Thirty-seven dogs with chronic canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) were treated with pentoxifylline (PTX), 25 mg/kg every 12 hours, given orally with food for at least 4 weeks. Sixteen dogs (43%) were successfully managed: with PTX alone (7 dogs, 19%), PTX with allergen-specific immunotherapy (5 dogs, 13.5%), or PTX with oral glucocorticoids (4 dogs, 10.5%), with follow-up periods of 5 months to 2.5 years. PTX was well-tolerated: one dog refused to take the drug, and one dog developed diarrhea. PTX was found to be a useful nonsteroidal antipruritic agent for many dogs with CAD.
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