The use of systemic mycophenolate in canine immune‐mediated ophthalmic disease

Abstract

The present study aimed to describe the use of systemic mycophenolate as a steroid‐sparing therapy for immune‐mediated ophthalmic disease. Records for canine patients with suspected or confirmed immune‐mediated ophthalmic disease were retrospectively reviewed for patient signalment, diagnoses, mycophenolate dose, concurrent medications, reported side effects, and long‐term outcome while receiving systemic mycophenolate. Patient diagnoses included: anterior uveitis, panuveitis, presumed immune‐mediated retinopathy, retinal detachment, chorioretinitis, optic neuritis, and/or uveodermatologic syndrome. Overall, 18 of 23 (78%) patients had either a complete or partial response to therapy. Only six of 18 (33%) patients with a complete or partial response to therapy continued to require adjunct systemic immunosuppressive/anti‐inflammatory therapy. Gastrointestinal side effects were reported in five of 23 (22%) patients; one of these cases resolved with a 50% mycophenolate dose decrease while maintaining good control of intraocular inflammation. In conclusion, systemic mycophenolate may be considered as an adjunct or sole therapy for medical management of canine immune‐mediated ophthalmic disease.