Apoquel
I am not a fan of using Apoquel on bulldogs ( or any dog for that matter )
Apoquel is touted as a wonder drug for allergic dogs who are scratching, chewing or have red itchy skin. But before you decide to put your bulldog on apoquel you need to know some facts.
How your dog's immune system works (and ours to)
Your dog's immune system is an amazing thing. Everyday the immune system fights bacteria, viruses and tumor cells. The immune system see's these cells as "invaders" and tells other cells to destroy these foreign invaders. Apoquel works by disrupting the "signals" between cells. So if the dog's immune system tells cells to destroy these invaders ( bacteria, viruses or tumor cells ) the cells ability to "talk" to one another is disrupted.
The FDA and apoquel
The manufacturer of apoquel says it's safe for long term use, but the FDA disagrees and sent a warning letter to the manufacturer ( zoetis ) about " false or misleading risk presentation" they use to promote the drug apoquel.
There are times when your vet might need to "suppress" your dog's immune system ( for example your dog has
an autoimmune disease ) but allergies are not a reason.
