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Direct-to-consumer advertising finally reached the dog prescription arena suggesting pet owners should treat their itchy pets with Apoquel. Apoquel, initially FDA approved for canine atopic dermatitis and itch from allergic dermatitis, might not be appropriate for all pet dogs.
Unfortunately medical advertising heightens interest in treatments that may be inappropriate and not well suited to the underlying issue. As in humans, itching in dogs is not a specific disease; it is indicative of any of a large number of maladies. Apoquel is only appropriate in specific instances of sufficiently severe atopic or allergic dermatitis.
As with humans, the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis may not be straight forward. The guidelines for diagnosis remain somewhat nebulous and the range of disease severity varies considerably. Side effects include cancer with a fair number of pets being diagnosed with or suspected of developing cancer while on therapy. Many of these pets were euthanized.
Apoquel is a JAK inhibitor. It interferes with the body’s immune system and may lead to significant complications for some dogs. While the company advertises the safety of their product, it falls into the same category of drugs as Xeljanz, Rinvoq and Olumiant. These drugs target rheumatoid arthritis and are being investigated for a number of different diseases where an overactive immune system is at fault. The FDA mandates special Black Box Warnings regarding complications.
By the way, if you accidently touch you eyes before washing your hands after giving the medicine to your pet - the package insert suggest rinsing your eye for at least 15 minutes and seeking medical care. And if you accidently swallow the pill - call the doctor or poison control.