Medication error after Oclacitinib (Apoquel) in cats

50 reports to the FDA describe medication error in cats given Oclacitinib. That is 11% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.6% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

50Reports

64%Marked serious

4.0%Recovered

20%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

21 50%

1–2 days

8 19%

3–7 days

4 9.5%

1–4 weeks

2 4.8%

Over a month

7 17%

How the animals did

Recovered

2 4.0%

Still unwell when reported

33 66%

Died

5 10%

Euthanised

5 10%

Not known

5 10%

Problems reported at the same time

21 42%

17 34%

17 34%

15 30%

Didn't work as expected

12 24%

Overdose

11 22%

Death

10 20%

Loss of appetite

9 18%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Oclacitinib controls itching from allergies (tablet, a JAK inhibitor).

Products with this ingredient include Apoquel. The FDA hides brand names in its public data, so these reports cover every product with the same active ingredients.

Questions owners ask

Can Oclacitinib cause medication error in cats?: 50 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 1 day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

All reported side effects of Oclacitinib in cats · Medicines most reported with medication error