Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog developed autoimmune gland disease after long-term oclacitinib use
By Kwang-Sup Lee et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2025·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Case Report: The potential association with polyglandular autoimmune syndrome in a dog following long-term oclacitinib therapy
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old spayed female Maltese was treated with oclacitinib for 7 years to help with severe itching from atopic dermatitis. During this time, she developed two serious conditions: low adrenal function (hypoadrenocorticism) and low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism). Tests showed she had autoantibodies linked to an autoimmune disorder called polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PAS), which may have been triggered by the long-term use of oclacitinib. The veterinarians recommend regular hormone checks and careful adjustments of the medication to help prevent autoimmune issues in the future.
People also search for: Maltese itching treatment · oclacitinib side effects · dog autoimmune disease symptoms
Abstract
A 12-year-old spayed female Maltese dog had been receiving oclacitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, for 7 years to manage chronic pruritus due to atopic dermatitis. During this treatment, the dog was diagnosed with primary hypoadrenocorticism and hypothyroidism based on history, physical examination, and hormonal analysis. This case was initially suspected to be polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PAS) based on long-term treatment of oclacitinib. To confirm the diagnosis of PAS, the presence of autoantibodies was tested. 21-hydroxylase autoantibodies (21-OHAb) were detected, but negative for thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAA). Considering the potential of oclacitinib to induce autoimmune diseases, we examined to identify the association of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in PAS of the dog. This case suggests a potential association between prolonged oclacitinib administration and the development of PAS in a dog. Regular hormonal monitoring and careful dose adjustments of oclacitinib during long-term therapy of atopic dermatitis are recommended to minimize the risk of autoimmune disease development. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report suggesting that PAS could be induced by oclacitinib.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1535272