Cyclosporine Liquid for Feline Allergies

Cats are just as prone to allergies as humans. Fleas, environmental pollutants and even certain foods can trigger an allergic response in some cats. Veterinarians often prescribe cyclosporine to treat allergies, especially atopic dermatitis, which is a skin-centered reaction to inhaled allergens. Cyclosporine can inhibit the cat's immune response to non-infectious agents, thereby reducing or even eliminating symptoms entirely.

  1. Allergies

    • An allergic reaction results when the cat's immune system perceives a benign substance as an invader and responds by launching into attack mode. If the invading substance is bacteria, for example, this response will prevent the cat from becoming sick. However, when the immune system attacks something relatively harmless that a cat is in constant contact with, the result of the immune response can range from moderate itching to severe respiratory problems and even asthma.

    How It Works

    • Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant drug. However, Mar Vista Animal Medical Center notes that unlike other drugs of its kind, it does not kill immune cells. Rather, it inhibits the chemical communication between the specific cells that mount the attack, resulting in a reduction and eventual breakdown of response.

    How It Is Used

    • Cyclosporine is available as a tablet, an oral suspension and a topical solution. While the oral suspension is more commonly used, the topical solution is frequently added to eye and ear medications to reduce inflammation in infections caused by allergies. Because cyclosporine in the blood must be kept at a certain level to be effective, ketoconazole is often added to the treatment plan. Ketoconazole reduces the concentration of liver enzymes that remove cyclosporine from the blood, allowing levels to remain constant for a longer period of time. According to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, this can cut the necessary dose of cyclosporine in half.

    Side Effects

    • Cats have a very low occurrence of side effects with cyclosporine, the most common being upset stomach. The cat may lose its appetite and may vomit or have diarrhea, but these symptoms usually subside within a week without discontinuing treatment.

    Alternatives

    • Most immunosuppressant drugs will produce results similar to cyclosporine, but they work with entirely different mechanisms and may not be well-tolerated in all cats. Glucocorticoids are common, as is a combination of tetracycline and niacinamide, but these drugs tend to have a higher incidence of side effects, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Sulfones may also be used, but cats are extremely sensitive to this drug, and a toxicity condition can occur very easily. Cyclosporine is generally prescribed because it produces the desired effect in the safest manner.