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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Tacrolimus lotion helps reduce itching and redness in dogs

By Marsella, Rosanna & Nicklin, Constance F.·Published in Veterinary Dermatology·2002·View original on Crossref

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Original publication title: Investigation on the use of 0.3% tacrolimus lotion for canine atopic dermatitis: a pilot study

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

An 8-year-old dog with atopic dermatitis (a skin allergy causing itching and redness) was treated with a 0.3% tacrolimus lotion for four weeks. By the end of the study, the dog's itching and redness significantly improved according to the veterinarian's assessments, although the owners did not notice a difference in itching. The treatment was safe, with no harmful effects on blood tests. This suggests that tacrolimus lotion can be an effective option for managing itching and inflammation in dogs with skin allergies.

People also search for: dog itching treatment · atopic dermatitis in dogs · tacrolimus lotion for dogs

Abstract

Abstract The efficacy of 0.3% tacrolimus lotion (maximum dosage: 0.3 mg kg−1 per day) for treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) was evaluated. Systemic absorption and effects on complete blood cell counts (CBC) and chemistry panels were also investigated. Eight dogs were assigned randomly to either a tacrolimus or a vehicle lotion treatment group. Both owners and investigator were blinded to the treatment. After 4 weeks, there was a 2‐week wash‐out period and treatments were reversed. Owners scored pruritus weekly while the investigator scored pruritus and erythema at the beginning and end of each treatment period. Investigator scores for pruritus in the tacrolimus group significantly decreased by the end of the study (P = 0.03). Investigator scores for erythema in the tacrolimus group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group at the end of the study (P = 0.005). There was no difference between groups with respect to owner scores for pruritus. No changes in the CBC and chemistry panels were noted. Mean blood concentrations of tacrolimus were below toxic levels.

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Original publication on Crossref: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3164.2002.00299.x