constantly sore etc etc and nothing else works then the risk of the side effects is worth it in my eyes.
If other options are not avaliable for what ever reason then apoquel can dramatically improve quality of life and if it shortens it then so be it.
I wanted to add my dog has many many allergies, to date they do not effect her quality of life but if we get to that point then I will give apoquel and risk the consequences in order to give her quality of life over length of life.

 

[jumbyjack]

On dear, taking Laska off Apoquel has been a fairly immediate disaster, she was going insane at her feet and scrubbing wildly on the carpet within hours! I've had to put her back on it before she goes totally off her head. I'm looking into allergy testing now, if it comes up with grass and tree pollens I will not be happy, we are surrounded by greenery!

 

[AmyMay]

Op, my partner is convinced that our dog's chewing is down to food. I've always fed high quality food but we've both wondered if it was the quality that was the issue (perhaps bizarly).

So we've put her on a cheap (gluten free, obviously, hypo-allergenic food). 4 days off the tablets and no chewing.

 

[Puzzled]

I've just started my Labrador on it long term, she has one eye that is constantly itchy. My vet did a trial run of two weeks then took blood tests to check she'd be okay before giving her a 6 month prescription. She has said she'll need more tests run in 6 months to check all is good.

 

[PucciNPoni]

I did lots of things to try to work out what was causing my bitch to scratch. If unmedicated she breaks her skin and gets secondary infections and eye/ear problems. In the end I did bloods for allergy testing. It was a few kinds of pollen, dust mites and penicillium. I tried controlling with an ultra rigorous housekeeping regime. That helps some but not enough. New carpets - helps a little.

The only thing that helps is the apoquel, now on a maintenance dose.

It might not be ideal keeping the meds going but food trials have not been successful.

I have spayed the bitch and sadly no litter which was always a plan. But it's definitely for the best. The apoquel in the mean time is what it will be to keep her from going insane with scratching.

 

[JennBags]

Op, my partner is convinced that our dog's chewing is down to food. I've always fed high quality food but we've both wondered if it was the quality that was the issue (perhaps bizarly).

So we've put her on a cheap (gluten free, obviously, hypo-allergenic food). 4 days off the tablets and no chewing.

We changed the Westie's diet to Millies Wolfheart, and the longer she was on it, the itchier she became, she chewed her back raw and was chewing her paws as well, we started putting the cone of shame on her whenever she was alone. We changed back to Burns kibble, and she has healed up completely and stopped chewing. Real shame as her stomach is much better on the MWH but it obviously has something in it that she's allergic to.

 

[misst]

My JRT is on it long term. Feed wise she seems best on Lillys Kitchen. She has one a day but when she is off it she tears herself apart. I think it is a result of having had a lot of long term steroids for another health problem for 9 months when she was 6 years old. She now is 12 and until now has had aproquel for about 4 years. She had no problems until recently when she developed an Epulis on her gum. It has grown very quickly and we are waiting for a specialist opinion. I do wonder if the aproquel is to blame. She is however 12 years old full of life, happy, eating fantastically well and not scratching at all - so it's a balance like all things and I don't think I would change anything if I had the time again as she has had such quality of life for the last 4 or 5 years. Her weight is fantastic and she has lots of energy so no other side effects at all. Steroids were much worse.