Do you have a dog that suffers from allergies? Are you that pet owner that has tried everything from steroids, shampoos, a change in diet but nothing has worked to provide relief? Are you tired of giving your pets pills every day or with the side effects that come along with the treatment? Cytopoint may be a great option for you and your pet.
How the Cytopoint injection works
Cytopoint works very similar to a vaccine. That is why it is considered to be immunotherapy. Once injected under the skin it releases antibodies which block the allergy response in many dogs.
Cytopoint ingredients and their effect
The Cytopoint injection contains actual antibodies against a specific molecular agent called IL-31. This molecule is believed to produce allergy symptoms in dogs. These antibodies bind to IL-31 neutralizing it thus inhibiting allergic changes to the skin such as itching and redness. Once injected, the effect of Cytopoint can last an average of 30-60 days.
Cytopoint vs oral allergy medications
Long-lasting results: When effective, one injection can last anywhere from 30 to 60 days. Most of the oral allergy meds only last as long as 24 hours requiring daily administration.
Less side effects: While there is a rare occasion where a dog may react to the initial injection, there are no long term side effects. Compare this to some oral allergy medications which can cause side effects ranging from increased urination, thirst, and sedation.
Can be used safely with other medications. Unlike many oral medications, it has limited contraindications with other medications. The allergy injection also can be used with most health conditions.
Pros of Cytopoint
Convenient: Since it is an injection given in your veterinarian’s office you don’t have to worry about shoving pills down your pet’s throat.
Long lasting: When effective it last as long as 4-6 weeks
Minimal side effects: Does not have the long term side effects when compared to prednisone.
Minimal contraindications with other medications. This means it can be given under most circumstances regardless if your dog is on other medications or not.
Cons of Cytopoint
Cost: The price is more expensive than other oral medications especially if you have a larger dog.
Not effective in every dog: When Cytopoint works it works great but there are dogs where it is not effective to treat allergies. So there is a risk for paying more for a treatment that is not 100% guaranteed.
Wrap up
Cytopoint is a great option for pets suffering from allergies that are not responding to common medications such as prednisone. Though the initial cost may be higher, in the long run it may save you money. Also nothing beats the convenience of not having to give daily medications to treat chronic allergies.
Cytopoint
Pros
- Convenient
- Long lasting
- Minimal side effects
Cons
- Can be expensive
- Not effective in every dog
Could you give us a general idea as to the range of costs for costopoint? Thank you.
Yes for smaller dogs the injection can average around $60 for larger dogs the injection can be as much as $100
That is very insightful, thank you so much for the great post!
Great information for people with dogs! Thanks for sharing!
This is really interesting! I’ve been hearing more and more about this kind of therapy and love that you’ve laid it out so simply.
this is really informative especially for a medical transcriber like me. i have never heard of this medication before.
This sounds really interesting and it looks like Cytopoint is a good medication to give for pets. I am sure all pet owners will definitely like this instead of oral medication.
I can’t believe we haven’t heard of this medication in the past. Our friends at the dog park could benefit from learn more about this information. Will share.
A friend from the dog park mentioned something similar. Curious if she’d done her research on the benefits of using this type of medication. I’ll be sure to mention this post to her
First to hear about this medication and it sounds really to all dog owners as they are not going to have a hard time in giving oral medication with their pets.
I have a cat that has never really had issues with allergies so this product wouldn’t be of use to me, but great information nonetheless!
Thanks for sharing! I’ll share this with my sister that has a dog.
I’ve never really thought about pets having allergy issues before so this is really interesting as I hope to have a dog in the near future.
Thanks for sharing this great piece of information. I had no idea about Cytopoint but it sounds wonderful for dogs!
OMG! I love dogs! now I have an idea what is Cytopoint all about. Great article.
Interesting kind of therapy for allergies!
The concept of Cytopoint injection is completely new to me. It was great reading about the details and I might try it after consulting with my doctor
As a dog lover who is yet to own her own dog, this is very insightful. Thank you for imparting your knowledge and expanding our options when it comes to our dogs!
