A few weeks ago I was researching some more about Apoquel, and started to see some articles about Cytopoint. Vets and dog owners of the allergy blessed seemed to be pretty excited about its potential.
Last week when Norman had his hives breakout, our vet also mentioned Cytopoint. We decided to give it a try because…well, why not? So Norman received his first dose yesterday. If your dog has allergies or other skin issues, read this page for information on other treatments.
Cytopoint
So what exactly is Cytopoint, you ask? Well, it is an injection given to your pet about once a month, although potentially it can last up to 8 weeks.
Obviously the goal is to help reduce itch and allow the damaged skin to heal. It is designed to work similarly to a dog’s immune system.
Cytopoint contains engineered antibodies that are much like your dog’s natural antibodies. When your dog starts to scratch, that damaged skin allows outside allergens to penetrate, causing an allergic reaction.
Proteins in the body are then released, which cause the nerves to be stimulated and tell the dog to itch that spot! Cytopoint simply neutralizes the proteins before they can cause the stimulation.
According to the information, Cytopoint can keep the itching under control for 4-8 weeks. A lot of the articles I read pulled that time frame back a bit and said a month or longer. Still, if it were to actually work for 4 weeks, we would be ecstatic!
We have plans to go back in 2 weeks for a checkup and in 4 weeks for another injection.
In the meantime, we are still giving 2 or 3 baths per week with this hypoallergenic shampoo or something similar, letting it soak on his belly and paws for several minutes. And also being sure to wipe his paws after he goes outside. Another good idea to is to your best to stay ahead of the issues before they flare up. Pet Honesty has a 3-tiered approach with dog chews for allergy, joint support, along with a multivitamin.
Injection Cost and Side Effects
We were a little worried about the cost because some of the articles I had read priced it around $100 per injection. It may not break the bank but that’s more expensive than Apoquel if the shot is administered once a month. Luckily, we only paid $65.00 for it, which is CHEAPER than Apoquel, so that was a nice surprise.
Even better news is there seems to be very few side effects. Our vet said they are present in about 6%-10% of dogs during trials, and they include vomitting, diarrhea, and lethargy.
We have not seen any of those yet, however at the time of this post, we aren’t even a full day in. So I’ll keep you updated if we start to see any of these signs.
UPDATE (5/1/2017):
After talking to several owners who have been on Cytopoint, some have reported their dog actually licking their paws a bit more after the 2nd injection. However, most still claim the overall itchiness is reduced.
Others, including us, have noticed a breakout of hives on the skin. They seem to have gone down quite a bit since we initially noticed them, but it’s still something to be aware of.
You can find additional updates and blog posts about Norman’s Cytopoint treatments here.
Have You Tested Your Dog for Allergies Yet?
Ok, if you haven’t tested your dog yet – or even if you have but it was inconclusive – I want to let you know about a pretty simple and easy at home test.
5 Strands Affordable Testing makes at home allergy tests for dogs. They test for hundreds of allergens, both food and environmental.
For the price, it’s a great way to get information on what is causing your dog all the bumps and redness and itchiness. If you want to check it out, click here to get more info —>> Affordable Allergy Testing Kit
Cytopoint vs. Apoquel
Both Cytopoint and Apoquel are designed to relieve itchiness and redness, but they work differently and have different side effects. If you aren’t quite sure about these two options and looking for other itch remedies, check out these 9 remedies to help your itchy dog.
As mentioned, Cytoppoint is a biologic treatment and is designed to work like your dog’s immune system. It specifically targets and neutralizes a protein in the body that sends the “scratch me!” signal to the brain.
Since it is a biologic, it can be broken down naturally in the body and does not involve the liver or kidneys. It is safe for most dogs and the main listed side effects include diarrhea and lethargy.
Our vet has advised us to keep Norman on Apoquel for now. But hopefully we can remove the pill from his daily routine after a few more weeks.
