Any concerns about cyclosporine?

[Christie & Willie (GA)]

Hello all! My sugarkitty Willie was just diagnosed with pemphigus and, in light of his FD, the vet is prescribing cyclosporine to treat in lieu of steroids (the typical pemphigus treatment option).

I'm picking it up later this evening and currently asking the interwebs all about it, but thought I'd check in here as well to make sure there was nothing I was missing before getting him started on it.

Thanks!!

 

[Jen & Squeak]

Christie

I did a quick search of the forums using the term cyclosporine and found lots of posts. It appears that some cats tolerate it but not others, so you'll need to do a bit of reading

Jen

 

[Patti and Merlin]

We've used cyclosporine for another reason and my Tang did very well. One of the main side effects is nausea, vomiting. Also it could possibly compromise their immune status. You would want to watch for any signs of infections as they could possibly have difficulties fighting infection.

Also - is this compounded - be sure to shake it VERY WELL - and give it on an empty stomach - so it's absorbed better in the GI system.

 

[KarenRamboConan]

It can suppress the immune system- as do steroids- so watch for that. And it has been linked to pancreatitis in humans and dogs, but there's no literature about cats (although it did cause pancreatitis with my Astrophe).

 

[Christie & Willie (GA)]

Thanks, guys. Pemphigus is an auto-immune disease in which the immune system goes wonky and begins seeing skin cells as the enemy and attacks it. While it is most commonly treated with steroids, many vets are now prescribing cyclosporine for it's immune suppressing effects with some success. Our vet chose it because he believes it will not have as negative of an impact on Willie's BG that steroids would most definitely have.

He will be on Baytril for another week, but the vet has said to take him off antibiotics after that. I have removed his probiotics from his diet as a precautionary measure. Given the needed effect on his immune system, I don't want to be introducing bacteria... even good ones... into his system right now.

It is compounded, but is not a liquid. It is a 25 mg gelatin capsule. I'm assuming I don't have to shake those?