Octreotide

Octreotide In Dogs & Cats: Uses, Dosage and Side Effects

Overview

• Somatostatin analogue that inhibits the release of several hormones.

Uses of Octreotide

• Management of pancreatic endocrine tumours (e.g. insulinoma, gastrinoma).
• Management of acromegaly.

Dose of Octreotide in Dogs and Cats

Dogs, Cats:

• 10–20 μg (micrograms)/animal s.c. q8–12h or 10 μg/kg s.c. q8h.

Side Effects of Octreotide in Dogs and Cats

• GI disturbances (anorexia, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea and steatorrhoea), hepatopathy and pain at injection sites have been recorded in humans.

Contraindications of Octreotide in Dogs and Cats

• No information is available.

Some Notes:

• Studies indicate that octreotide is generally ineffective in treating the majority of insulinomas.
• Tumors that do not express somatostatin receptors do not respond to this treatment.
• In humans, doses of up to 200 μg per person every 8 hours are administered.
• Comparable doses of the aqueous formulation may be necessary in animals, but appropriate dosages for the depot preparation remain unknown.
• More recent somatostatin analogues like pasireotide show greater potential in treating acromegaly, but they tend to be costly.