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Chronic bronchitis (CB) is a long-term inflammatory condition that affects the pulmonary or respiratory system. This condition is irreversible and is slowly progressive. This condition may also be known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The bones of fetal puppies and kittens become mineralized (calcified) at around day 45 of their pregnancy. Radiographs taken of pregnant pets after day 45 of gestation will usually reveal whether or not the animal is pregnant because the radiographs will generally clearly reveal the skeletons of the fetuses.

Before this 45 day stage of the gestation, pregnancy diagnosis using radiography is generally inaccurate. The vet may get a subjective impression of an enlarged uterus, but this does not necessarily indicate that the animal is pregnant (other disease conditions besides pregnancy can produce enlargement of the uterus).

The advantages of abdominal radiography as a way of diagnosing cat pregnancy:

• Abdominal radiography is easy to perform;
• Abdominal radiography as a means of diagnosing pregnancy is accurate in dogs as well as cats, provided that it is performed at day 45 and beyond;
• Abdominal radiography can still be used to make a pregnancy diagnosis even in a very tense, resistant pet. Abdominal radiography can still be performed through even the most tense and tight abdominal muscles;
• It is usually possible to determine litter size with accuracy on abdominal radiography;
• If there are only one or two fetuses present, these are usually able to be detected on abdominal radiography;
• Radiography may be able to provide some indication of when medical and surgical intervention is required for a female pet giving birth (e.g. if the babies are too large in size to pass through the canal or if a large new coming baby appears to be stuck within the canal);
• Aging the fetuses is possible on abdominal radiograph;
• X-ray visibility and accuracy is not usually adversely affected by the presence of gas, feces or tissues within the abdominal cavity (unless the animal has been eating lots of bones – bony feces will interfere with the vet’s ability to spot and count the “bony” fetuses);
• The animal’s belly does not need to be shaved for radiography to be performed.
• Radiography is safe for the unborn babies, if done only sparingly.

The FDA announced earlier today that ilunocitinib tablets (Zenrelia; Elanco) has received its approval. The latest drug from Elanco will be used to control pruritus associated with allergic dermatitis as well as controlling atopic dermatitis in canines at least a year of age.

This ilunocitinib tablet is an immunosuppressant that is given to patients orally once a day, with or without food. The drug contains a nonselective Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor and is the second JAK inhibitor the FDA has approved for this indication.¹

“Today is a historic day for Elanco with our first of several expected entries into the fast-growing global canine dermatology market, bringing veterinarians and pet owners a highly effective new solution that got more dogs back to normal levels of itch in a head-to-head study with the current JAK inhibitor on the market2*,” Jeff Simmons, President and CEO, Elanco Animal Health, said in a news release.²

“We are excited to offer veterinarians and pet owners a solution that can relieve the burdens of itch, while also becoming just the second animal health company to offer veterinarians a comprehensive portfolio, including parasiticides, vaccines, pain and other therapeutics, and now, dermatology,” he added.

Elanco conducted a head-to-head noninferiority study as a way to compare the safety of oclacitinib tablets (for canine itch relief) and ilunocitinib tablets for submission in the European Union. The study was randomized and double blind with 338 client-owned canine patients that had atopic dermatitis. The study was conducted over 25 study sites within 4 countries. The findings displayed that a single dose of ilunocitinib tablets daily is at least as effective as the market incumbent JAK inhibitor at the primary end point on Day 28.

The safety of ilunocitinib tablets was demonstrated in multiple clinical and toxicity safety studies. According to Elanco, the drug’s required margin on the safety study was conducted in health dogs given placebos, 1, 2, 3, or 5 times the label dose daily for 6 months. All the dogs completed the study with no serious adverse effects.

The FDA shared in their release that ilunocitinib tablets are safe and effective when used in according to the label, but the product labeling has a boxed warning stating that dogs should not be vaccinated at least 28 days before and after treatment with the drug. This warning is because of fatal vaccine-induced disease and inadequate immune response to vaccines.

“Zenrelia has been demonstrated to be safe and highly effective in a number of studies,” Mara Tugel, DVM, dermatology medical strategic lead at Elanco, said in the release.¹ “We recognize that veterinarians need clinically relevant data to guide treatment choices, and plan to pursue additional studies to evaluate vaccine response in Zenrelia-treated dogs. We will continue to work to improve the label over time.”

Ilunocitinib tablets are only available by prescription from a licensed veterinarian and will be available in scored tablets in 4 strengths: 4.8 mg, 6.4 mg, 8.5 mg, and 15 mg. Each tablet strength is available in 10 and 30 count blister packages and 90 count bottles.¹ Veterinarians can now order ilunocitinib tablets and learn more at Zenreliaforvets.com.

On Friday, September 20, 2024, Elanco will hold a conference call at 8:00 AM EST to discuss this approval with the investment community and any other interested parties. The conference call will also have a live webcast that can be accessed through the link posted on Elanco’s website and a replay will be available on the site shortly after the completion of the call.

Products derived from cannabis are being marketed and sold to animal owners as remedies for everything from anxiety to allergies to atopic dermatitis. These products come in many formulations, such as tinctures or oils, treats and chews, pellets for large animals, capsules, and sometimes as food toppers or infused in foods such as peanut butter.

Limited research on the use of cannabis-derived products (CDPs) to treat various conditions in animals has been published, leaving data gaps.

On January 15, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a request for information (RFI) soliciting comments from practicing veterinarians related to the use of CDPs in animals. The focus of the RFI is on cannabidiol products and other products derived from hemp. The docket number is FDA-2024-N-5976. 

The FDA regulates products containing cannabis or CDPs marketed as food or drugs. In 2018, the FDA approved Epidiolex, the nation’s first drug derived from cannabis, for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy in humans. Since then, the agency has approved three synthetic cannabis-related drug products: Marinol (dronabinol), Syndros (dronabinol), and Cesamet (nabilone) for humans.

The FDA is trying to better understand veterinarians’ experience related to the use of CDPs in their patients, such as:

• General patterns of use (i.e., animal species, brands, formulations, doses, indications for use)
• Quality standards
• Benefits of use
• Potential drug interactions
• Adverse events and safety problems
• Toxicological concerns

The Federal Register notice sharing the RFI includes specific questions for veterinarians, among them are the following:

• Have clients asked you about using products derived from cannabis in their animals?
• What brands (if known) and formulations or types of products do clients ask about?
• Have you prescribed or dispensed Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, or Cesamet for use in any of your patients?
• Do you use or recommend hemp-derived cannabis products for your animal patients?
• Have clients reported to you, or have you observed, adverse effects following an animal being administered a hemp-derived cannabis product (i.e., after a client intentionally administered a hemp-derived cannabis product, not accidental ingestion of adult recreational use products)?
• Do you have questions or concerns about drug interactions between hemp-derived cannabis products and other medications?

The FDA will fully consider all comments, including comments submitted anonymously. The comment period ends April 16.