Could you please advise what long term side effects could be expected and also what trials have been done, who did the trials, how many dogs were involved in the trials and the outcome of the trials. I like to be properly informed before I give my dog any medication. Thankyou
They performed a 6 month trial on 70 beagles. Do not allowed the vet to adminstor this to your dog. I’m dealing with terrible consequences bc I did.
Cytopoint is a joke and has made my dog’s symptoms worse. 4 days after his initial vaccine he’s shaking constantly, like he’s chilled, and is losing his hair in various spots. Pet owners beware. I was assured this would be a promising treatment and now my dog is miserable. Will not go through with a second vaccine.
Won’t give any of my dogs Cytopoint after my 5 year old dog was given one injection and suffered terribly for many weeks. Two days after his injection he broke out in little hives and lumps and his skin was red raw on his stomach,chest,face and tail. His eyes were weepy and his ears became full of yeast,red and itchy. It cost me $120 for injection then vet bills and many meds. When Zoetis was contacted they urged me to give my dog a second injection as he possibly wouldn’t react as badly the second time. After reading the about side effects from Apoquel (mostly causing cancer) and my experience with Cytopoint I would NEVER use another Zoetis product.
My dog the same – He now has MRSA after his injection… Next day super red skin then became a super bad skin infection, red and raw all over especially face and stomach, then bad double ear infection, pneumonia in one lung and now I just got the call that about 3 weeks in a new large lesion under his neck has tested positive for MRSA. Oh, and he started having seizures and is now on an anti seizure med – shot was giving on 2.25.20 today is 3.13.20. Prior to that, no major medical issues or severe allergies. He was running and playing, next day not. Was given by my vet because he was breathing heavy on exertion and had 3 patches on his back that were slightly bald which he seemed to always have and would itch here and there, she thought it might be allergies and said this had 0 side effects! AVOID This AT ALL COSTS! No one knows how it works or if it will work and when it doesn’t – it’s a flippin night mare. He probably won’t survive this.
What type of dog? How is dog now?
How did you get your dogs skin and ears healthy again? I need help with my dog. I had same experience with shot. It’s terrible now and My dog is miserable.
I’m trying to decide if this is a good fit for my dog. So far this is what I’ve found:
-there has only been ONE clinical trial for this drug involving only beagles (5 shots over 7 months…I think). ….that in itself is worrisome.
– the drug is new, so the side effects are not truly known. The company Zoetis who makes apoquel (which has awful side effects), also makes cytopoint (used to be referred to as CADI).
-When owners call Zoetis to report side effect, they deny them saying it wasn’t founded in the trial (well duh…you did one short trial with one breed of dogs) and encouraged owners to get another shot to see if the “unrelated” effect lessens.
-I can’t find any reports of this shot being given over 7 months, from owners or vet reports.
-After one shot, most owners love it…. although it’s unknown if the desired effect lessens over time.
-the side effects posted by multiple different owners (not agreed upon by the big pharma Zoetis company are) lethargy, urine infections (common), and sometimes leg parslysis(uncommon). And weight gain….the same reception the shot blocks….also might block the receptor involving weight gain.
-the UK recommendeds a lower drug amount per pound that recommended in the US.
-its expensive. 50$ for 10 pounds up to 100$+ based off weight.
Bottom line is, in my opinion, it’s better than sterroids and apoquel bc it’s less systemic and more receptor specific, so should have less side effects, but the shot is new, and we won’t truly know until it’s more widely researched. Only a single clinical study on ONE breed and then declaring it has no side effects is a huge red flag. But what can you do other than try when we know the others are truly bad and your dog is miserable itching non-stop.
I have used this drug in several dogs for over a year with out noticing any reduction in effectiveness or side effects. Since it can last up to 2 months in some dogs. ( I have had some dogs who did not need another injection for long as 3 months) They don’t get the injection as often as the other drugs that are available for allergies hence less side effects in comparison to other medications. Other medications such as steroids, and Apoquel have to be given more frequently which is why you are going to see more side effects with these drugs.. So while there can be side effects with this drug they are definitely less frequent than any other option available to treat dogs with allergies.
