Comments on Apoquel Side Effects: Short Term Fix, Long Term Nightmare

My moms dogs are both old and are in serious amounts of pain.So we tried using marijuana and CBD The one guys is so bad he will just sit there and shake most of the day and you tell they are both in a lot of pain, we recently started treating them with CBD and oh my god does it work, after one small dose my moms one dog stopped shaking for 3 days and both were in noticeably less pain for days after one dose of CBD compared to the prescription pain meds the vet gave them, we actually took them off those pain meds and have them running on pure CBD and the vets are amazed at how well it works so yes there is lots of research on the subject just like medical mj... the research is all there my friend all you have to do is a little research and you will find it.

I find it truly amazing, since growing up with dogs, from the age 11 to now the age of 66. and during my young years with my dogs never once did we have all these so called problems with our dogs. We didn't give them rabies shots either, we took them for walks in the neighborhood, they sniffed everything. They were fed Kennel Ration dog food mixed with table scraps. Our dog Hobo went to the vet once for a cut on his leg that was pretty serious and he stayed overnight, we went back the next day to retrieve him and I laughed at his name on his instruction sheet Hobo Sanders. The point I am trying to make here, is this, It seems that people in almost EVERY profession will lie to you just to make a buck, the greed and mendacity in this country has grown expodentially. They tell you that what YOU INSTINCTIVELY KNOW is WRONG. TRUST YOURSELVES. THINK FOR YOURSELVES. Feed your dog as you would feed yourself. If you eat vegetables, meat and a starch, feed your dog that too! They will be healthier. We used to take our dogs to the local SPCA for dips for fleas, and that was it. THEY ALL LIVED LONG AND HEALTHY LIVES, living in the city, surrounded by row houses. Having a dog has become TRENDY and some jerk somewhere decided like most business people do, they decide to develop snake oils and then play on your fears emotions to get you to act. Then when you act, you dig deep into your pockets, then it doesn't work, you dig deeper, and deeper. Then your pet dies, and they have your money, your pet is gone. Just don't over feed him. Like you it also won't live forever. Just treat your dog good, love it, because he is part of YOUR FAMILY, tell your pet EVERYDAY, SEVERAL TIMES A DAY HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HIM/HER, your vetrinarian as well as your doctor only sees you as BUSINESS, a MONEY MAKING VENTURE, and with that follows LIE after LIE, DECEPTION after DECEPTION, no matter how NICE they appear to because they ONLY DO what the PHARMACUETICAL companies tell them, they don't know a damn thing, in order for them to KNOW, they have to be scientists too, work in a lab and know results themselves and THEY ARE NOT SCIENTISTS AND DON'T WORK IN A LAB. YOU AND YOUR PET ARE EXPENDABLE.

My 4 yr old St Bernard/Great Pyr was dx'ed with idiopathic epilepsy at age 2 now taking Keppra, Zonisamide and Pheno. Her seizures seem to be more pronounced during the Spring/Summer Months, as her Outside Allergies to grass, pollen, etc. I do home cook for her, (avoiding commercial dog foods) feeding a balanced meal per Tufts, Boston, Vet Nutritionist. Just recently was dx'ed with jowl pyoderma and ears inflamed/itching due to outside allergies. The Vet had put her on Apoquel as an initial dose for 10 days tapering off. Her allergies have reared their ugly heads again - no jowl pyoderma, but ears itching. We have been using an inflatable fleece e-collar on her from preventing her to scratch. Vet re-prescribed Apoquel and said we could use this 'indefinitely'. She also has a bit of muscle/hip dysplasia and is being treated from a PT requesting the need for walks on grass daily to strengthen her hip/rear leg muscles ..thus the dilemma. Where do we go from here - Any alternatives for Apoquel with no contra-indications using her anti-seizure meds. Thank You.

I'm really upset that the vets at the clinic I go to have been prescribing Apoquel to my dog for years and none ever told me to watch for side effects or warned me of any potential damageor danger of long term use. I have noticed agression that didn't used to exist towards other dogs over the last few years and had no idea it could be connected. I just assumed it was age or her bully nature. She loves the dog park but I can't take her anymore which makes me sad and she still behaves at daycare where she is very submissive but that's because I'm not there I guess. At any rate I feel like I have failed her that she's missed out on so much and possibly physically harmed by the Apoquel that seemed to be only thing that helps her itching. I don't know if the side effects are permanent or reversible and I would like to know as I am taking her off Apoquel. She has not stayed on it constantly but she has been on it for about 4 years off and on depending on symptoms. Shes a white Bull Terrier With hx of demodex and flea allergy dermatitis. I question putting her on immune suppressant when her immune system has been compromised by the mange she had years ago... This makes me mistrust my vets further care of my now 8 year old girl! I don't know how to proceed...but I have some natural products and know all about bathing with oatmeal and cleaning feet etc. I've tried everything but when her skin flares up its bad.
Thank for any info on Post Apoquel expectations...

