Apoquel - new drug

[Gibson'sMom]

I was told they are planning on opening 2 new factories to produce Apoquel, but are waiting on FDA approval. I have no idea how long that would take. I truly hope they can figure something out soon. All the pet owners that saw drastic improvement & now can't get the drug, so sad!

I was able to start Kodi on it & he is doing amazing. I use to give him a low dose of Pred to help with the scratching. He's been off the Pred for 3 weeks now & doing amazing! I'm sad that I will run out of the meds soon & have to go back to using Pred.

Edited to add - Just today I cut his dose in half, to try & see if it will keep him comfortable. I figured a low dose is better then nothing.

[Paradis]

Yes the new factories, along with the fact that it takes 9 months to manufacture the active ingredient within the pills.

Either way I'm a very unhappy camper on how they have managed this situation as nothing else has worked for Festus and the only other thing that did (atopica) stopped working for him.

[Loki Love]

Interestingly enough, Zoetis opened up shop next door to where I work in Montreal. Do you want me to go toss some eggs at them?

[Gibson'sMom]

Yes the new factories, along with the fact that it takes 9 months to manufacture the active ingredient within the pills.

Either way I'm a very unhappy camper on how they have managed this situation as nothing else has worked for Festus and the only other thing that did (atopica) stopped working for him.

I'm so sorry! I know this was his miracle.

[Gibson'sMom]

Interestingly enough, Zoetis opened up shop next door to where I work in Montreal. Do you want me to go toss some eggs at them?

[Paradis]

Yes toss rotten eggs at them, or better yet I'll come for a visit and toss eggs with you

[briggsdvm]

While I'm happy that we continue to receive supplies of Apoquel I'm told that those who were not part of the initial order group will be waiting until sometime in 2015 before they get any product. They will only fill us with very limited quantities but with 3 practice locations we buy as much as they will let us!
The simple reason for the backorder is that demand way outstripped supply at the launch of this product to the general practitioner. I don't blame Zoetis at all - there's a reason why they had the forecasts that they did and it has to do with the history of the veterinary profession and the introduction of new 'unknown' pharmaceuticals to the veterinary space. I may be waxing too esoteric for the forum but trust me when I say that there is reasoning & logic behind it. It's fine to be disappointed but let's hold short of bashing them. After all, THEY are the company that spent millions of dollars developing and launching this new product. Everyone will have access to it...eventually. In the interim, those without will simply spend have to spend another year managing their patients as they have for the previous decade....

[Paradis]

While I appreciate the fact of not bashing them, this should be an interesting week.

Zoetis has not guaranteed that the vets who ordered it before their cut off will be able to still get the medication. More specifically they are not able to guarantee that my dog will be able to remain on it. Even though he has been on it since it was available to the market. My veterinarian has been told that he may or may not be receiving a shipment this week. And even if he does it isn't guaranteed to continue.

I don't know if you've seen the photos of howy dog used to look and how much suffering he's already gone through or not. After very long discussions with my vet about a week before the apoquel came out we decided that of apoquel didn't
Work for him that we would have to euthanize as he's been through the other courses of treatments and they either didn't work for him or they had stopped working for him. Now as a pet owner with a pet that is in a life of death situation without this drug, you better believe me when I say if he doesn't get this drug zoetis will be getting some bad press about it. He meets their qualifications yet on cannot be assured by zoetis that he will be able to continue on this medication. I also cannot find any vets so far that are even willing to ship one of their bottles to my veterinarian for me to pick up there but have me prepay for the medication and shipping to the sending clinic. Unless perhaps your clinic is willing to do this for my dog.

[audreys]

It's gonna be a long ride...

http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm...CategoryId=378

[Gibson'sMom]

My vet clinic gets a small amount of bottles at random. I was lucky to get another refill before I ran out. I just wanted to let anyone know that is already using it, I decreased his dose to half the recommended dose a month ago. He is still doing really well at half the dose! Yes he scratches slightly more then at full dose, but he is still MUCH better then he was on a low dose of Pred. So, if you guys are lucky enough to get a refill, try cutting the dose & see what happens. I figure a low dose is better then nothing.

[Lizzie]

Exactly what I've been doing.

[Paradis]

Yes it will be a very long ride. I've tried to decrease by half a tablet and cannot as he starts itching right away. I'll try to decrease again in the winter and see how it goes. For now I've managed to obtain a 6 month supply for Festus going through a special case with the drug company, sending them photos of Festus how he was before compared to how he is now. I also had to get my vets support to back me and Festus as there are no other options for him and without it we would be facing the very real fact of having to euthanize him.
Fingers crossed that we will be able to keep him on it and that it continues to work for him.

[briggsdvm]

... For now I've managed to obtain a 6 month supply for Festus going through a special case with the drug company, sending them photos of Festus how he was before compared to how he is now....without it we would be facing the very real fact of having to euthanize him.
Fingers crossed that we will be able to keep him on it and that it continues to work for him.

Amen good news!

[mersc726]

So I think this drug is awesome! I work at a vet clinic and we got some small sample doses when it first came out. But after having some meeting with the company my clinic and a lot of other clinics will not be getting this product until 2015 sometime. We are told the product is ready to be sold be they make the packaging in another country and we are having trouble with the packaging the medication. Doesn't really make any sense to me but this is what the manufacture is telling all vet clinics.


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[Gibson'sMom]

Yes it will be a very long ride. I've tried to decrease by half a tablet and cannot as he starts itching right away. I'll try to decrease again in the winter and see how it goes. For now I've managed to obtain a 6 month supply for Festus going through a special case with the drug company, sending them photos of Festus how he was before compared to how he is now. I also had to get my vets support to back me and Festus as there are no other options for him and without it we would be facing the very real fact of having to euthanize him.
Fingers crossed that we will be able to keep him on it and that it continues to work for him.

Awesome news! Glad you got 6 months of the meds! Since you went through all that work to prove your case, I hope they will make sure you continue to get refills after that.