Neutrophilic dermatitis and immunemediated haematological disorders in a dog: suspected adverse reaction to carprofen

Abstract

This report describes the clinical and pathological findings of a suspected idiosyncratic adverse drug reaction in a young dog. The patient presented with sudden onset, severe skin lesions together with episodes of collapse. Investigations revealed a neutrophilic dermatitis with vasculitis, immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Similar pathology has been described in human cases of Sweet's syndrome. The chronology of events suggested an adverse drug reaction to carprofen, although two antibiotics had been prescribed within the dog's recent history. Lymphocyte transformation tests were performed and tended to exclude both antibiotics as the cause of the reaction. To the authors' knowledge, lymphocyte transformation tests have not previously been described with regard to drug hypersensitivity assessment in the veterinary literature, and this is the first peer-reviewed case report of neutrophilic dermatitis and vasculitis with immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia occurring as a suspected adverse drug reaction to carprofen in the dog.

Canine idiopathic immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia: a review with recommendations for future research

“…Most of these risk factors have been taken from the human literature (Sokol et al 1992(Sokol et al , 1994, and relatively few have been confirmed in dogs. Sulphonamides, cephalosporin, and carprofen have been linked with IMHA (Bloom et al 1988;Trepanier et al 2003;Trepanier 2004;Mellor et al 2005;Lavergne et al 2006). The association of vaccination in one study was not confirmed in two other studies (Duval and Giger 1996;Astrup et al 1998;Carr et al 2002).…”

Clinical and Microscopic Characteristics of Canine Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis

“…Carprofen hypersensitivity has been suspected as the cause of drug eruption resembling Sweet syndrome in 2 dogs 27 and as a cause of neutrophilic dermatitis and vasculitis in 1 dog. 15 To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported association between carprofen and TEN. Carprofen belongs to the propionic acid class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ketoprofen, ibuprofen, naproxen, benoxaprofen, and fenoprofen, 6 with which carprofen shares an ATC code up to the fourth level (WHO).…”

Analgesic efficacy of oral firocoxib in ovariohysterectomized cats

“…Cats with pain scores above these limits would immediately receive the rescue analgesic drug and be excluded from the study. The presence of any adverse effects, including vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy, melena, somnolence, hyperactivity, skin reactions, and constipation were recorded [2632]. …”