Bite Size Meds
Breaking your pets' medication down into palatable and digestible chunks.

Optimmune
What is Optimmune?
Optimmune is a brand name for the drug ciclosporin. It is an eye ointment used to treat dogs with chronic dry eye (also known as keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or KCS for short).
What does Optimmune do?
Optimmune works by suppressing the activity of the immune system in the tear glands of the eyes, thereby reducing inflammation and increasing tear production. It also directly stimulates tear production by blocking a hormone called prolactin, which would normally inhibit tear production.
These actions help alleviate the symptoms of dry eye and help prevent further damage to the cornea.
What causes KCS?
Chronic dry eye is typically caused by an immune-mediated condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the tear-producing glands. Other causes can include congenital issues with tear gland formation, certain diseases (e.g. diabetes or hypothyroidism), medications, infections, trauma, or genetic predispositions in certain breeds.
Why has my animal been prescribed Optimmune?
Your vet has prescribed Optimmune to manage your dog’s chronic dry eye. By increasing tear production and reducing inflammation, Optimmune helps to keep your dog's eyes lubricated, relieving discomfort and preventing further damage to the eyes.
How quickly does it help my pet?
Optimmune should start to increase tear production within 10 days, but may not be fully effective until after 6 weeks of continuous treatment. You should notice an improvement in your dog’s eye comfort and a reduction in symptoms such as redness, discharge, and squinting.
It is worth noting that tear production may stop within 24hrs if the treatment is not continued, so for most dogs (approximately 90% of those affected), treatment is a life-long requirement.
Are there any side-effects I need to worry about?
Optimmune usually has minimal side-effects but rarely, animals will experience mild irritation or redness of the eyes, and/or a temporary stinging sensation after application for the first 7 days of use; if the irritation lasts over 7 days, treatment should stop and alternative treatment should be considered.
Very rarely, it has been associated with changes around the eyes and to the eyelids (swelling, inflammation, hair loss and itchiness), some of which may be due to overflow of excess optimmune onto the skin. Other very rare side-effects include vomiting, drooling, going off food, and seeming sleepier/less active than usual.
Are there any pets that cannot have Optimmune?
Optimmune should ONLY be given to your pet if it has been prescribed by your veterinary surgeon.
There are some groups of animals for whom Optimmune should either not be given, or it should only be given after discussing it thoroughly with your vet. These include;
-
Dogs with an eye infection (viral or fungal) that needs treating first
-
Pregnant animals or those lactating to feed their offspring (i.e. breastfeeding)