Cyclosporine modified is an immunosuppressant. The generic capsule and oral solution help treat certain health problems caused by an overactive immune system in dogs and cats. These generic versions are FDA approved for people, but vets often prescribe it off-label for pets. You usually give your pet this medication once or twice a day. Common side effects for pets are stomach problems like diarrhea, vomiting, and a low appetite.
Cyclosporine modified is a type of immunosuppressant. More specifically, it’s a calcineurin inhibitor. It blocks a protein in the immune system called calcineurin. This protein plays a role in causing inflammation when the immune system is too active.
By blocking calcineurin, cyclosporine modified helps calm your pet’s immune system. This helps lower inflammation in their body.
The following side effects might get better over time as your pet gets used to the medication. Let your veterinarian know immediately if your pet continues to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Dogs:
Cats:
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your pet experiences any of the following.
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
More common
Abdominal or stomach pain or tenderness
back pain
black, tarry stools
blurred vision
chills
clay colored stools
cloudy urine
dark urine
decrease in urine output or decrease in urine-concentrating ability
decreased appetite
dizziness
drowsiness
headache
headache, severe and throbbing
loss of appetite
muscle spasms (tetany) or twitching
nervousness
painful or difficult urination
pounding in the ears
shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet
shortness of breath
skin rash
slow or fast heartbeat
sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
swelling of the feet or lower legs
swollen glands
trembling or shaking of the hands or feet
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
yellow eyes or skin
Less common
Bleeding gums
blood in the urine
blood in the vomit
burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
convulsions
difficulty swallowing
pale skin
pinpoint red spots on the skin
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
severe or continuing stomach pain
tightness in the chest
troubled breathing with exertion
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Abdominal or stomach discomfort
bleeding, tender, or enlarged gums
blemishes on the skin
increased hair growth, especially on the face
pain or tenderness around the eyes and cheekbones
stuffy or runny nose
Less common
Brittle fingernails
burning feeling in the chest or stomach
burning, dry, or itching eyes
continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
cramps
discharge or excessive tearing
feeling of warmth
hearing loss
redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
redness, pain, swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid
swelling of the breasts or breast soreness in both females and males
Rare
Blurred or loss of vision
discouragement
disturbed color perception
double vision
fear
feeling sad or empty
halos around lights
irritability
joint pain
loss of interest or pleasure
night blindness
overbright appearance of lights
tiredness
trouble concentrating
trouble sleeping
tunnel vision
unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness
weakness
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Tips for the liquid form of cyclosporine modified:
How long your dog takes cyclosporine modified depends on the health condition they have. These conditions usually need long-term treatment. This means that many dogs will probably need to take cyclosporine modified for a long time, possibly for life. But your vet might change your dog’s treatment plan if the medication isn’t working as well as hoped or if it causes side effects. Ask your vet if you have questions about how long your dog should take cyclosporine modified.
You can touch cyclosporine modified capsules when giving them to your dog. But try not to get the medication inside the capsules or the liquid form of the medication on your skin. Wash your hands right after handling the medication and before touching anything else. Rinse any areas of skin that the medication got onto by accident. If you’re pregnant, wear gloves when giving this medication to your dog since it could harm your baby. Ask your vet or pharmacist if you have questions.
Yes. Some dogs might need to take prednisone and cyclosporine modified together to treat their immune condition. A study found that the combination with a steroid helped dogs with skin allergies more than cyclosporine modified alone. Your dog might have side effects from each medication. For example, they could have stomach upset from cyclosporine modified and more thirst from prednisone. But using both together doesn’t seem to raise the chance of having more side effects. Talk to your vet about the risks and benefits of using both for your dog.
No. Cyclosporine modified isn’t a steroid. Instead, it’s a type of immunosuppressant called a calcineurin inhibitor. Both types of medications calm the immune system and reduce inflammation. But they work in different ways. Sometimes, pets might need to take cyclosporine modified and a steroid like prednisone at the same time. This combination can sometimes help treat their condition better.
No. Cyclosporine modified isn’t an antibiotic. It doesn’t treat bacterial infections. Instead, this medication works by weakening the immune system to reduce inflammation. This can actually make your pet more likely to get infections. If your pet gets an infection while taking cyclosporine modified, they might need antibiotics to treat it.
No. Cyclosporine modified and the unmodified version of cyclosporine (Sandimmune) are not the same. In fact, vets don’t use the unmodified form of cyclosporine for dogs or cats. This is because the way that it’s absorbed into the body is too inconsistent and it might not be safe for pets. You can’t switch back and forth between the modified and unmodified versions of cyclosporine. Make sure your pet is getting cyclosporine modified, not the unmodified version. Ask your vet or pharmacist if you have more questions.
It depends on the type of vaccine. So, ask your vet about which ones are okay while your pet is taking cyclosporine modified. This medication might affect how well some vaccines work to prevent serious illness in pets. Some vaccines, like the rabies vaccine, should still work well for your pet. But live virus vaccines might not work as well. Your vet can help decide which vaccines are okay and explain the risks and benefits.
Cyclosporine modified can cause some serious health issues. This risk might be even higher for certain pets. If this worries you, talk to your veterinarian about other options.
Cyclosporine modified works by calming down your pet’s immune system. But this can also make it easier for them to get sick. Sometimes, these infections can be serious. Some infections your pet might get are urinary tract infections (UTIs) and respiratory tract infections. This medication might also be linked to a serious infection in cats called toxoplasmosis.
Be careful giving cyclosporine modified to pets that already have an infection. This is because the medication can slow healing and make the infection get worse. Also watch your pet closely if they’re taking other medications that weaken the immune system.
Call a vet if you see signs of infection in your pet. Watch for fever, low energy, pain, coughing, trouble breathing, runny nose, and eye problems. Also take note if your pet doesn’t seem to want to eat or has trouble urinating.
Cyclosporine modified can change the way the immune system works. It’s not clear if this affects cancer risk in pets at recommended doses. But it’s important to be aware of this risk. Pets that have cancer can’t take this medication because it might not be safe for them.
One type of cancer that dogs and cats have had while taking cyclosporine modified is lymphoma. Call your vet if you notice your pet has swollen lymph nodes, low energy, fever, or low appetite. These could be signs of cancer.
Cats taking cyclosporine modified might eat less and lose weight as side effects. Although rare, these side effects can raise the risk of certain liver problems. The risk of liver problems is also possible but uncommon in dogs.
Tell your vet if your pet loses a lot of weight (more than 25% of their starting weight). Other signs of liver problems include being very tired, vomiting, a weak neck, and yellow eyes or skin. Talk to a vet right away if your pet shows any of these signs while taking cyclosporine modified.
Pets with kidney problems or those taking high doses of cyclosporine modified might be at risk of kidney damage. These pets should take this medication with caution. Tell your vet if your pet has kidney problems before starting treatment.
Talk to a vet if you see signs of kidney problems in your pet while they’re taking cyclosporine modified. Watch for thirst, urinating more than usual, vomiting, not wanting to eat, and signs of dehydration.
The dose is based on your pet’s weight and the reason they need to take this medication.
Follow your vet’s directions on how much and how often to give cyclosporine modified to your pet. Below are some examples for a few health conditions.
For cats
Note: The dose might be lower if your vet prescribes cyclosporine modified along with other medications, like ketoconazole or omega-3 fatty acids. Your vet might also change how often you give the medication, depending on how your pet is doing. Instead of once or twice a day, you might give it every other day, every 3 days, or just twice a week.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a pet should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If your pet has any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to your pet, let your veterinarian know because Cyclosporine modified will not be safe for your pet to take.