Replies on Cytopoint Injection: High Tech Answer to Itchy Dogs?

Cheryl, how did CytoPoint work for your pup?

Have you found anything to help the itching? My dog is 7 and has been on Cytopoint for 2years. After reading this, I am now afraid to continue using it. What have you done?

Try taking her off grains. I got a rife test of my yorkie and it said she is allergic to grains. No rice! I start noticing the itching after she eats rice.

Cytopoint worked wonders for my red Doberman and my border collie. Border collie chewed her legs raw and Doberman scratched all night. Dobie took one injection and it worked in about 12 -15 hours. I've not have to repeat. That was two years ago. The border collie took 3 injections over 3 months and have mot had to repeat. That too, was 2 years ago. My border collie is 15 years old and my Doberman is 8 years. I'd do it again if I had to. But, so far, so good.

Cheryl, my 10 yo has had the same issues as your furbaby. We just gave her first cytopoint shot last week. Im not sure it helped, and in fact am wondering if it made her worse. I think these EXTREME cases like my girl and your furbaby are in a situation unlike most dogs with skin issues. Can you advise treatment, successes, or things learned about treating your dog after your post was written? I am curious what worked, what didnt, etc, any advice you can provide is appreciated.

I believe you have a quality of life issue here. I understand your fear but if the shot worked for your baby, perhaps the risks are worth it.

I'm very curious to know how your baby is doing as it's been several years since you posted this my dog is going through the same thing

Cheryl,
I know this drug is new, but really how about quality of life for your poor dog and you? I tried all sorts of things as well and after a month of intense itching, scratching and chewing, I decided to try this drug. My go to used to be Prednisone, but I am giving this a try. I think all the bad press is premature, I'd love to know whats making my girl itch, but having to deal with sores and hot spots and medications for that, I was willing to give this a try. I hope you find the relief your looking for, don't be so hard on yourself, your only trying to do whats best for your fur baby. I really don't know how I landed on this site, but Dr. Dodd's is world reknown and she believes in Cytopoint. Good Luck, I wish you well.

My old shar pei had several Cytopoint injections. She had relief and stopped chewing. She died at 11, was she an old dog or did cytopoint play a part? I'll never know. But she was comfortable her last few years.
It was worth it.

Well I have a westie and his life was a miserable painful life, he was a rescue, didn’t know his age and thought he was old but his teeth told me he was only young,his allergy’s were not only making him itch but making him ill, tried all sorts but to know avail, was put on apoquel and suddenly the young dog appeared it changed his life for the better, as before he had no life at all. Going to get the injection for him, if it shortens his life so be it, at least he will have a life because he was so close to being put down, all meds can have side effects you have to way up the pros and cons and the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

How did it go????? Did the Cytopoint help?????

How is it going now? My French Bulldog has suffered so and I just caved and gave her this injection. Please let me know. Ty

Think about some natural alternatives, please. Investigate CBD oil, (beware, learn first... so many inferior products), olive leaf extract, cucurmin, and others. You really should investigate your feeding protocols, likely your dog is sensitive to sugars/starches, try a freeze-dried food if you can't go raw. And a high quality probiotic to balance his gut bacteria (lots of poor quality products, you'd need to learn). There are things you can do, suffering as you describe for so long is wrong and this is clearly well beyond what your vet can offer you. You are fighting your dog's immune system when what you need to do is allow it to function without interference.

This may be a trade off. My dog suffers BADLY every fall for weeks with yeast allergies and other things. His feet are red and inflamed, itchy and painful. I have done everything I can do, so getting this shot for my dog was a fairly easy decision. His life is miserable with these allergies. If his life is cut short a bit, that is sad. But I’d rather have him healthy and feeling well for fewer years than suffering for 3 months out of the year every year.

I can't understand why you would not let this poor dog go comfortably to sleep in her bed.........forever.
At least we humans have the ability to be kind to our pets even if we can't do it for our human loved ones.

Did you change the dogs diet to a raw diet? NO chemicals in the house or lawn? Wash paws after going outside? HEPA air filter indoors and especially at night when sleeping, Filtered fluoride and chlorine free water, no meds of any kind such as heartworm preventatives. When was last vaccination? within 6 months? what vaccines are you giving and how often? Did you do an allergy testing through Dr Jean Dodds and hair test from Dr Peter Dobias? I could go on..but thats where I would start. If you have done all of these...then time to look in other directions. Food is usually the biggest culprit but vaccines are right there with it. any supplements added such as probiotics, digestive enzymes? Fish oils or Calamari oil? Quercetin? If you haven't changed the diet then you will probably spend 1,000s more...

My poodle cross has had his fourth checkpoint injection and had no side effects. I had switched vets after the second due to cost issues vet a. £107 / vet b. £68
For two years vet a. Treated ted for ear problems using ear cleaners, including seating him for deep ear clean, ears continued to flare up. Vet b. Took a slide test and informed me that bacteria was in the ear and prescribed Canaural. This has cleared up the inflammation. Hope this works for you.

I to have a dog that suffers immensely with allergies. I to have tried everything & have done everything that I have read about, both natural and going as far as pred. He has been on Apoquel (too many side affects later on).
I have to say that with the Cytopoint his relief was pretty darn quick. By the next day he was back to himself and it seemed to level his problem out. He only needed 1 shot for 4 months. He's just now starting to get itchy again, so I will give him another injection. It's costly for right out of pocket but when you think about how long it lasted, it's pretty darn reasonable.

I hear ya! My little guy has an auto immune disorder called Pemphigus Foliaceous (similar to psoriasis). This makes more prone to allergies apparently. An itchy dog with itchy allergies. Like you, I have tried it all- beginning with diet. We were prescribed Cytopoint by a very well-respected specialist (allergist), who we finally saved up enough money for. She recommended and administered Cytopoint. It worked wonders. He had dose 6 (we were administering every 1 1/2 months) about 2 months ago and that will be his last dose ever. He had bloodwork done recently, and his liver enzymes are off the charts, white blood cell count high and red low. He is showing no signs are feeling ill, so it was completely alarming to me. Yes, he’s been on a low dose of Pred for years now to suppress :/ his immune disorder. After reading this article, I truly believe that Cytopoint is the culprit. I wouldn’t wish this upon any animal or their owner. If I find out otherwise, I will let you know. Very appreciative of this information from Dr. Falconer.

I have given this to my chow twice with no ill effects, but finally she got some relief. I don’t plan to give this to her monthly as they recommend but it is good to know that it works if she ever gets to that place of constant scratching again. Hopefully she won’t as I really don’t like giving her any pharmaceuticals. She also gets efa’s in her food and a topical treatment called dermascent.