We believe that you would never want your dog to live in misery and would go miles to ensure a healthy and stress-free life for your beloved pet dog. But, unfortunately, sometimes, no matter how much your try to provide the best of every facility and care for your dog, it ends up in a miserable condition. However, such weird situations are uncommon, but anything can occur with your dog at any time.
Like humans, allergies are also common among dogs. However, the most common allergic condition you may encounter in your dog is ‘atopic dermatitis.’ The term refers to a medical condition in which your dog becomes hypersensitive to specific environmental factors like specks of dust, mites, etc. since such atopic dermatitis is usually seasonal, you always know when it would hit your dog!
This article briefs you on the famous cytopoint injection, which provides itch relief to your dog who suffers from atopic dermatitis. We will also cover if the injection is safe for all ages of dogs, how it works, and its side effects. So, let’s get started!
What is atopic dermatitis?
Atopic dermatitis is an allergic skin condition that not only occurs in humans but also in dogs. Like humans, your dog also tends to be allergic to specific environmental factors like house dust, dust mites, pollens, food ingredients, shampoo ingredients, etc. Allergies always occur due to hypersensitivity of the defense mechanism of an animal’s body.
Let’s say your dog is intolerant to dust mites. Whenever it counters the triggering factor (dust mites), its defense system would become hyperactive. Since dermatitis is a skin condition, your dog’s whole body would develop severe itching and consequently scratches. In some dogs, atopic dermatitis may occur with other allergic conditions like asthma, in which dogs present with both the nasal signs and symptoms and skin itch.
If your little friend is allergic to house dust, dust mites, ingredients of different products, etc., the condition may persist for the entire length of a year. However, if the dog is allergic to pollens, atopic dermatitis would be seasonal.
What is cytopoint injection?
The term ‘cytopoint injection’ may make you think that it is a medicinal drug, while it is not! It is an artificially prepared antibody in laboratories to treat multiple skin conditions in dogs. However, vets usually prescribe the injection for atopic dermatitis-induced skin itch.
An animal’s immune system contains two critical factors; an antigen and an antibody. The antigen refers to a material that enters the body from outside and is destructive. Therefore, the body’s immune system prepares antibodies that refer to factors that can neutralize these outsiders (antigens) by binding with them.
However, it would help if you kept in mind that not all antigens come from outside. For example, sometimes, the immune system of an animal’s body identifies its components as ‘outsiders.’ The given scenario usually occurs in the setting of an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system itself is the culprit!
As mentioned earlier, the cytopoint injection is an antibody that you administer into the body of your allergic dog suffering from atopic dermatitis. The main target of the administered antibody is interleukin-31, a cytokine present inside your dog’s body.
Cytokines are the proteins that constitute an essential part of an animal’s immune system. All you have to know about IL-31 is the cytokine responsible for your dog’s severe itch in atopic dermatitis. Unfortunately, the elevation in IL-31 levels makes it difficult for your dog to combat allergies. Therefore, the cytopoint antibody binds with IL-31 to minimize the harmful effects of the cytokine.
How does cytopoint injection work for dogs?
The cytopoint injection for dogs is one of the rapid-acting solutions when it comes to relieving the itch of your dog suffering from atopic dermatitis. Previously, dog owners used multiple accompanying products like anti-allergic and itch-relieving shampoos along with medications. However, with the invention of cytopoint injection, we can see rapid and reliable results within hours.
The itch-relieving injection tends to disrupt the usual cycle of ‘allergens-itch-scratch.’ Your dog may be allergic to anything, like house dust, dust mites, pollens. Firstly, the allergen irritates the skin enters. Next, it tends to trigger the nerve fibers present in the skin responsible for taking the ‘itch’ response to the brain.
Once the itch signals reach the brain, your dog develops the sudden urge to scratch its skin. However, when you administer the cytopoint injection to your dog, it will break the cycle, and your dog would not want to scratch anymore because the itch signals never reach the brain in the presence of cytopoint.
You may see the results of the cytopoint injection in your dog within 24 hours, which is one of the most considerable reliefs for your dog because itch and scratch irritate your dog. In addition, the injection tends to remain functional inside your dog’s body for four to eight weeks, which means your dog would not need another dose of cytopoint before the mentioned period.
Pros and cons of cytopoint injection for dogs
The injection may not work wonders for every dog suffering from atopic dermatitis out there. Let’s have a look at both the pros and cons of the cytopoint injection for dogs;
Pros
- Instant itch relief within 24 hours of administration.
- It does not require the use of other itch relief medications.
- The injection keeps your dog itch-free for four to eight weeks.
- The injection makes sure the scratched skin surface heals quickly.
- Improves your dog’s overall behavior.
Cons
- Digestive tract issues following the administration of the injection.
- Epileptic fits, rarely.
- Autoimmune disease, rarely.
Is cytopoint injection safe for dogs of all ages?
As per the official website of cytopoint injection, the manufacturers have declared it safe for all ages of dogs. However, as per different reviews from dog owners, the injection might have a few side effects following the administration, like pain at the injection site, stomach upset, etc. But, these issues tend to subside.
Besides, as mentioned earlier, cytopoint injection is not a medicine. Therefore, its metabolism spares your dog’s kidneys and liver.
However, different unpublished reports suggest that the injection might not be safe for all dogs suffering from atopic dermatitis. Since the injection is an antibody against an important cytokine and is responsible for preventing the signals from reaching the brain, it might give rise to other neuronal problems. It would be best to visit a professional vet who can guide you unbiasedly on whether your dog should receive the injection or not.
How often do dogs need cytopoint injection doses?
The doses of the injection vary from dog to dog. Some dogs suffer from seasonal atopic dermatitis, while others face the disease all year round. It would be better to see a professional vet and discuss the condition of your dog with them. They will surely guide you in whatever is best for your dog!
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Final word
Undeniably, itching and consequent wild scratching can frustrate anyone, be it you or your dog suffering from atopic dermatitis. However, dogs do not have the luxury to express their misery; therefore, you must be very careful about their silent issues.
If you have concluded that your dog suffers from the atopic dermatitis-induced severe itch that leads to scratching and licking, you may want to get your dog the cytopoint injection! In this article, we have tried our best to provide valuable information on cytopoint shot for dogs famous for relieving their itch secondary to skin allergies.
