Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with severe ear infection treated with oclacitinib and relapses
By Chee, Tian & Robson, David·Published in Veterinary medicine and science·2025·Animal Skin and Ear Specialists, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Proliferative Necrotising Otitis Externa in a Cat Treated Successfully With Oclacitinib Maleate With Two Delayed Relapses.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with severe ear infections, known as proliferative necrotizing otitis externa, was successfully treated with a medication called oclacitinib. Initially, the cat showed improvement, but it had two relapses before the condition fully resolved. The treatment helped clear up the lesions during the first relapse, while the second relapse healed on its own. This case suggests that oclacitinib can be an effective option for tough ear infections in cats, although more research is needed on its long-term safety and proper dosing.
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Abstract
This case report documents the successful treatment of a cat with proliferative necrotizing otitis externa (PNOE) using oclacitinib. Novel to this report, two episodes of delayed relapses occurred prior to complete spontaneous resolution, with an apparent dose-dependent response to oclacitinib. Oclacitinib led to complete remission of the initial lesions and those of the first relapse, and the lesions of the second relapse resolved spontaneously. This adds additional evidence to support the use of oclacitinib as an alternative or adjunctive off-label treatment for PNOE, especially in refractory cases. Further studies are needed to assess the safety of long-term use, and to confirm ideal dose rates and treatment duration.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41218042/