Hi
I currently live in France and our dog has been prescribed cyclosporin 100mg tablets, which are incredibly expensive here.  I wondered if someone kind on this forum could ask, next time they are at their pharmacy, whether the tablets are available over the counter in Spain, and if so, what they would cost, as it might be worth us driving down…...

Thank you in advance
Chrissie

Chrissie Hi,

Can’t answer the question directly but a quick internet check shows that this drug is very expensive even in generic form.  Have seen prices quoted like 150 USD for 30 x 100 mg tablets. As for the drug being available over the counter here, I seriously doubt it. See the link…

Big Pharma strikes again….

Might be worth a trip to a herbalist or homeopathic treatment specialist to see if there is natural treatment available…

Also take a long hard look at this link concerning the use of cyclosporine in veterinary use;

http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=41296

Some of the side effects in human and veterinary use are pretty dire; lymphoma and cancer to name but two.

I’m really sorry but as a dog lover and rescuer (currently I have 9 such rescues living in my little house), I would be giving very serious thoughts to finding natural alternatives. I am assuming that in your case Cyclosporine has been recommended for an skin allergy problem. If this is something that has arisen recently I would be looking to trace the source of the allergy and if possible eliminating it. Please feel free to p.m me if you have any queries… I have a few contacts in the animal rescue world and they all have contacts with Spanish vets. Maybe they can be of some help. There are links in my signature to two such organisations here in Spain.

Good Luck…

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Thank you for the info, foxbat.  The tablets are not for skin problems in this case.  Our dog is an elderly GS cross with a perianal fistula which is not responding to other treatments.  The only other option is surgical intervention, with a poor record of success and high levels of distress, so is not a route we would send him down.  The cyclosporin trestment has a good record of success with fewer side-effects noted in larger dogs, but if it causes severe reactions we would obviously have to discontinue the treatment.  But in that case, it would probably be the end of the road.  So - fingers crossed.
Chrissie

Did a bit of reading on that problem too but was hoping that wasn’t the case. Sorry to hear about his problems and yes you are right, in this case it’s probably the only possible drug treatment available. Just a shame it’s so expensive.
Good luck with your boy, I really do hope he responds to treatment.
Just to repeat though I really cannot see that such a drug would be available over the counter here. The Spanish authorities are clamping down hard on the issue prescription only drugs and I suspect that because of the nature of the drug and its possible side effects this is one that is controlled.

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