Atopica is used to treat atopic dermatitis (commonly called skin allergies) in dogs. Signs of skin allergies include itching, scratching, licking, gnawing, chewing, skin infections, hair loss, terrible odor, and sleepless nights. Atopica requires a prescription from your veterinarian.
For: Dogs (at least 6 months of age and weighing at least 4 pounds)
Benefits:
•
Significantly reduces itching and skin lesions
•
Proven effective in most dogs
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Allows you to control your pet's problem without steroids
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Safe to use over long periods without the serious side effects usually associated with steroids
How it works:
Atopica targets the immune cells involved in the allergic reaction. You usually only administer one dose a day to control symptoms, but many dogs can be effectively controlled with every-other-day or twice-weekly dosing.
Cautions:
There are many possible drug interactions. Be sure to tell your veterinarian what other medications your pet is currently using. Give Atopica at least one hour before food or 2 hours after food.
More Information:
Brand Name Atopica (Novartis)
Generic Name Cyclosporine Modified
What is the most important information I should know about Atopica: Notify your veterinarian immediately if your pet develops fever (over 103°), painful urination, tiredness, sneezing, coughing, or runny nose.These symptoms could be early signs of dangerous side effects.
What is Atopica: Atopica (cyclosporine modified) is an immunosuppressant available by prescription. Atopica is FDA approved for use in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs at least 6 months of age weighing at least 4 pounds. Atopica is available in 15 capsule blister packs in strengths of 10mg for dogs 4 to 9 pounds, 25mg for dogs 9.1 to 16 pounds, 50mg for dogs 16.1 to 33 pounds and 100mg for dogs 33.1 to 64 lbs. For dogs 64.1 to 79 pounds give a combination of one 100mg capsule and one 50mg capsule as a single dose. For dogs 79.1 to 121 pounds give two 100mg capsules as a single dose. Atopica for dogs is given once a day to start until satisfactory improvement is seen, usually 4 to 8 weeks. The medication can then be given every other day until the clinical signs of atopic dermatitis are satisfactorily controlled, then the medication can be given every 3 or 4 days.
What should I discuss with my veterinarian before giving Atopica: Tell your veterinarian if your pet has liver disease, kidney disease, cancer, high blood pressure, a viral, bacterial or fungal infection, or any other serious or chronic condition. Tell your veterinarian if your pet is pregnant or lactating, and if you plan to breed your pet.
How should this medication be given: Give Atopica exactly as directed by your veterinarian. If you do not understand these directions, ask your veterinarian or pharmacist to explain them to you. Give Atopica 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Allow plenty of water for the pet to drink. Do not remove a capsule from the blister pack until required for use. When the capsule is removed from the blister pack there is a characteristic, noticeable smell which is normal. Your veterinarian may want your pet to have regularly scheduled blood tests during treatment to monitor effectiveness and side effects. Store Atopica at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss giving a dose: Give the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the dose you missed and give the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not give a double dose unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian.
What happens if I overdose the pet: Seek emergency veterinary medical treatment.
What should I avoid while giving Atopica to my pet: The safe use in breeding, pregnant or lactating pets has not been determined. Do not use Atopica in pets with known allergy to the medication. The drug should not be used in pets with kidney disease, stomach ulcers, and certain blood disorders. Prolonged use of Atopica can result in bacterial or fungal infection related to a decreased effect of the immune system.
What are the possible side effects of Atopica: If any of the following serious side effects occur, stop giving Atopica and seek emergency veterinary medical attention; an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue or face, and hives). Other less serious side effects may occur. Continue giving Atopica and talk to your veterinarian if your pet develops vomiting, soft stools or diarrhea, muscle cramps, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, and change of hair coat. Other side effects may occur. Talk to your veterinarian about any side effect that seems unusual or bothersome to the animal.
What other drugs will affect Atopica: Tell your veterinarian what medications your pet is currently using and any new products, including herbal remedies you may start to give. Drug/drug interactions could cause a decrease in effectiveness or an increase in side effects of either Atopica or the other medication being given. Examples of medications that may cause drug/drug interactions are; SMZ-TMP (Bactrim, Septra), gentamicin, etodolac (EtoGesic), piroxicam (Feldene), ketoconazole (Nizoral), cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), itraconoazole (Sporanox), methylprednisolone (Medrol), erythromycin, Allopurinol (Zyloprim), metoclopramide (Reglan), prednisOLOne, digoxin (Lanoxin), any type of vaccination.
Where can I get more information: Your pharmacist has additional information about Atopica written for health professionals that you can read.
Directions:
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Atopica (cyclosporine modified) is a prescription medication is used in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in dogs.
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Atopica (cyclosporine modified) comes in capsule form and is available in four strengths: 10mg, 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg.
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You usually only administer one dose a day to control symptoms, but many dogs can be effectively controlled with every-other-day or twice-weekly dosing.
Tip: Do not remove capsule from blister pack until required for use. When the capsule is removed from the blister pack there may be a characteristic, noticeable smell which is normal.
