TREATMENT OF CANINE APLASTIC-ANEMIA WITH CYCLOSPORINE-A - FIRST RESULTS

Aplastic anemia in the dog is defined as a reduction of marrow activit y comprising all three marrow cell lines or selectively of the erythro poiesis. In comparable cases in human medicine an immunogenic etiology is presumed, and a treatment with the immunosuppressant Cyclosporin A is initiated. There are no experiences with this kind of therapy in a plastic anemia of the dog. Four dogs, three with a hypoplasia of the e rythropoietic cell line and one with panmyelophthisis, were treated or ally for a period of several months with Cyclosporin A 5-10 mg/kg body weight bid. In all patients the plasma concentration of Cyclosporin wa s controlled in regular intervals. Depending on the plasma concentrati ons the dose was adapted in several cases. Cyclosporin levels between 200 and 600 ng/ml were considered desirable and their efficacy in the therapy of aplastic anemia was examined. In the patient with panmyelop hthisis, therapy was not successful. In this case, a marrow intoxicati on was presumably responsible for the aplastic anemia and the dog was euthanized. In two of the remaining three cases, therapy with Cyclospo rin A was successful; the last dog is still being treated with Cyclosp orin A at this time.