Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Oclacitinib controls itching and skin lesions in dogs with allergic
By Cosgrove, Sallie B et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2013·Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Efficacy and safety of oclacitinib for the control of pruritus and associated skin lesions in dogs with canine allergic dermatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with allergic dermatitis, which causes severe itching and skin lesions, were treated with a medication called oclacitinib (Apoquel) to see how well it worked. Within just 24 hours, the dogs showed significant improvement in their itching and skin condition compared to those given a placebo. Owners reported that their dogs' itching scores dropped dramatically, and veterinarians also noted improvements in the skin lesions. Overall, oclacitinib was found to be effective and safe for managing the symptoms of allergic dermatitis in dogs.
People also search for: dog itching treatment · oclacitinib for allergic dermatitis · dog skin problems medication
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Oclacitinib (Apoquel(®) ) inhibits the function of a variety of pro-inflammatory, pro-allergic and pruritogenic cytokines that are dependent on Janus kinase enzyme activity. Oclacitinib selectively inhibits Janus kinase 1. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oclacitinib for the control of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Client-owned dogs (n = 436) with moderate to severe owner-assessed pruritus and a presumptive diagnosis of allergic dermatitis were enrolled. Dogs were randomized to either oclacitinib at 0.4-0.6 mg/kg orally twice daily or an excipient-matched placebo. An enhanced 10 cm visual analog scale (VAS) was used by the owners to assess the severity of pruritus from day 0 to 7 and by veterinarians to assess the severity of dermatitis on days 0 and 7. Dogs could remain on the study for 28 days. RESULTS: Pretreatment owner and veterinary VAS scores were similar for the two treatment groups. Oclacitinib produced a rapid onset of efficacy within 24 h. Mean oclacitinib Owner Pruritus VAS scores were significantly better than placebo scores (P < 0.0001) on each assessment day. Pruritus scores decreased from 7.58 to 2.59 cm following oclacitinib treatment. The day 7 mean oclacitinib Veterinarian Dermatitis VAS scores were also significantly better (P < 0.0001) than placebo scores. Diarrhoea and vomiting were reported with similar frequency in both groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: In this study, oclacitinib provided rapid, effective and safe control of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis, with owners and veterinarians noting substantial improvements in pruritus and dermatitis VAS scores.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23829933/