[Cyclosporin A in aplastic anemia in dogs: first results]

Aplastic anemia in the dog is defined as a reduction of marrow activity comprising all three marrow cell lines or selectively of the erythropoiesis. 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 aplastic anemia of the dog. Four dogs, three with a hypoplasia of the erythropoietic cell line and one with panmyelophthisis, were treated orally for a period of several months with Cyclosporin A 5-10 mg/kg bodyweight bid. In all patients the plasma concentration of Cyclosporin was controlled in regular intervals. Depending on the plasma concentrations 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 panmyelophthisis, therapy was not successful. In this case, a marrow intoxication was presumably responsible for the aplastic anemia and the dog was euthanized. In two of the remaining three cases, therapy with Cyclosporin A was successful; the last dog is still being treated with Cyclosporin A at this time.