Apoquel is a JAK inhibitor, so it interferes with the cytokines that are released by the immune system to help stop the itch and inflammation. Basically, it targets the key itch signal that is released when an allergen affects your dog.
It should NOT be used in dogs younger than 12 months.
It also shouldn’t be used as a long term solution. While it can be effective for short periods (1-3 months), it can be harmful if used for a year or more.
Noted side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, and development of skin infections. It could also cause existing parasitic skin infestations or pre-existing cancers to get worse.
The Injection
Below is a short clip of Norman getting his injection. He didn’t want to get up on the table so the vet came to him. And I apologize I didn’t turn the phone, this is a vertical video. I know, I know.
Hopefully this will be effective and we will have good news in the coming weeks. If your dog is on Cytopoint as well, please leave a comment. We would love to hear how it is working for you.
[…] Cytopoint allergy shot is typically given once a month and can provide relief for up to eight weeks. It is safe and […]
Several months back the vet put Shelby, about 55 lbs and over weight🙂, on the cytopoint injection. It worked great for her within 24 hours big difference. However, she was a little lethargic that first day. It seems to last her around 7 weeks but I am paying $116 for the med+$35vet fee and taxes. There shouldn’t be any reason that we cannot buy this and give it to our own pets in order to cut some of the costs. There are a lot of folks that have children, young children attack, and pets. Does anyone have any ideas?
my dog was on Apoquel and it gave her seizures. So the vet recommended this. I’m not sure of it yet. I haven’t noticed and side effects. My cocker had seizures on Apoguil alot. I know she won’t be back on it.
My Great Pyrenees mix has a bad grass allergy. We tried all of the over the counter pills but nothing seems to work, and he became to have a GI issue with the meds. So my vet suggested Cytopoint instead of another pill. We go get our third injection tomorrow, we’ve been very pleased with Cytopoint so far! Yes it is expensive for my big dog (like everything) but it’s been a great investment to his health.
My cocker has been on cytopoint for quite a while now probably about a year now. She doesn’t have those side effects mentioned above. However she has dry eyes condition diagnosed before and whenever it’s close to the 8 weeks, the area around her eyes turn slightly redder and she starts to itch a bit more. That will be a sign that it’s time for the next job. When she’s on the jab, she really don’t itch that much and she won’t be rubbing her eyes n face against the floor. Tried changing her diet but it hasn’t been successful,… Read more »
Thanks for sharing! I have a 7 year old cockerpoo and we just started the injections 5 weeks ago. He used to take Apoquel but things kept getting worse/stay the same so we’ve decided to try his. I’m not sure if that’s connected to to the injection, but Teddy has developed spots on his tummy that got diagnosed as Pyoderma by the vet. Hmmm. He’s never ever had that before-he has also developed a pretty ugly inflammation around his eye – first time ever in his life as well. So as far as my observation goes – his itching went… Read more »
My dog has similar symptoms like you have mentioned with eye itchiness and tummy rashes. Can you please let me know what antibiotics was given and if he is feeling better now.
Our yorkie has been on it monthly for extended time. She had on Saturday and has been sick/stomach and diarrhea, and had symptoms at other shots last few month. We will stop for now.
My Frencies Teddie and Babe Lily both got the
Shot and it destroyed their immune system
Teddie lost 70 % of his coat it looked like he was
Hit with a shotgun, Baby Lily lost about 30% of
Her coat. It took about 6 months to get them
Back…..Never Again. They get the medicated
Baths no grains ever and we cook every meal.
Still the allergies persist. I met a Frenchie owner
Who got a shot that lasted 6 months but not
Familiar with the name.
Kathy, I’m another dog owner who’s wondering if both your pets fully recovered from their Cytopoint experience, and how they’re doing today. My own 10 yo male Border Collie-Golden mix, in previously excellent health, regularly exercised, and on a high quality diet, had only two Cytopoint injections spaced three months apart before being diagnosed with a widespread abdominal cancer, which seemed to come out of left field. I’ll never again give a pet a biologic. The science of tampering with any immune system is too new and untested, the long-term risks unknown, and voiceless animals can’t make us aware of… Read more »
Is the shot supposed to work right away or like human allergy shots, does the dog build up an immunity over the months or years? My dog is having a side effect (I can only think the shot is causing it) and it has not reduced her itching yet but we only got the shot yesterday in fairness. I know that is too soon to tell. Is Dramamine more effective?