Dosage:
Pet
Weight
Dosage
Dogs: (Over 6 months of age)
4-6.5 lbs
Give one 10mg capsule once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
6.6-9 lbs
Give two 10mg capsules as a single dose once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
9.1-16 lbs
Give one 25mg capsule once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
16.1-33 lbs
Give one 50mg capsule once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
33.1-64 lbs
Give one 100mg capsule once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
64.1-79 lbs
Give one 100mg capsule AND one 50mg capsule as a single dose once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
79.1-121 lbs
Give two 100mg capsules as a single dose once a day for 30 days to start. Following this initial daily treatment period, your veterinarian may recommend that the dose be tapered by decreasing the frequency of dosing to every other day or two times a week, until a minimum frequency is reached which will maintain the desired therapeutic effect
Cats:
Horses:
Storage: Should be stored at room temperature. Keep away from pets and children.
Atopica Green for Dogs 4-9 lbs:
Active Ingredients
Amount
Cyclosporine
10mg
Atopica Yellow for Dogs 9.1-16 lbs:
Active Ingredients
Amount
Cyclosporine
25 mg
Atopica Purple for Dogs 16.1-33 lbs
Active Ingredients:
Amount
Cyclosporine
50 mg
Atopica Blue for Dogs 33.1-64 lbs
Active Ingredients:
Amount
Cyclosporine
100 mg
Atopica For Dogs
4.4
5
120
121
YAY!!
After years of suffering with allergies Atopica provided relief! We had tried steroids to the point they weren’t helping. We changed her diet, gave her baths in special shampoo, and used special sprays and drops; nothing helped. We were at our wits end and exhausted—imagine how the dog was feeling! Then our vet suggested Atopica!! We had to give it a try because none of us could go on like this. It worked!! It worked when all else failed! We started seeing results within a few days that just got better! By the end of the loading period she was a new dog! She rarely scratches now and gets to sleep through the night
04/23/2012
Pricing of products
The medicine that my dog Lucy must take is very expensive throught my vet and you have made it possible for me to keep her on the medicine. thanks you so much for making this possible.
03/04/2012
Pierre my pooch with allergies
Pierre is a 8 year old Bichon Frise.He is quite a pertty dog , playful etc. He used to bite his paws until he bled. Atopica with an antifungal tab has helped tremendously. There is one annoying thing and that is to get him to take the pills as he is allergic to people food and is on a prescription dog food. At first I tried to force feed him the pill and he bit me , then I tried with peanutbutter, or his pet food. That helped but then he learned to eat around the food and spit out the pill.
02/27/2012
Made all the difference
My dog's been on Atopica (or the generic equivalent) for more than two years. It's consistently knocked back at least 90% of the allergy symptoms. The only drawback is that I have to use a pill poker to get it down the dog's throat. It has to be given on an empty stomach so it can't be hidden in food. The capsule's too big for that anyway, and the capsule itself has a funny smell that the dog won't go near. The other drawback is the instructions to store it between 68 and 77 degrees, which is a pretty narrow range if you have any cold or hot weather, and don't have your air conditioning or heating running all the time.
I noticed a couple commenters mentioning that they got pills that didn't seem to work; my guess is that during the delivery process the pills got hot somewhere along the way, and ruined the medicine. Not sure what method PetMeds has for shipping the pills so they stay within this range, but it could sure make a difference in how well they work.
02/13/2012
Magic!
I had tried everything for my dogs alergies, steroids, alergy shots, etc. Nothing worked until Atopica. It worked almost immediately and my dog has finally stopped chewing his tail and paws. You may want to ask your vet if you can try the generic version of Atopica after you have been using it for a month or two since the generic is cheaper.
02/11/2012
Order the medication during the order we will ask for the prescribing veterinarians phone number, we will contact the vet for you. If you already have a prescription you can mail that to us after your order has been placed.
The vet said to store Atopica at room temperature. If the temperature gets down to 60 degrees will that degrade the medicine? I turn the heat down at night and when I'm away, so I'm hoping I don't have to leave the heat on high just to keep the medicine ok!
My dog's dermatologist actually has me store it in the freezer since my dog had problems with vomiting initially - No more vomiting since freezing, and less GI effects - So it getting cool won't hurt it.
It's weird and I have to double check with my vet, but she told me to keep it in the freezer. And I have for over a year now and it's the only medication that has worked for my Wheaten Terrier.
It can be cheaper, but some dogs don't do as well with the generic. My dog was started on the generic and it made her really sick, and didn't help with her allergies. Took her off and was afraid to try again, vet suggested I get the name brand after months of nothing else helping - And as long as I stick with the name brand it helps and she tolerates it better. Always something you can discuss with your vet, but I'll be sticking with name brand for my dog!
The generic is definitly cheaper however since it is a prescribed medication if the vet won't prescribe it you are stuck paying for whatever your vet will prescribe!
I have had conflicting information. I have been told by one vet it is ok to give atopica to my dog while taking Phycox and another said no. Can you tell me if Phycox is safe to give with Atopica?
Atopica (cyclosporine modified) is a medication with a number of drug interactions. These interactions include herbal remedies such as Cat's Claw, St. John's Wort, ginseng, and echinacea. However, none of these ingredients are contained in Phycox. I am not aware of any drug interaction between Phycox and Atopica.
This information sheet is for educational purposes only and is intended to be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise and professional judgment of your veterinarian. The information is NOT to be used for diagnosis or treatment of your pet. You should always consult your own veterinarian for specific advice concerning the treatment of your pet. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, allergic reactions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for your pet. It is not a substitute for a veterinary exam, and it does not replace the need for services provided by your veterinarian. Note: Any trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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