My dog is on Apoquel. Are there long-term side effects? Is it safe?

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!

Side effects of apoquel include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and anorexia. It can be used for both short term and long term treatment. It will be up to your vet to determine how long Maylo can be on apoquel, and I would discuss long term use with your vet :-)

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!

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.

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!

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.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Sadly we do not really know. It is a new drug and we do not know the full extent of a lot of side effects and potential issues with long term use. The clinical trials have only been going on since 2015. I hope this helps in some way! https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/cytopoint/safety_longtermuse.aspx