# Cytopoint for itch Anyone?



## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

Traveler started itching 2 weeks ago with, I suspect, seasonal allergies. I took him to his conventional vet because of an ongoing dry eye problem which had been diagnosed by his holistic vet but the drops were not making any improvement.

Anyway, while there, he's itching and the vet gives me a leaflet about this Cytopoint. It's given once a month via injection and makes some "not harmful" type claims vs Apoquel and some others. I had never heard of it so I thought I'd ask you guys.

One claim within the leaflet I don't understand is "Because Cytopoint is a biological therapy and not a drug, it is naturally broken down and recycled by the body. It is not eliminated from the body via the liver or kidneys".
My question is surely stupid but how can something not be eliminated but yet not build up in the body. I'm really stumped on that. How does something get "recycled" but not eventually eliminated. 

Anyone have any experience with this? Our Florida tropical paradise is coming into full bloom and I hate to see Traveler miserably itching away. FWIW, I do the baths, the daily wipe downs, the skin rinses, etc. and have yet to find itch free peace for my boy beyond a day or two this time of year.

Thanks very much for any info.


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## Momto2GSDs (Mar 22, 2012)

As far as I can tell, it was only a 7 month study done by the owner Zoetis.

Check your pm :wink2:

Moms


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

Not enough history for me to even consider this option. Traveler's health is tenuous at best now. Why add an unknown.

Thanks Mom!


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## Craig Caughlin (Oct 17, 2007)

My vet recommended Cytopoint as well. Does anyone have any experience with it? I see a few rave reviews about it on Google...but (no surprise) most of them are veterinarians saying Cytopoint is the best thing since sliced bread. I see almost no reviews by dog owners - maybe it's just too new yet?

Craig


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

I would ask the company that very question? How is it recycled and where does it go. Bowels?


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

It's a medicine that has gone through rigorous testing and development, likely over a 10 year period (or longer). This is typical the development time for a new drug. In this case, 5x the normal dose was given to test subjects monthly for 7 months straight, without significant safety concerns. Additionally, since July 2015 they have been tracking "real world" safety data. Your dog would get injection every month that is 5x less than the safety study. 

I would have no issue using this or any drug if it meant giving my dog relief. 

I know it is posh to freak out at the mention of taking medicines when you can take this herb or that herb or green tea extract, etc., but I would rather give a medicine that has gone through rigorous clinical testing (knowing that there could be some side effects) then some herbal concoction that someone put together without any testing. At best, these will do no harm, at worse....well, we don't know what could happen since there aren't any clinical trials for herbs.

Now, I try to figure things out without having to medicate (prescription or herbal) unnecessarily when possible. But I don't fear meds. If it is a need, no question I would use regulated meds over supplements.


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## eddie1976E (Nov 7, 2010)

For the record, Remi was recently on apoquel for a month. I think he has seasonal allergies, but not sure. He responded to the treatment wonderfully. I will look into the cyto for him if he doesn't stop being itchy at the end of summer. Not sure why the vet didn't prescribe it to begin with.


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## Traveler's Mom (Sep 24, 2012)

Thank you for all the recent responses. A lot to think about but for the short term, we will sit on the sidelines.


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