Immunoregulin

Please note: The information on our site is for everyone to read. Please use it as often as you like.
However, Ask Dr Mike is available only to subscribers of our Vetinfo Digest.
Please do not send questions if you are not a subscriber.
Please use the search engine or one of the indexes to see if the information
you need is already online. Please see Subscriber info for details. Subscriber Info
The income from the subscriptions helps defray the cost of maintaining the site and allows us to keep the large amount of information on www.vetinfo .com free to our readers.

Immunoregulin and Your Dog
Immunoregulin
Immunoregulin(Rx)

also see Skin Problems
also see Medication

Immunoregulin (Propionibacterium acnes injection) - reactions
Q: Dr.Mike: my 14 month old German Shepherd had a case of fused lobe pneumonia for 2 months. After trying several different antibiotics it seemed to be under control with just a residual mucous discharge from his nostril. After some blood tests my Veterinarian informed me that his immune system was not functioning properly and that we should start him on a course of injections of Immunoregulin to try to bring it up to
normal levels and hopefully "jump start" his own immune system. Exactly 23 hours after the first intravenous injection my shepherd suffered a seizure, something that had never happened before. The following night, 2 days after the shot, he suffered another seizure. No further seizures have occurred and it has been 5 days since the shot. However, today he received the 2nd injection. His Doctor has never heard of this
medication causing a reaction like this and said that it just might be coincidental. She conducted some blood tests after the first seizure and all of his organ functions and blood sugar levels came back normal. My question is, have you ever heard of this type of reaction to Immunoregulin? If so, could you please direct me to where I can obtain
some more information about this?
Thank you in advance...JoAnn

A: Dear JoAnn
I do not use Immunoregulin (Propionibacterium acnes injection), so I have
no first hand knowledge of the side effects. However, it is reported to
cause fever, lethargy and decreased appetite in some dogs within a few
hours after the injection. It can cause anaphylactic shock (sudden severe
shock such as occurs with acute penicillin reactions). Longer term effects
that have been reported with the use of Immunoregulin include those listed
above plus hepatitis in a small number of patients. I have not seen a
reference to seizures after using this product but fevers can bring on
seizure activity so I guess it is possible. You may be able to find more
information on this medication at the PubMed site (there is a link from our
link page) by searching using the term "Propionibacterium acnes".
German shepherds are more likely to have seizure disorders than most breeds
of dogs so it is not unlikely that this is coincidental, either. In time,
the underlying cause of the seizures may be more discernible.
Mike Richards, DVM

Immunoregulin (Rx)
Q: Can you tell me anything about immunoregulin injections? What are they generally used for and how often? Thanks
A: To the best of my knowledge, propionibacterium acnes (Immunoregulin Rx) injection is only approved as an adjunct therapy for use in controlling resistant skin infections in dogs. It is considered to be an immune stimulant and is therefore used experimentally for many conditions in which immune stimulation seems like a good idea. I have heard anecdotal reports of its use for feline leukemia virus, cancer therapy, feline rhinotracheitis virus, fungal infections and psittacine beak and feather syndrome. There does not seem to be much success using this preparation in these conditions, based on the scientific literature, though.
I have not used Immunoregulin and have no personal experience to base an opinion on.
Mike Richards, DVM

Last edited 08/30/02
Vetinfo | vetinfo4cats | vetinfo4dogs | Canine Encyclopedia | Feline Encyclopedia |
VetInfo Digest | Links

                  The entire content of the vetinfo.com website is and has been provided by Dr Michael Richards who is a veterinarian.

             We have discontinued the ask Dr Mike question and answer section of our website at this time.

          Comments or information about our website, feedback, art info, broken links, spelling errors or help finding things on the site or anything else-

e-mail
Michal Justis

             E-mail for www. vetinfo.com is answered by Michal Justis, who is not a veterinarian
(but is a Lady).
I will try to help you find the information you need on our websites.
Please do not ask me veterinary questions.

The entire content of the vetinfo.com website is and has been provided by
Dr Michael Richards who is a veterinarian.

       We have discontinued the ask Dr Mike question and answer section of our website at this time.

This page is authored by Dr Michael Richards, DVM and produced by TierCom, Inc.
Opinions expressed are those of Dr. Richards.
Designed and edited by Michal Justis
copyright ©1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002-   TierCom, Inc

Vetinfo | vetinfo4cats | vetinfo4dogs | Canine Encyclopedia | Feline Encyclopedia   |
VetInfo Digest | Links | Search