Zidovudine
Nota anche come: Retrovir, AZT
- **Experimental Therapy**: This medication is considered an 'experimental' or off-label therapy for cats with viral infections. - **Strict Compliance**: It must be administered exactly as prescribed by your veterinarian to maintain efficacy against the virus. - **Mandatory Blood Tests**: Regular veterinary visits for blood tests are absolutely required (often weekly at first) because this drug can cause severe anemia. - **Watch for Side Effects**: Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat becomes unusually weak, lethargic, develops pale gums, or stops eating.
Dosage must be set by your veterinarian for your specific pet. Never give human medication or another pet’s prescription without veterinary guidance.
Veterinary professional? See the full dosing-by-species reference on VetSheet →
What it is used for
- Adjunctive therapy of FeLV and FIV
- Adjunctive therapy of FeLV and FIV
- FeLV
- FIV encephalopathy
How it is given
Possible side effects
- Non-regenerative anemia (most common in cats, dose-dependent)
- Reductions in RBCs, PCV, and hemoglobin
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- Granulocytopenia (reported in humans)
- Gastrointestinal effects
Cautions & contraindications
- Patients with a history of life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions to zidovudine
- > **Bone Marrow Suppression**: Use with extreme caution in patients with pre-existing bone marrow dysfunction. Cats with bone marrow suppression should generally not be treated with zidovudine. * **Organ Dysfunction**: Dosage adjustment may be necessary in cats with renal or hepatic dysfunction. * **Pregnancy**: FDA Category C for use during pregnancy (animal studies show adverse fetal effects, but adequate human studies are lacking). * **Lactation**: Excreted in milk; clinical significance for nursing offspring is unclear.
Drug interactions
- Azole Antifungals (e.g., ketoconazole): May increase zidovudine levels
- Atovaquone: May increase zidovudine levels
- Doxorubicin: May antagonize each other's effects; avoid concurrent use. Also increases risk of hematologic toxicity.
- Interferon alfa: Increased risk for hematologic and hepatotoxicity
- Probenecid: May increase zidovudine levels
- Myelo-/Cytotoxic Drugs (e.g., chloramphenicol, flucytosine, vincristine, vinblastine): Administered with zidovudine may increase the risk of hematologic toxicity
- Rifampin: May decrease blood levels (AUC) of zidovudine
Domande frequenti
What is Zidovudine used for in pets?
- Experimental Therapy: This medication is considered an 'experimental' or off-label therapy for cats with viral infections. - Strict Compliance: It must be administered exactly as prescribed by your veterinarian to maintain efficacy against the virus. - Mandatory Blood Tests: Regular veterinary visits for blood tests are absolutely required (often weekly at first) because this drug can cause severe anemia. - Watch for Side Effects: Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat becomes unusually weak, lethargic, develops pale gums, or stops eating.
Is Zidovudine safe for my pet?
Dosage must be set by your veterinarian for your specific pet. Never give human medication or another pet’s prescription without veterinary guidance.
Questo articolo è informativo e non sostituisce il parere veterinario. Se l’animale sta male, consultate un veterinario.
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