03/21/2024
In researching this I couldn’t help but to pause on a woman’s story titled “ASK YOUR VETERINARIAN IF CANCER IS RIGHT FOR YOUR DOG” if you’ve ever lost a heart dog to cancer … the question hits you in the gut and hangs out there like a pendulum slamming up against your insides. Both have been touted with “the miracle cure all for our itching babes”. But let’s talk abt what we’re not being told while we’re in that office. Grab your wine coffee or tea… bc this one will be a bit of a read!
‼️Apoquel ‼️
How Does Apoquel Work?
Apoquel affects the body’s kinases. Kinases are signalling compounds that cells use to communicate with each other. In the 1980s, an Australian chemist discovered some new ones, known as JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TKY2. With the growing epidemic of dog allergies, pharmaceutical companies saw an opportunity. They developed a drug that would stop these JAKs in their tracks.
And they sure succeeded. The kinase inhibitor Oclacitinib maleate, under the brand name Apoquel stops JAKs from doing their job. JAKs are key elements in controlling both growth and development. These particular JAKs do the work of:
🍃Policing the body against tumor formation
🍃Controlling body growth and development
🍃Forming white and red blood cells
🍃Ensuring antibody-producing B cells and “policing” T-cells are functioning well
Regulating inflammatory response
Apoquel has a unique mechanism that’s different from other allergy drugs … and that’s to interrupt JAK cell signaling compounds. Apoquel prevents JAKs from working. And without JAKs your dog’s immune system cannot function correctly.
🐾 JAK1 is vital for the constant surveillance within your dog’s body. Its job is to find and destroy abnormal cells that have become cancerous … before they form tumors. And it’s needed to destroy invading parasites, fungi, bacteria and viruses.
🐾 JAK2 is central to the production of bone marrow stem cells. These cells then become red and white blood cells and platelets.
🐾 JAK3 helps your dog’s antibody system (B cells) and its killer-cell system (T cells) work properly.
These JAKs all talk to each other and share information to keep your dog’s body healthy. So you can see that by preventing JAKs from working … Apoquel undermines your dog’s immune system to prevent allergic reactions.
‼️ Cytopoint ‼️
It’s a synthetic monoclonal antibody.
So what’s an antibody? An antibody is a special protein the body creates as part of the immune response to antigens (agents that cause disease, like viruses, bacteria, fungi) or toxins.
Your dog’s body naturally produces large numbers of antibodies. They bind to the foreign substances and inactivate them (if or when they pass through the body’s defenses and get inside). This is called neutralization.
Antibodies also play another role in the immune response. They activate part of the immune response called the complement system. This complement system then attacks and kills bacteria and other pathogens. It’s worth noting here that if your dog’s immune system ever gets disrupted to the extent where it creates antibodies that attack any part of her body, this most often causes AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE. Antibodies that bind to any normal part of the body are BAD.
Cytopoint is an antibody for dogs that binds to and inactivates part of your dog’s immune system. Cytopoint targets a special compound called Interleukin 31 (IL 31). IL 31 is a cytokine. Cytokines are a family of small proteins that are found throughout the body. They’re synthesized by a broad range of cells. These include immune cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts and stromal (connective tissues) cells.
There are many different cytokines, and they activate each other in a range of different sequences, called cytokine cascades.
The key point here is that cytokines have many different functions, and they affect your dog’s body in many ways. Each cytokine is not a one-trick pony. It’s a multifunctional substance that’s involved in regulating multiple physiological functions in multiple sites of action in your dog’s body.
What Interleukin 31 (IL 31) Does
T helper cells, mast cells, macrophages and dendritic cells produce IL 31. Its major sites of action are the skin, lung, intestines and nervous system.
The main role of IL 31 is to trigger cell mediated immunity against pathogens. This means that blocking IL 31 may make your dog more vulnerable to infectious disease.
IL 31 also regulates homeostasis of the cells that create red blood cells. And it’s involved in the regulation of connective tissues. So, blocking it may contribute to the development of diseases like IMHA (immune-mediated hemolytic anemia) and neuro-fascial pain.
IL 31 is thought to be important in the link between the immune and sensory nervous systems. It plays a role in the proliferation and differentiation of cells in the body. So … blocking it may cause immune system dysregulation.
When the body is out of balance, then IL 31 levels are elevated. This plays a role in triggering the chronic itch of atopy (allergies). And that’s why the drug company made the medicine.
In their infinite wisdom, they decided that because injecting dogs with IL 31 made them itchy, then to turn that cytokine off (with the monoclonal antibody) would be the magic bullet to “cure” allergies in dogs safely.
Alas. There’s nothing “safe” about it.
SIDE EFFECTS OF BOTH
‼️ APOQUEL ‼️
“Apoquel side effects listed for dogs in the product insert include: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, SQ or dermal masses (unspecified), decreased leukocytes, decreased globulins, and increased cholesterol and lipase. Low numbers of dogs in the studies developed demodicosis, neoplasia, pneumonia, bloody diarrhea, skin and ear infections, UTIs, and histiocytomas. Interestingly, in early studies, a few dogs developed polydipsia, increased appetite, and aggression.”
The pharmaceutical company did a study on how dogs react to these drugs… They note when problems occur… for example liver problems at 7 weeks, or tumors at 16 weeks.. And then they publish a study that ends BEFORE problems started showing up.
