Apoquel actually doesn’t cure anything. Apoquel was meant to be a temporary use product for relief of severe itching. The FDA approval documentation even says “until the core reason could be found”. But it’s been highly misused.
Apoquel “numbs the nerves” of animals. This means your dog simply does no FEEL the itch, but the underlying symptoms are there and the root cause is not addressed.
Apoquel Side Effects
- Vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia
- behavior changes including aggression & hyperactivity
- liver failure, bone marrow suppression
- seizures
- immune suppression, infections, poor wound healing, viral papilloma, demodex
- urinary tract infections (UTI)
- bacterial infections in the ears
- skin infections
- unsafe for dogs under 12 months of age
- unsafe for dogs with Cancer or with an infection.
- May cause Cancer.
Read This Article from Dr. William Falconer, an animal naturopath: Apoquel: Drug with a Dark Side
Apoquel is an Immunosuppressant & Neuro-Inhibotor
This rx medication is in basic terms a neuro-inhibitor (Jak1 and Jak3). Said to “stop the itch”, it does so by numbing the nerves of your pet to trick the brain into believing it doesn’t itch.
It does nothing to address the root cause of the inflammatory response. The root cause is perhaps damaging your dog’s immune system and overall health. Not to mention the unknown effects of the prescription long-term.
I have had pet parents tell me in no uncertain terms that they would rather see their dog’s life reduced by years, than see them suffer in the misery of allergies another day.
Apoquel is an Immunosuppressant
Yes, that means it suppresses your dog’s immune system. That may be a problem when your immune system needs to be strong to fight off illnesses, receive vaccines, and deal with the aging process.
Apoquel Allergy Shot Warning
From the manufacturer’s website:
Important Safety Information: Do not use APOQUEL in dogs less than 12 months of age or those with serious infections. APOQUEL may increase the chances of developing serious infections and may cause existing parasitic skin infestations or pre-existing cancers to get worse. APOQUEL has not been tested in dogs receiving some medications including some commonly used to treat skin conditions such as corticosteroids and cyclosporine. Do not use in breeding, pregnant, or lactating dogs. Most common side effects are vomiting and diarrhea. APOQUEL has been used safely with many common medications including parasiticides, antibiotics and vaccines.
For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information.
INDICATIONS
Control of pruritus (itching) associated with allergic dermatitis and control of atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 12 months of age.
From the Folks At Feed Real Movement:
APOQUEL AFFECTS KINASES (ESSENTIAL SIGNALING COMPOUNDS THAT THE BODY’S CELLS USE TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER) WHICH CAN CAUSE INTOLERABLE LOW WHITE AND LOW RED CELL COUNT, STUNTED GROWTH AND CAN INCREASE THE DOG’S RISK OF CANCER. DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT… IT’S LISTED ON APOQUEL’S WEBSITE.
ACCORDING TO THE SITE, IT’S KNOWN TO CAUSE NEOPLASTIC CONDITIONS. A NEOPLASM IS AN ABNORMAL GROWTH OF TISSUE THAT CAN BE BENIGN (NONCANCEROUS) OR MALIGNANT (CANCEROUS). BENIGN TUMORS USUALLY GROW SLOWLY AND DON’T SPREAD. HOWEVER, MALIGNANT TUMORS (CANCEROUS NEOPLASMS) GROW RAPIDLY AND INVADE OTHER PARTS OF YOUR BODY.
LIKE OTHER IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS, THE USE OF APOQUEL CAN LEAD TO SECONDARY SKIN INFECTIONS CAUSED BY BACTERIA OR FUNGI. CYTOPOINT IS A TYPE OF NON-DRUG TREATMENT THAT CONTAINS BIOENGINEERED ANTIBODIES THAT TARGET AND NEUTRALIZE ONE OF THE MAIN PROTEINS IN YOUR DOG’S BODY THAT CAUSES ITCHING. DESPITE EXCELLENT RESULTS FOR SOME DOGS, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BOTH MEDICATIONS OFTEN WANES OVER TIME. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE UNDERLYING CAUSE IS OFTEN UNIDENTIFIED AND THE ITCH PERSISTS