Cerenia Tablets have been approved for extended use in older dogs suffering from acute vomiting, manufacturer Zoetis Inc. reported today. The new label claim, sanctioned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, allows Cerenia (maropitant citrate) Tablets to be given daily to dogs 7 months or older until the condition is resolved. The drug had been limited to five consecutive days’ use. The dosing limitation for dogs 2 to 7 months old remains five consecutive days, Zoetis stated. The treatment of acute vomiting changed in 2007 with FDA’s approval of Cerenia, said Todd R. Tams, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, the chief medical officer of the VCA veterinary hospital chain. “Now, with the removal of the five-day dosing restriction, veterinarians have greater latitude to treat each patient individually,” Dr. Tams said. “If vomiting isn’t controlled, an animal can become dehydrated,” he said. “Additionally, acute vomiting may result in consequences such as electrolyte abnormalities or aspiration, which can lead to pneumonia or esophageal injury.” The new label claim followed a three-month oral toxicity study and a two-week pharmacokinetics study, Florham Park, N.J.-based Zoetis stated. Cerenia Tablets are indicated for the prevention of acute vomiting and vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs. An injectable formulation may be used to prevent and treat acute vomiting in dogs and to treat vomiting in cats.