“There were no fatalities and no abnormal health events that necessitated hospitalization in either the study phase [day 0–7 (+3 days)] or the continuation phase [day 8–28 (±20 days)] of the study. Given that the majority of dogs in the placebo group withdrew after the completion of the study phase, the incidence of abnormal clinical signs was similar in both groups.”
7 days. There was a “continuation phase” after the 7 day study period, from 8 to 30 days. The researchers report:
“Six dogs (four oclacitinib and two placebo group) were withdrawn from the study during the continuation phase for abnormal health events. Abnormal health events were reported in 11 of 179 oclacitinib-treated dogs post-study. These were as follows: diarrhea (four dogs; severe enough to warrant cessation of treatment in one dog); vomiting (four dogs); fever, lethargy and cystitis (one dog); an inflamed footpad and vomiting (one dog); and diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy (one dog).”
❗One dog was euthanized after 450 days of Apoquel. The dog had developed abdominal ascites and pleural effusion of unknown etiology. This means that he had a fluid-filled abdomen and chest.
❗Six dogs were euthanized because of suspected malignant neoplasms. Those are cancers that spread easily … but are undetected because of immune suppression.
❗Two dogs each developed a Grade II mast cell tumor after 52 and 91 days.
❗One dog developed low-grade B-cell lymphoma after 392 days.
❗Two dogs each developed an apocrine gland adenocarcinoma. On was dermal, the other an a**l sac. These problems happened after only 210 and 320 days on Apoquel.
❗One dog developed a low-grade oral spindle cell sarcoma after 320 days. It’s a very painful oral cancer for dogs.
‼️ CYTOPOINT ‼️
The package insert for Cytopoint only states: “Adverse events occurred at a similar frequency between treated and placebo groups in a study of 245 canine patients presented to veterinary hospitals and diagnosed with atopic dermatitis. Signs of patient discomfort on administration and adverse events occurred at a similar frequency between treatment groups.” If you read carefully, it's clear that adverse reactions were indeed observed in the clinical trial, but since they also occurred in the placebo group at a similar frequency, they apparently don't need to be disclosed.
Many dog owners who have tried Cytopoint felt blindsided by the side effects they didn't expect. The official information from the pharmaceutical company differs greatly from the users' experiences, and it's reasonable to ask how is that possible? Why were there reactions in the placebo group to begin with? There are several lenses through which we can examine the safety of Cytopoint, but let's start with the infamous clinical trial. For example: at higher doses, histidine has shown side effects in impaired cognitive function, anorexia, vision impairment, weakness, nausea, drowsiness, and depression. Methionine can cause vomiting, drowsiness, and irritability. Caution is also advised for patients with liver disease. Polysorbate 80 has been connected with side effects of anaphylaxis, rashes, and hypersensitivity. It has also been linked to kidney and liver toxicity, specifically when used as a vehicle for another drug. Clearly, these substances do affect the system, and their effect should have been acknowledged in the original study's conclusions. Several veterinarians have observed adverse reactions and have even noted that those have been very difficult to report to Zoetis, as the representative they spoke to doubted and minimized the reported effects. The most commonly reported side effects were vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Other noted side effects were anorexia, pain on injection, hair loss, increased itch, rash, and swelling.
Once a drug gains governmental approval, there is no incentive for drug companies like Zoetis to continue formal research on their products. After approval, its strictly feedback from pet owners like you that modifies opinions, helps motivate the USDA to look out for your pet's interests and drives change.
They claim that Cytopoint is not an immunosuppressant.
Well, it’s not a blanket immunosuppressant like cortisone (or Apoquel). But it absolutely suppresses the activity of one small, yet very important part of the immune function. That also impacts ALL the cytokine cascades that IL 31 is involved in. So it suppresses one part of the immune system, and thus dysregulates the whole immune system.
They claim Cytopoint is not a pharmaceutical.
Hmmm. Well, it’s an antibody that if created inside the body would be unhealthy and likely cause autoimmune disease. So it’s not natural. And it’s a man-made substance. So while it’s not a chemical pharmaceutical, it is a monoclonal antibody pharmaceutical.
Why? Because it has the same intention and function of all pharmaceuticals. It tries to affect one small part of the function of the body to “cure” disease … while ignoring the whole. It doesn’t address the root cause … which is the underlying imbalance in the body.
They claim Cytopoint is safe for dogs.
Their safety claims are after a relatively small study on lab Beagles. The study isn’t representative of the dogs treated at large in society. The evidence I can see of many dogs being harmed (or even killed) so early in the use of this drug tells me that it’s not safe at all.
If you’ve hung in this long congratulations! Like most medications if you don’t get to the root of the issue, you are simply slapping on a bandaid and hoping for the best. Once you stop the medications the symptoms will come right back. Cytopoint hasn’t had a detailed long term case study and aren’t allowing feedbacks to be filled.
Consultations are always available.
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/wouldnt-give-dog-new-allergy-drug/
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/cytopoint-for-dogs-not-safe/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4282467/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4286885/
https://vetspace.2ndchance.info/dog-owner-feedback-from-apoquel-users/
https://vitalanimal.com/apoquel-dog-1/
https://ultimatedog.com/is-cytopoint-safe-for-dogs-clinical-trial-veterinary-practice-and-dog-owners-experiences/
https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/shocking-drug-statistic
https://www.petforums.com/threads/has-your-dog-reacted-badly-to-cytopoint-injection-new-anti-itch-shot.10902/page-5
