New med for itchy dogs - anybody tried this?

[Charliesmommy]

My friend who works at the vet's office gave me a bunch of literature on Atopica, which is a new medicine for itchy dogs when nothing else will work. Has anyone tried it? Anybody know anything about it, other that what I've already gotten from the website etc? I'm excited to talk to the vet about it, because Charlie and I are both going nuts with his scratching all the time.

 

[SeniorPetLover]

I'm currently using it on a cat...it's just been a few days, so no results yet...the vet says it is a great product, so I'm crossing my paws!

 

[Charliesmommy]

Will you let me know how it works out and if your cat experiences any side effects? Charlie is due for shots next month so I'm not going to be getting him on it until then.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

I really recommend allergy testing...

 

[Charliesmommy]

I know BP but we have determined that it is likely not allergies after all. Neither Hydroxizine nor Benadryl do any good at all. If it was an allergy, an antihistamine should at least help a little bit. So, short of steroids, which I want to avoid if possible, this seems to be the next best option.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

It would put my mind at ease, to know, though. Seriously, the best $233 bucks we've spent on Buddy ('cept for saving his life ).


If it's not allergies, what does your vet propose that it is?

 

[Charliesmommy]

Well, I haven't talked to the vet about it yet, just with my neighbor, who is a tech. She just went to this seminar about Atopic dermatitis - which from all I can tell, pretty much just means that the dog is itch and they can't find any reason for it!

 

[elegy]

atopica is an allergy med (and a spendy one!) and i've seen it work very very well for allergy dogs. it's not all that new.

if oral meds continue to not work, i'd definitely suggest allergy testing. or a referral to a veterinary dermatologist.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

Crappy.

blood tests or anything that can be done to pinpoint the cause?

 

[Charliesmommy]

Hmmmmm......I guess I really need to talk to the vet about it, rather than my neighbor........I did see that it is pretty pricey!

 

[StillandSilent]

We used it on a shelter dog and it worked really well. We had him allergy tested, but couldn't really track any one things down. Within just a few weeks, he was less itchy and his bald spots were beginning to fill in. It's been several months now, and his new owners report that he is just like a normal dog, and they have weaned him down to just once a week.

 

[Charliesmommy]

We used it on a shelter dog and it worked really well. We had him allergy tested, but couldn't really track any one things down. Within just a few weeks, he was less itchy and his bald spots were beginning to fill in. It's been several months now, and his new owners report that he is just like a normal dog, and they have weaned him down to just once a week.

That sounds promising. Did you have any side effects? I read that vomiting and diarrhea are common for the first 30 days. Charlie has a sensitive tummy anyway so I'm concerned about that.

 

[sundog]

Atopica is what my vet has recommended for my pup. She had been taking it since this past Friday evening. I have noticed less scratching, but she is still scratching some. I am going to slowly change her food to Canidae, as well. I don't want to keep my pet on meds. for a long period of time. I'm hoping the Canidae will help if it's a food allergy. We're not sure what is causing the hair loss and scratching. I've even quit using Tide detergent when I wash her bedding. I'm not using Pet Fresh on the carpet. I'm trying to clean up her environment some.

My pup is a wonderful girl! I'd do anything to make her more comfie.

 

[Jynx]

One of my GSd's was on Atopica for 3 months..I'm assuming your talking about oral atopica?????

If so, mine was on it for perianal fistula's, (blew a gland which resulted in fistulas, atopica or cyclosporine (same diff) is a widely used for this)

There can be alot of side effects with atopica, luckily the only side effect I saw, was Dodge lost his coat BIG TIME,,you think GSd's shed? While on atopica, OH MY LORDY,,a normal "shed" would have been welcome,,this was MAJOR...not bald mind you, but no coat ,,kinda like a lab coat??? it grew back fuller than ever after off the atopica..

Most recommend (and hopefully your vet would to!!!) to do a "trough" test, to regulate dosage,,if you give to much or to little, it won't be effective. Also, keep an eye on liver/kidney function...Other side effects can be just generally not being able to tolerate the medication (which can be from to high a dosage as well,) not eating, vomiting, diarhea...

On the pf list I belong to, if you see side effects it's recommended you stop usage, because it's probably not going to work.

Atopica basically is going to shut down the immune system,,so while it looks like a "cure" , it kinda isn't, its shutting down the dogs immune system, which leaves them subject to "whatever" else they can pick up..no immune system to fight it off..so it can be a catch 22.

Personally, after doing all the research I did on this drug prior to giving it to my dog for 3 months, it's not a drug I would want my dog on for an extended period of time. Many that have PF dogs and have gone this route also agree, but then again there are some that have had their dogs on it for years to keep the disease in remission. My GSD, thankfully, did not have "true" PF's, and the atopica did what it was supposed to and he has been PF free for almost 3 years.
(OH yes, it was EXPENSIVE, I believe I paid, around 15$ per 100mg pill daily.that was at vet's cost)
Diane

 

[Sush]

One of the dogs we had at the pet resort was on Atopica, It worked wonders for him. He would itch to the point where he barely had any hair on his whole body, it was so thin you could see his skin through the wirey hair. He was put on a grain free diet as well as this pill, I guess every other day, and pretty soon his hair grew back and he did great! The owner said it was the only thing that worked.

 

[Charliesmommy]

Jynx - what is a trough test???? Those are some scary side effects. And if Charlie sheds any more than he already does, no one will be able to find me because I'll be buried in a mountain of dog fur!

 

[OutlineACDs]

Used it on my ACD mix. It is expensive. When we were using it we were paying $100 per month. It took a while to take its full effect but we were happy with it. It was not a cure-all though. She was still itchy. She was looking better though, not as much missing hair or big red patches/hot spots from the constant chewing.

 

[Jynx]

a trough test measures the levels of atopica in the system, shows you whether the dog is getting to much or not enough, I honestly don't know if this would be something one would do if on it for allergies, but I do know that all the PF people who have/had their dogs on it, do this testing, to make sure the dog is getting correct dosage.

oh, the hair, I have had gsd's forever, and I know how they shed, on this stuff, my gosh, I have never seen a dog lose so much hair so fast in my life,,Again, he wasn't bald, but close coated like a lab/beagle,,but some say their dogs did not lose coat on it, but the majority of people did,,also as stated, it does grow back THICKER than ever! But poor dodge looked like a rangey big headed big eared black boy for awhile LOL
diane