My senior tiny poodle suddenly when we moved from CA to MN got scabby, itchy skin. Vets cannot figure it out. Tried prednisone, change of foods, now on Apoquel that seems to keep it at bay. Thoughts? Its expensive and I hear experimental...

What are we to do? Vets and government tell us to vaccinate... Anything you want your dog to participate in, requires the usual vaccines. City/county govs (at least mine doesn't) won't accept titres, which is so ignorant, it seems to me. It should be a requirement PRIOR to vaccinating! I'm at a loss... so confused. I don't like poisoning my dog with vaccines. How are they protected from all the horrors our vets tell us will happen if we don't vaccinate! For example, if you have squirrels in your yard, you'd better have the LEPTO vaccine, or your dog could contract this virus! I read Dr. Dodd's book, The Canine Thyroid Epidemic, ...very informative for sure. Great articles from her, too, regarding the dangers of vaccines. So I'm on board with not vaccinating, but how do we not vaccinate and live in the world as it is, with our dogs? Very conflicting! What is that strategy for complying, keeping our pets safe from these diseases, while protecting them from the preventions???

Are nightmares a known side effect of Apoquel? I asked my vet and she says no but I've noticed every time I give my 8 year old pit bull a pill, that same night she has really bad dreams. We have to wake her up for it to stop. Ive searched online and can't find anything related either. I give her a pill in the morning with her food occasionally. I stopped giving it every day. The vet is now suggesting to switch to cytopoint injections.

Thanks for the source. Will do more research before giving her anything new but nice to have some options.

Thanks for the source. Will do more research before giving her anything new but nice tomhave some options.

....and what reputable source do you get CBD oil from?

No, I have not tried that on he. How is it different from regular hemp oil which I have in my fridge currently. I will do some research. Thanks for the suggestion.

Tammy, have you considered trying CBD oil? I began giving it to my seasonally allergic lab this summer and I do think it has helped. I have apoquel and occasionally give her an 8mg dose but that has become only once or twice a week. Tried the CBD oil and since adding it to the mix she has remained comfortable and far less itchy. She is also a raw food, no more vaccinations dog. For her it is seasonal and pollens. We also use 4Life Transfer Factor. Think it all helps us to stay minimal w/the harmful drugs.

I just pulled my 8 yr old french bulldog off Apoquel. She had been on Temaril p for years and her allergies were perfectly supressed. Little did I know, she would develop calcinosis cutis and iatragenic cushings from the steroids. I believed such a low dose would not cause such problems. I was wrong and my dog suffered because of it. So I had to take her off the Temaril but the itching returned with a vengence. Vet mentioned new drug called Apoquel. I did my research, found the drug to be very scary but felt no choice due to her suffering and began her on the drug. It did stop her itching but after the loading does was cut it was not as effective and she would start to smell just days after a bath. Then she started getting redness and irritation in the fold around her vulva and constantly drug her girl parts on the ground (no, it was not anal gland or other issue, it was a red inflamed vulva). I gave her a hydroxizne one night instead of the Apoquel and the next morning her vulva was no longer red so I thought maybe she had gotten a bite from a bug in the yard. Next morning put her back on regular Apoquel. The inflamed vulva returned and she began shaking her head and appeared to be starting to get an ear infection. This was about a month into Apoquel use. So due to the fact that she seemed to be GETTING fold infections from the immune suppresion, I decided to stop the Apoquel and by the next morning, her vulval folds were no long red and she no longer scratched her butt on the ground. So now I was certain that issue was being caused by the Apoquel. She is on hydroxizine at the moment. She has been minimally vaccinated as a puppy and has never received any boosters. She had always been on a raw diet, no grains, mostly meat and veggies...but she is a frenchie, with all the genetic issues that come with the breed. She does get Nexguard a few times in the summer because she is horribly allergic to flea bites. The problem I have with homeopathy is I have tried 2 well known homeopathic vets with cats in the past and it did not result in many positive results, just ALOT of money spent so I am very cautious of that route now. One of the vets just seemed to have gone off the deep end with mystical musings so I just started to question the validity of the whole idea. Anyway, my frenchie girl is laying at my side snoozing, mostly ok with the occasional attempt to lick her feet....she is trained with the command, "no feet" so I can usually break the feet cycle. Just at a loss with where to go from here. I know, had I kept her on Apoquel, she would have had more disastrous health problems. The damage from the Temaril is slowly resolving. Some of the calcinosis actually turn to osteoma cutis but even since having her off the Apoquel for 2 days, the bumps are getting smaller. I feel so horrible for all the damage I have caused this amazing dog all in the attempt at trying to help her, and I know better, I have been a raw feeder for 25 years and aware of the vaccine issue for as long, when one of my abyssinian kitten became paralyzed for 3 days after a kitten vaccine. So none of this is new to me but I do understand the frustration of having a suffering animal and wanting to do anything to help. Just be cautious with interfering with the immune system with something like Apoquel...I think in the years to come it will pan out how damaging this drug is.

