One of the most typical illnesses that dogs experience is itchy skin, or pruritus, which is frequently difficult to treat.
Over the years, veterinarians have tried a variety of different drugs with varying degrees of success to provide dogs with relief. But a relatively recent medication, Apoquel, seems to give these scratchy dogs some hope.
How Does Apoquel Work?
Apoquel affects the body’s kinases. Kinases are signaling substances that cells use to exchange information with one another. A chemist from Australia discovered some new ones in the 1980s, including JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, and TKY2. Pharmaceutical companies saw a chance with the rising incidence of dog allergies. They created a medication to halt these JAKs in their tracks.
And they sure succeeded. Oclacitinib maleate, sold as Apoquel, is a kinase inhibitor that prevents JAKs from performing their function. JAKs are key elements in controlling both growth and development. These particular JAKs do the work of:
In contrast to other allergy medications, Apoquel works by interfering with JAK cell signaling compounds. Apoquel prevents JAKs from working. And without JAKs your dog’s immune system cannot function correctly.
To maintain the health of your dog’s body, these JAKs communicate with one another and share information. You can see that Apoquel weakens your dog’s immune system to prevent allergic reactions by stopping JAKs from doing their job.
What is Apoquel? What are Apoquel Side Effects?
A medication called Apoquel is intended to treat dogs’ itchy skin. Because it has fewer systemic side effects than corticosteroids, such as weight gain, polyurea (increased urination), and organ damage, it has become more popular in recent years. Despite being a great medication for this, there are some Apoquel side effects that need to be addressed.
What is Apoquel
Apoquel is an alternative to corticosteroids. Apoquel is a synthetic Janus Kinase inhibitor, as opposed to corticosteroids, which are anti-inflammatory medications used throughout the body. I could devote an entire article to explaining how to inhibit Janus Kinase, but to put it simply, it stops itching.
Why is Apoquel Better than Corticosteroids
While both corticosteroids and apoquel have side effects, apoquel is frequently preferred because it has fewer systemic side effects than corticosteroids. Long-term or high-dose use of corticosteroids can result in polydipsia (excessive thirst), polyurea (excessive urination), polyphagia (excessive hunger), and organ damage.
Although Apoquel has side effects, they do not include the possibility of organ damage. Apoquel is therefore frequently prescribed to animals who require long-term management of itchy skin.
Apoquel Side Effects
The most common Apoquel side effects are vomiting and diarrhea. Lethargy, a decrease in appetite or lack of appetite, skin irritation or infection, and ear irritation or infection are some other less frequent side effects of Apoquel.
So there are Apoquel side effects. No drug is side effect free. However, Apoquel’s side effects, which do not include effects on the organs, can occasionally lessen or disappear over time or with a dose reduction.
Side Effects of Apoquel for Dogs
Like all medications, Apoquel has its own set of adverse effects and possible reactions. Due to its immunosuppressive characteristics, it may make your dog more susceptible to infections. This includes demodicosis infections and neoplastic health conditions.
Other potential side effects of dogs taking Apoquel include:
A fewer number of dogs experienced:
In more rare cases, dogs taking Apoquel experienced:
These negative effects are comparable to what a dog taking steroids might experience. Keep in mind that some side effects from using this medication may go away on their own as your body gets used to it.
With extremely severe allergies that require a daily steroid, this medication might not be effective. Your dog may experience some interactions that cause drowsiness if they take Benadryl and Apoquel together.
Dogs who are pregnant or nursing should not take this medication, nor should they take it if they have a serious infection. Never administer this medication to a human; only use it on dogs. Additionally, because it inhibits a dog’s JAKs to prevent them from functioning and because JAKs are required for healthy cell communication, it may impair your dog’s immune system.
FAQ
Does Apoquel make dogs urinate more?
These side effects typically subsided on their own because APOQUEL is SAFE. With APOQUEL, your dog is less likely to experience the side effects linked to steroids, another type of medication. These include excessive drinking and urinating, panting, and weight gain.
What are the side effects of Apoquel for a dog?
The product insert for Apoquel lists the following side effects for dogs: decreased leukocytes, decreased globulins, increased cholesterol and lipase, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, SQ or dermal masses (unspecified), and lethargy.
What time of day should I give my dog Apoquel?
Apoquel® can be given with or without food. For a short while, we prescribe it twice daily (morning and night) for some dogs, then we reduce the dosage to once daily. For others, we start at once per day. Depending on when your dog seems to be itchiest, a once-daily dose can be given either in the morning OR at night.
Does Apoquel cause polyuria?
CONTACT ALLERGY *Polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia are common side effects of steroids. Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and changes in blood tests are the most typical side effects associated with Apoquel.