Are you possibly confusing Dramamine(dimenhydrinate) with Benedryl(diphenhydramine, typically administered for allergy/itching)? I’ve never heard of Dramamine given for anything other than nausea/vertigo/motion sickness. 🤷🏻♀️
Hello everyone my dog got the cytopoint injection three days ago and she is still itching like crazy. How long does it take to kick in? She was on apaquel but it stopped working. She has seasonal allergies to weeds and grass. Thanks for the help.
We are in day three of Cytopoint. My girlie has been very sleepy today but not itchy. Is this normal ??
Our 15 year old Maltese has just received his second shot of Cytopoint and is doing amazing. He went almost six weeks in between shots and we are paying $50 for the injection. We haven’t noticed any side effects – so far so good….it’s been life changing for our little guy ❤️?❤️
We have had our white Boxer on Cyto Point shots now for about six months. The vet said every two months at $80.00. Its been like a miracle for her. No scratching and no side effects. Last month she went three months between shots because we had gone out of town and I forgot about it. Not much itching though, she was rubbing her mouth on the carpet a little. Such a blessing. I’m thinking about putting our Frenchie on it too. He does the butt rubbing and paw licking.
Yep, the butt rubbing is a good sign (or he may just need his glands expressed). But Cytopoint does a great job!
I agree, We put our golden retriever on Cytopoint with great results. On it for 4 months and the shots last up to 6-8weeks. Apoquil worked for a few month but not as effective
Daisy was tested by Animal Dermatology in Ontatio, CA. Daisy has enviromental allergies. Trees, grass, weeds and human dander. She was prescibed an antigen serum. We gave her weekly injections for a long period of time. Well it did not work. She was still itchy, ear infecions, her face folds and paws with yeast infections. Vet then recommended Cadi, then changed to Cytopoint. Cytopoint is the bomb ! it works and she feels so much better. I feel so much better.
The injection costs $68.00 every 4-5 weeks and well worth it. No side effects.
That’s great! Cytopoint is still the best thing we’ve tried.
Our rescue Maltese has had Cytopoint injections for the past year. She was treated for an ear infection 2 months ago with steroids and antibiotics. Miraculously, she has been itch free since then. Going to see how long it lasts!
That’s great, hope she stays itch free!
I use it.on my.maltese and it works great. Itching stops very soon after the shot. She gets it every 6-7 weeks. I realky believe it works great.
Wow, every 6-7 weeks is really great! We still have to do it every 4 weeks
Our yorkie is getting ready for third shot! Not guite 4 weeks and she needs ! Does still lick paws but not as much!
Marley our labradoodle started itching after we applied Sergeants Flea and Tick. She had a severe reaction to Sergeants that turned into scratching marathons. We gave her baths several times a week, applied some natural products to relieve the itching but nothing worked. We called a vet that makes house calls, he gave her a shot of Cytopoint and within a few hours she stopped scratching. It has been three weeks and she is still doing GREAT. Marley is very sensitive to many food products etc…. She has IBD and Colitis so we are really excited that Cytopoint worked and,… Read more »
Cytopoint has worked wonders for my itchy little girl
We got our frenchie Elvis on Cytopoint since May. His shots seem to last around 3 months ! He got another shot around August and we have just started seeing itching again in the last week or so. We will be taking him in for another soon. His allergy symptoms are rashes under his underarms and intense itching. We think he’s allergic to grass. Cytopoint works within hours and it truely feels like a miracle !
hi now on our 3 rd lot seems to keep it at bay for around 8 weeks it is the only thing that has stopped the dog from scratching over the past few years cytopoint worth a go