Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Oclacitinib controls itching in dogs with flea allergy dermatitis
By Gonzales, Andrea J et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics·2024·Veterinary Medicine Research and Development, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Oclacitinib (APOQUEL®) is a selective Janus kinase 1 inhibitor with efficacy in a canine model of flea allergic dermatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-month-old dog with flea allergy dermatitis was treated with a medication called oclacitinib (Apoquel) to help relieve itching and skin irritation. After just one dose, the dog showed a 61% reduction in itching within 1.5 hours, and after two weeks of treatment, the itching decreased by an average of 85%. The medication also significantly improved redness and skin lesions. Throughout the study, no side effects were reported, indicating that oclacitinib is effective and safe for treating this condition in dogs.
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Abstract
Oclacitinib is a novel Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor that potently inhibits JAK1-dependent cytokines involved in allergy, inflammation, and pruritus (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-13, and IL-31). Oclacitinib (Apoquel®, Zoetis Inc, Parsippany, NJ) is approved for the treatment/control of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis and treatment/control of clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 12 months of age. To evaluate the effectiveness of oclacitinib in dogs with flea allergy dermatitis, the JAK1 selective inhibitor was tested in a placebo-controlled, masked, single-dose (0.4 mg/kg) or repeat-dose (0.4 mg/kg, twice daily for 2 weeks) study. Pruritic behaviors were quantitated by video recording, and erythema and skin lesions were assessed using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS). Results showed that oclacitinib reduced pruritus by 61% as early as 1.5 h after a single oral dose compared to placebo, with an average reduction (compared to placebo) of 85% 1-5 h after dosing (0.4 mg/kg; p < .0001). Oclacitinib also significantly reduced erythema (p < .0001) and skin lesion (p < .0005) VAS scores on Day 14 compared to placebo in a repeat dose study. No adverse events were noted during the conduct of these studies. IL-31 concentrations were elevated in the majority of dogs after flea infestation, suggesting JAK1-dependent cytokines may drive clinical signs of flea allergy dermatitis. These findings show that oclacitinib, an inhibitor of JAK1-dependent cytokines involved in allergy and inflammation can rapidly reduce clinical signs associated with flea allergic dermatitis in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38926932/