Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog treated with Malarone develops pancreatitis and hair loss
By Choi, Hyeong-Il et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2019·Department of Internal Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Malarone® induced pancreatitis and alopecia in a dog: a case report.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old female Maltese was brought to the vet with intermittent vomiting and sudden hair loss all over her body after being treated with Malarone, a medication for a suspected infection. Tests showed that while the infection was not present, the dog had developed acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) and a skin infection. The vet diagnosed the hair loss as being related to the medication and recommended careful monitoring for side effects when using Malarone in dogs. After treatment for the pancreatitis and skin issues, the dog's condition improved.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malarone® is a drug used for the treatment of malaria in humans. This drug is also particularly effective in the treatment of canine Babesia gibsoni infections. Malarone® is rarely used in dogs, and its adverse effects have not been widely reported. Its mechanism of action is related to the inhibition of cytochrome b and electron transport in the cell. This is the first known report of the development of acute pancreatitis and alopecia in a dog following the administration of Malarone®. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-year-old, intact, female Maltese was referred to our clinic with intermittent vomiting and sudden, generalized alopecia. Two months previously, the dog had been prescribed Malarone® for the treatment of a suspected B. gibsoni infection. The dog was evaluated using hematology, radiography, ultrasonography, a PCR for Babesia detection, and a canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) assay. The result of the PCR test was negative, whereas the cPLI assay yielded a positive result. Dermatologic examination revealed bacterial infection with hair cycle arrest. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, drug-induced acute pancreatitis and alopecia with superficial pyoderma were diagnosed. Malarone® may induce severe adverse reactions in dogs. Therefore, careful monitoring for adverse effects is required when using Malarone® in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31477120/