Cyclosporine for Dogs

Cyclosporine is a drug originally created to help a body accept organ transplants in people. It switches off the body's immune system, which is why cyclosporine is called an immunosuppressant drug. In dogs, cyclosporine is also used for kidney transplants, but more often is used for dry eye, deep infections around the anus (called perianal fistulas), skin allergies and auto-immune diseases.

  1. Function

    • According to Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, cyclosporine works to turn off a dog's immune system by targeting white-blood cells and interfering with the white-blood cells' ability to communicate with other white-blood cells. This makes them unable to attack anything, such as a transplanted kidney.

    Types

    • Cyclosporine for dogs and cats come in the brand names Atopica, Optimmune, Neoral and Sandimmune. According to "The Pill Book Guide to Medication For Your Dog and Cat," only the Optimmune and Atopica brands have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in dogs. The other two are human brands, but have been prescribed off-label for dogs. Cyclosporine is available in an injectable form, in tablets, in liquid form and as eye drops or eye cream.

    Common Side Effects

    • The most common side effects are problems with the dog's digestion. The dog may vomit, lose appetite because of nausea and develop diarrhea. Mar Vista Animal Medical Center estimates that one in three dogs develops those side effects. Other common side effects are warts, if a dog has already been exposed to the papillomavirus that causes warts; calluses on the foot pads; swollen gums; and increased hair growth.

    Uncommon Side Effects

    • Because cyclosporine can turn off a dog's immune system, this can leave the dog open to catching other illnesses. Veterinarians try to use as small a dose as they can for a short a time as they can. "The Pill Book Guide to Medication For Your Dog and Cat" notes that cyclosporine can cause lameness or uncontrollable shaking in some dogs. If used for too long, cyclosporine can cause kidney or liver damage and interfere with the body's ability to make insulin.

    Prevention of Side Effects

    • According to Mar Vista Animal Center, dogs can undergo blood and urine tests to see if they are a good candidate for cyclosporine. When on the drugs, dogs should be periodically monitored with more blood tests to be sure the kidneys and liver are functioning normally.