What are Apoquel side effects? How long can my dog take it safely?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I have several patients that have been on it for a little over a year now and seem to be doing quite well on it. The one thing we routinely monitor is a complete blood count to make sure the immune system is not being suppressed, which Apoquel has been known to do in some patients. Other than that, I really do not see any other side effects of using Apoquel. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Apoquel can result in a higher propensity of developing infections and the other concerning possible side effect is the higher chance of development of cancer that we think may happen with this drug. For this reason, usually I recommend using it on as needed basis and stopping it when the itch resolves. In theory, if the main cause of the itch is being addressed, such as treating allergies for example, you may not need to use Apoquel long term. Good luck and have a great day!

Apoquel is actually the only effective and safe medication that can be taken long term for this type of condition, if it works well i would recommend working on the lowest effective dose once a day and sticking to it. you will not find anything that works OTC, the only true alternative is steroids and these should not be taken long term.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, it appears to be. We have to keep allergic dogs on it longterm as it improves their quality of life so much. You can always use it on an as needed basis as there will be times of the year perhaps winter when his allergies will not be as significant. Good luck and have a great day!

Gastrointestinal upset and a decrease in appetite can be a side effect of Apoquel but it is not very common. Often the symptoms will improve after a few days. As long as Remy is not vomiting I’d continue the medication and contact your vet to let them know once they’re open.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Apoquel is a great drug for scratching. It is also very safe. There is no drug made on the planet that doesn't have some side effects. Nausea and diarrhea has been reported as a side effect, though I have only seen it very rarely. That shouldn't be a reason to not use it. I do agree with you about the age problem. It has been only labeled for use by the FDA in dogs older than 12 months. Using it in dogs younger than that is considered off label use. I recommend calling your Vet and asking if they are comfortable using apoquel in Sushi. It is up to your Vet and your comfort level. I hope this helps and I wish Sushi the best!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Tiny. I'm not sure anyone can answer that question and the best thing to do is to call the manufacturer of Apoquel and talk with their veterinary consultant team. I'm not sure we have any long term studies on this drug in dogs. Here's the info I copied from the Zoetis website regarding contact information- PRODUCT SUPPORT If you have product-related questions or wish to report an adverse event associated with a Zoetis product, including a human exposure, please contact our Veterinary Medical Information & Product Support Team at 1-888-ZOETIS-1 or 1-888-963-8471 I would advise also discussing with your veterinarian or a Zoetis veterinarian, other treatments for dogs with allergies. These can include medicated bathing, fish oil, antihistamines, corticosteroids, allergy shots, etc. Good luck with Tiny. Allergies can be very challenging but with good care they can be controlled quite well. Also a good flea and tick medicine should be part of the overall treatment.