In 2016 when Cytopoint (CADI) was first released I decided to try it because nothing else worked and vet could not stop the scratching and biting. I was told it could last about a month and when it worked the first day I was amazed. She did not need another vaccine until this year (2019). Same dog started biting and scratching in late January 2019 and I tried a few things but when nothing worked I went back to the vet and she got another shot. The same day the itching stopped. It may not work for other dogs as well but for my Chow Chow it is a miracle.
Since my puppy has received Cytopoint he has developed a skin infection. He has never had this before. They skin Infection is much like a staff infection
My 11 year old Frenchie was on Apoquel for about 3 years until he became allergic to it and started vomiting. Vet suggested Cytopoint. It’s been amazing. My dog seems to only need it for 3 seasons. He’s also on medication for acid reflux, occasional yeast infections and arthritis with no interactions. Benedryl does not work. Without the Cytopoint he’d scratch himself all day/ night. Now we all can sleep.
My 11 year old lab mix had excellent results with Cytopoint ~ it was such a relief to finally see him NOT scratching like mad. He had serious itching for over 7 years. Our vet always said he had seasonal allergies, which I doubted because the itching never went away. We tried dietary changes, added fish oil (it helped briefly), used mild laundry detergent, and nothing really worked. At times he scratched bald patches onto his face and back. He would go absolutely mad scratching himself – It was so sad and frustrating to see him so uncomfortable. My vet finally referred us to a dermatologist, and Cytopoint had just come onto the market. I was hesitant to try a new drug, but the dermatologist said it’s not actually a drug, but an antibody with fewer potential side effects. It worked perfectly for him – no side effects at all! What a relief! Sadly, my baby passed away several months later…but at least he was FINALLY itch free for the last months of his life! I would absolutely recommend trying Cytopoint if you’re at your wits end trying to relieve your dog’s itchiness.
I would like to add my two cents. Our dog, a beagle, developed a horrible case of atopic dermatitis that did not respond to diet modification or topical medications. Nothing worked. Her doctor finally recommended Cytopoint and without even doing our due diligence, we leapt at the chance to end her misery. We were at the point were she would wake us up “screaming” in pain from gnawing at her wounds and once, we woke up to bloody sheets. She had no quality of life whatsoever. We had Cytopoint injected on November 27. Within one day, we could tell that the medication had started working. By day 7, she was completely itch-free. It has now been 45 days and she continues to be itch-free. It seems like a dream. We understand that there may be long term side effects, but we are willing to give her a shorter life that has the quality she deserves than a longer life for our benefit that is full of misery and pain. She is just the best angel in the world.
Cytopoint is a horrible treatment ,We used it to try to help our Yorkie.We tried it 2 times ,the first it worked for 4 weeks stoped the itching .But 4 weekends during this time she was lethargic,vomiting and had hives on her belly .also had bad diarrhea with blood in it ,we thought it had to do with the royal canine diet that the dermatologist put her on .We waited 4 months later and her itching was out of control ,We decided to try Cytopoint again ,at this time her dermatologist took her off the food trials and all she had going on was the Cytopoint . It was the same outcome as the first time .lethargic ,vomiting ,diarrhea,very sick ! I wish i had never done this to her ! This stuff is poison ! If you love your animal ,never ever give this stuff to them ,Thousands in vet bill and what is this stuff doing to her long term ?The company is the same as the one that makes Apaquil remember this,Never ever use this on your animals Please .
I have had my beagle on cytopoint for 12 months now. The first injection calmed his itch and lasted 2 1/2 months. The second injection was also very effective and lasted 3 months and the next two worked equally well. This last injection doesn’t seem to be working at all. It has been week since the injection and he is still itchy. Hard to understand. I don’t want him on prednisone as that is a nasty drug in the long run. Can’t understand why this injection failed to do the job all the past injections did.
