Apoquel is an extremely promising new drug aimed at treating the discomfort which is seen in allergic skin disease, especially when that relates to airborne or environmental allergens. Early reports on its use are especially encouraging and sometimes quite dramatic. Vets will prescribe it particularly to treat atopic dermatitis or atopy, which is a common cause if itchiness and discomfort found in dogs which are reacting to house dust and house dust mites, as well as other triggers of allergic skin disease found in the environment. Apoquel can also be used to reduce the itching seen in dogs with other forms of skin allergy, but food elimination trials and treating for parasites (particularly fleas) is strongly recommended. It is also important to make sure that no skin infection is present, so a course of antibiotic might be given too.
Apoquel tablets are given twice daily initially, reducing to once daily after 14 days. Quite often a short course of tablets is all that is needed to control symptoms, but some dogs will go onto once daily dosing for a much longer period. Apoquel tablets suppress a specific part of the immune response in order to work. This is not usually associated with any side effects, but it is possible to see vomiting and diarrhoea, as well as a number of other effects. It is possible that the response to vaccination might be reduced if a vaccine is given while Apoquel tablets are being taken. These factors need to be taken into account, especially if long term use is intended.
For oral use. The recommended initial dose is 0.4 to 0.6 mg oclacitinib/kg bodyweight, administered orally, twice daily for up to 14 days or as specified by your vet.
For maintenance therapy, the same dose (0.4 to 0.6 mg oclacitinib/kg bodyweight) should then be administered only once a day. The requirement for long-term maintenance therapy should be based on an individual benefit-risk assessment.
Apoquel can be administered with or without food and the tablets are breakable along the score line.
1 box / 20 tablets
PRICE – £ 54.90
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