Drug Name
|
Acute Flare
|
Long-term Management
|
Advantage/Disadvantage
|
Oclacitinib
|
✓
|
✓
|
- Very rapid onset of action (hours)
- Does not interfere with intradermal allergy testing and immunotherapy
- Antipruritic and anti-inflammatory
|
- Not for use in dogs <1 yr of age
- Do not use in the presence of deep skin or systemic infection, neoplasia, or history of neoplasia
- Has not been tested in dogs receiving other long-term allergy medications such as corticosteroids and cyclosporine
|
Lokivetmab
|
✓
|
✓
|
- Safe for use in puppies and dogs with comorbidities (neoplasia, infection, systemic disease)
- Does not interfere with intradermal allergy testing and immunotherapy
- Biologic compound
- Safe to use in combination with other medications
|
- Must be administered at veterinary clinic
- Variable onset of action (hours to 3 days)
|
Corticosteroids
|
✓
|
✓
|
- Rapid onset of action
- Antipruritic and anti-inflammatory
|
|
Allergen-specific immunotherapy
|
X
|
✓
|
- Safe to use in combination with other medications
- Only management strategy that induces change in the immune response
- Biologic compound
|
- Slow onset of action (months to 1 yr)
- Requires intradermal or serum allergy testing
|
Cyclosporine
|
X
|
✓
|
- Does not interfere with intradermal allergy testing
|
- Slow onset of action (weeks)
- Side effects common (gastrointestinal, hirsutism, gingival hyperplasia, papilloma)
- Requires periodic monitoring of hepatic enzymes and blood cell counts
|
EFAs
|
X
|
✓
|
- May have steroid-sparing benefits
|
- Slow onset of action (weeks to months)
|
Antihistamines
|
X
|
✓
|
|
- Questionable efficacy—may only be effective in mildly pruritic animals
|
EFAs, essential fatty acids.