Dogs suffering from allergic itching and inflammation can now benefit from a “palatable” treatment option.
Zoetis Inc. has announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Apoquel Chewable, the animal health company’s oclactinib chewable tablet for the control of pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis and control of atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 12 months of age.
The chewable treatment is expected to have comparable efficacy to its tablet predecessor after the first dose, with a formulation that may enhance medication compliance and therefore, improve outcomes for dogs.
Pruritus is the most common sign of allergies in dogs, and atopic dermatitis (environmental allergies) affects up to 15 percent of the dog population, Zoetis reports. Itching caused by allergic skin disease can be an acute, short-term condition or can be recurrent, seasonal, or chronic, impacting the quality of life for both the dog and owner.
“As a veterinarian, I often hear from frustrated pet owners who report that their dog resists accepting an unflavored tablet, even when it is hidden inside of food or if the dog previously took the pill, which can have a significant impact on the quality of life for dogs living with atopic dermatitis,” says Ashley Bourgeois, DVM, and board-certified veterinary dermatologist.
“The availability of a flavored chewable tablet is a major step forward for many pet owners in that it is expected to provide comparable efficacy to the original tablet after the first dose, but in a palatable formulation,” adds Dr. Bourgeois.
In the U.S. field trial of the new treatment, 1,662 doses of Apoquel Chewable were administered to 120 pet dogs twice daily for up to 14 days, at the labeled dose range of 0.4–0.6 mg/kg, with palatability assessed for the first seven days of dosing. The study found a total of 1,522 doses (91.6 percent) of the chewable tablet were accepted voluntarily within five minutes, Zoetis reports.
“Veterinarians and pet owners prefer chewable options—in a study, 56 percent of pet owners would choose a chewable over an injection or a tablet—and we believe that this, combined with the high palatability of a flavored chewable tablet, will lead to increased compliance, so that pet owners can spend more quality time with their dogs,” says Andy Hillier, BVSc, MANZCVS (Canine Medicine), Diplomate ACVD, director of Dermatology Medical Strategy and Field Specialists at Zoetis.
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