I live in Spring Texas (just outside of Houston) Is there any true holistic vets that anyone knows of, that are near to my town? I've checked and only found one, Dr. Ahrens, which I visited, but is not truly holistic.
Thank you.

Our rescued yellow lab has class 10/10 itchiness without medication. If you haven't cared for a dog with allergies this severe, it's hard to understand how itchy it can get. She came to us in rough shape after living on the streets for 2 weeks and scratching 75% of the hair off her body.
If it wasn't for early access to Apoquel (thanks Boston), our dog would probably be put down. Our pup will most likely die young from a complication from this drug. But I'd prefer her have 5 good years than 10 bad ones.

I have a dog on apoqeul he's been on it for about 18 months now. My vet says he needs to have regular blood tests to make sure it's not interfering with his major organs. After his 1st blood test my vet told me his liver enzymes were elevated, he's had several blood tests since and each time the liver enzymes have increased. They have told me they have been in touch with the drug company who say they have had no reports it's the apoqeul causing This! The vet just wants to do more investigation even though I'm convinced it's the apoqeul. Apart from the itchy skin he's a happy, healthy pup.

Came across your article on apoquel because I accidentally took one a few days ago and I was googling people side effects. So far, I have none.
You seem mostly adverse to the use of apoquel.
We have a 23lb, 8 yr old puggle bitch; slightly more pug than beagle. She's a healthy, happy dog, but she has chronic itchy skin. She's been on apoquel for over a year now, 16mg once daily in the AM. No side effects and he itching is controlled. It works for us.

Very good article .. and Yes Vaccines seem to be the major issue I have found. My sweet English Springer came to me at 8 weeks old with all her baby vaccines I took her for her Bortadella at I think it was around 12 - 15 weeks ? (It's been a while to remember) Anyhow they gave her the Bortadella up the nose as I was holding her in my arms and you could not have counted to 5 and she let out the most blood curdling screach and then went totally pale, defecated all over and her heart quit. I was within 3 minute of an ER thankfully and they were waiting for me and they began administering Epinephrin .. She made it through. Fast Foward 3 years .. April 21st, 2016. About a month prior to this date she had become itchy .. out of nowhere with no enviormental changes or food changes. Out of nowhere on the 21st she quit eating .. I thought doggie flu... turned her over to put a cool cloth on her belly and she was yellow (jaundice). Immediately took her to ER where they diagnosed her with AIHA. PCV was at 24 when we arrived and by morning PCV was at 11. Longs story short she was tested to see if it was genetic for her breed. Tested for Tick bite reaction. All came back negative. She ended up having 4 blood transfusions . There was no reason they could give for her having it which i have come to learn is the case in most AIHA dogs. 4 weeks in she was non-regenerative and they wanted to perform a Bone Marrow Asperate. We refused. So we added on a 3rd immune suppressing drug. she was currently on Prednisone, Mycophenoloate, and they added on to that Cyclosporine. Within 10 days she became regenerative. We did have a vet willing to use some natural supplements which we were thankful for. Fast Forward to today .. she is currently off all meds as of 4 weeks with no relapse. However I started her on my own on Bovine Colostrum approx. 3 months ago as they were weaning her off the last drug cyclosporine, I also put her on Raw Goats Milk Kefir. So far so good. She is still on Kibble ( Acana Duck and Pear) She is still dealing with the occasional itch so I'm concerned about that but it seems to be diminishing the further we get away from the meds so I'm hoping she is just detoxing through her skin and with time that will all heal as the cyclosporine caused her to have pyoderma for 6 weeks leading up to her being taken off the cyclo. Anyhow all that to share that i truly believe this disease goes back to that Bortadella Vaccine she had. I have no way to prove it obviously but I truly think some kind of harm was done to the immune system and possibly the cells .. I wish there was more research on this disease and why so many dogs are getting it and why so many vets fail at treating it. Thanks for the great article. !
Sara and Flossie (ESP)

Thank you for letting me join the "pack". I could write a book about things that have gone wrong with my pups and vets. But I won't. I have put the skids on vaccinations for my dogs mostly because they have terminal illnesses. But I wish I had done it years ago. The 14 year old has colon cancer and the 13 year old has kidney disease. They are on Rx food and my home cooking since one has an allergy to animal protein. I asked the vet to sign a statement to bypass the state rabies shot requirement since I don't want their immune systems taxed more than they already are. Waiting for a decision on that. Another tidbit I have learned is the chemicals we are convinced to use to clean etc. are the worst in the world. And our animals are breathing the air loaded with residual gases or whatever the chemicals give off. I now mop my floors with a steam mop and it works wonderfully. I make cleaners myself with vinegar/alcohol/peroxide, etc.
Now I would like to say thank you for writing in a way I can understand. I hate having to look up every 10 words when I read something. What led me here was Apoquel and now I understand the medicine and am thankful it was just a short term treatment (for breakouts) for my dog with kidney disease. Looking forward to learning more in the future.

You mention garlic for flea/tick prevention. Garlic is toxic to dogs and cats. I have seen renal failure in dogs given low dose garlic daily as a flea preventative.