You are lucky that is all that happened to your dog – your dog is actually the same breed they used to trial the drug. If they used mine they would never have been able to market this nightmare! I wish I had done my homework first. We are on our 3rd week and finding a new infection or issue almost every day – went from bright red and scratching like mad the very next day to double ear infection, some oozy lesions (found out today it’s MRSA!) crusty bumps all over that may or may not be MRSA, eye infection and Pneumonia and my favorite – seizures and now on an anti seizure medication. We can catch the MRSA /found out today and this is the same day we had our first case of Corona in my city. Too much. Poor guy is overwhelmed and not sure if he will make it. First and last shot of Cytopoint was just done on 2/25/20 – we are only about 3 miserable horrendous weeks into this nightmare. My guy is an English Bulldog at 84 pounds of energy and super healthiness for his advanced age until he received this shot. I will never forgive myself for allowing this to be given to my baby.
Our Wire-hair Fox terrier Bentley has already received 10 Cytopoint injections (within the last 2,5 years) for itchy and crusty ears that often develop into ear infections. They seem to work for him immediately and we also notice his demeanor changing for the better right away. Last October he received his Rabies shot along with his Cytopoint shot (he doesn’t get any other vaccines, only titers). In February, 4 months after that, he has a nail injury that required removal of the nail. We thought it was an accident, but noticed that other nails were splitting, tearing and growing crooked. Two months after the first nail injury and 6 months after the Rabies shot we went back for another Cytopoint shot. Again he has a good response and his ears recover almost immediately. The vet thinks his nail problems are a sign of a deficiency and recommends we return to the kibble instead of the raw food. I am now wondering if this has to either do with the long term Cytopoint shot or possibly an autoimmune disease (SLO) caused by the Rabies shot or a combination. I’ve already had a dog that passed away within months of his Rabies shot and surely they have the same foreign animal tissue and adjuvants in them as our human vaccines do.
First injection was a miracle for my dalmation mix. Itching lessened within hours and gone by next day. It lasted from October to March. Not sure if the seasonality of her allergy came into play here or not. Had a repeat injection in March 2020. It had zero effect. For a $100 treatment, I would expect the manufacturer to offer a refund. I just got off the phone with Zoetis and was told that because it is a biologic, they cannot guarantee how an individual dog may react to it. I am an immunologist and was excited about the prospect of an antibody treatment. I would not expect the side effects that some dogs have had, but there may be additives to the injection. I am so sorry for the misery your dogs have suffered. I encourage all who have experienced side effects to report them to Zoetis as they must report them to the USDA.
My Australian Shepherd had the Cytopoint 3 times. The first time it worked perfectly, second time it didn’t work at all, 3 months ago her allergies were back and worse then never, I tried all the medications my vet prescribed and nothing worked so after a month of misery I decided to give her another shot of Cytopoint and it thank God it worked perfectly again. I don’t understand this medication and seems like even vets have mix options about it since there is not enough studies done or reliable information out there. I feel like I have been gambling here and hope my dog won’t have any side effects. I will keep trying to not give her the shots but when I see her in pain and there is no medication that will work I end up going back to Cytopoint as a last resort
Would love to know what everyone is paying for these injections, my great Dane weighs 120 pounds and I just got her a first injection of cytopoint and it was $259…..I live in Southern California which might make the difference but it seems like everybody else is paying about half that price… Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanking you in advance
The most I have paid for this shot is around $160 in Florida. My 6 year old golden retriever has been getting the shots for a couple of years. The first few shots lasted 3 months, then 2 months, then 1 month and she received her last shot 3 weeks ago and every time I take the “cone of shame” off of her she is chewing up her feet /and or legs again. This last shot doesn’t seem to have any effect and the vet said it can take up to a couple of weeks even though previously, it would only take a few days to kick in. I will be calling tomorrow and ask if dogs become immune to Cytopoint over time. Anyone else with a similar situation? This seemed like the miracle solution.
I spent 120 dollars on this doesn’t work at all on my dog