Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Zinc-carnosine and vitamin E do not reduce stomach side effects
By Wilson, Laura S et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2011·Animal Dermatology Clinic, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Zinc-carnosine and vitamin E supplementation does not ameliorate gastrointestinal side effects associated with ciclosporin therapy of canine atopic dermatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 60 dogs with atopic dermatitis (a skin condition) was given either a zinc-carnosine and vitamin E supplement or a placebo while starting ciclosporin (Atopica), a medication for their condition. Owners noted that many dogs experienced vomiting, diarrhea, or changes in appetite during treatment, with no significant difference between the two groups. In fact, the placebo group had fewer overall side effects. Smaller dogs seemed to handle the medication better than larger ones. Unfortunately, the supplement did not help reduce these gastrointestinal issues.
People also search for: dog vomiting after ciclosporin · atopic dermatitis treatment for dogs · zinc-carnosine for dog stomach issues
Abstract
Chelated zinc-carnosine and vitamin E [GastriCalm(®) (GCM); Teva Animal Health] is marketed as an anti-emetic supplement for dogs to assist the repair of damaged stomach and intestinal mucosa. The purpose of this prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was to determine whether GCM reduced the frequency of vomiting, diarrhoea and appetite changes during initiation of ciclosporin (Atopica(®); Novartis Animal Health) therapy for the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis. Sixty privately owned dogs diagnosed with atopic dermatitis were randomly assigned to GCM (n=30) or placebo (n=30) groups. All dogs received ∼ 5 mg/kg ciclosporin (range, 3.5-5.8 mg/kg) once daily. Dogs <13.6 kg received half a tablet of GCM or placebo; dogs ≥ 13.6 kg received one tablet once daily. GastriCalm(®) or placebo was administered 30 min prior to eating, and the ciclosporin was administered 2 h after feeding. Owners recorded episodes of vomiting, diarrhoea and appetite changes. Dogs were examined on days 0 and 14. Forty-one of 60 dogs (68.3%) had at least one episode of vomiting, diarrhoea or appetite change, leaving nine placebo dogs (30%) and ten GCM dogs (33.3%) free of adverse events (AE). Twenty-seven of 60 dogs (45%) vomited, and 15 of 60 (25%) had diarrhoea. There was no significant difference in episodes of individual AEs, but the placebo group had a significantly lower total AE score (summation of episodes of appetite change, vomiting and diarrhoea; P=0.022). Small dogs (<6.82 kg) had significantly fewer total AEs in both treatment groups and tolerated ciclosporin better than larger dogs (P<0.05).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20586994/