Hydroxycarbamide

CLIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET Updated: October 2017 Hydroxycarbamide

■■ Keep this leaflet safe, as you may need to refer to it again. ■■ Please ask your vet or veterinary nurse if you have any further questions. ■■ This medicine has been prescribed for your pet ONLY. Do not take it yourself or give it to another person or any other animal; it may harm them even if their symptoms appear to be the same.

The medicine you have been given for your dog or cat is called hydroxycarbamide. It may have a trade name such as Hydrea®, but often will just be called hydroxycarbamide or hydroxyurea.

What is hydroxycarbamide? How long will my pet need to take In particular, tell your vet if your pet is being Hydroxycarbamide belongs to a group of hydroxycarbamide? treated with digoxin (used to treat some heart medicines called cytotoxic drugs. Cytotoxic Your vet will advise you on the length of time conditions) or phenytoin (used to help control drugs have both anti-cancer activity, and the for which you will need to give this medicine. epilepsy). potential to damage normal tissue; their use This may vary between patients. Unused is sometimes referred to as ‘chemotherapy’. tablets and empty containers should be What are the possible side effects of They may be used to treat diseases returned to your veterinary practice for safe hydroxycarbamide for my pet? In people, hydroxycarbamide can cause involving abnormal proliferation of cells, help disposal. nausea, vomiting, reduced appetite, cure cancer, or to prolong life by relieving diarrhoea and skin reactions. symptoms of an incurable cancer. Cytotoxic What should I do if I run out of If your pet shows any unusual symptoms drugs are often used in combination with capsules? whilst taking this medication, please contact several other drugs and may be used Try not to run out. Make sure you order your vet. alongside radiotherapy or surgery. more capsules from your vet if your supply is getting low. If you do run out, contact your Why has my pet been prescribed own vet for further advice and restart the What should I do if my pet is unwell hydroxycarbamide? course as soon as possible. while taking hydroxycarbamide? Hydroxycarbamide is most commonly If your pet is unwell while receiving used to treat diseases affecting blood cells; What should I do if I miss a dose? medication, you should not give any further in particular, polycythaemia vera (where If a dose is missed, give the medication as doses and should contact your vet as soon excessive numbers of red blood cells are soon as possible. However, it is best to skip as possible for advice. produced) and some forms of chronic the missed dose if it is almost time for your pet’s next scheduled dose. DO NOT give a What should I do if a person leukaemia (cancers involving the white blood accidentally takes this drug? cells). It is also used to treat mast cell tumours. double dose to make up for the missed dose and do not exceed the total stated dose in If a person accidentally takes your pet’s How should I store hydroxycarbamide? any one 24-hour period. medication, the person should be taken to This medicine does not require special the local hospital immediately. Take this storage conditions. For safety, all medicines What should I do if my pet is leaflet and any remaining capsules plus their should be kept out of the reach and accidentally given too many doses? container (even if it is empty) with you. sight of children. Contact your vet immediately if your pet receives an overdose of hydroxycarbamide Whom do I contact if I want to know How do I give hydroxycarbamide as this can be fatal. Overdose causes a more? capsules to my pet? condition called methaemoglobinaemia, If you have any questions about this drug, Disposable gloves should be worn where the blood turns an abnormal brown or concerns about your pet’s health, at all times when handling this drug. colour and the lips and gums of the patient contact your own vet. They will know your Disguise the capsules in a strongly look blue. This is due to lack of oxygen pet’s medical history and will know about flavoured food that your pet likes.Faeces, because the red blood cells are no longer hydroxycarbamide. urine and saliva from dogs and cats able to transport oxygen around the body. taking hydroxycarbamide will contain Other signs include shortness of breath, small traces of the drug. Therefore weakness and vomiting. do not allow your pet to lick your skin (including hands and face) and make Can my pet take hydroxycarbamide if I sure they go to the toilet well away am already giving them other drugs? from other pets and from people. Wear Tell your vet if you are giving your pet any disposable gloves when picking up other medications, even if you think they faeces in bags. Dispose of faeces in already know. This includes herbal or off-the- domestic waste. shelf remedies from a pet shop or pharmacy.

The Prescribing Cascade This medicine is authorized for use in human patients and is used by vets under the ‘prescribing cascade’. The medicine is not authorized by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), for use in dogs/cats/pets. Your vet can explain the ‘prescribing cascade’ in further detail to you and also explain why they are prescribing this drug for your pet. You will be asked to sign a consent form stating that you understand the reasons that the drug is being prescribed and its possible complications, before the treatment is issued. © British Small Animal Veterinary Association 2017. While the editors and the BSAVA have made every effort in preparing this information leaflet, the contents and any statements are made in good faith purely for general guidance and cannot be regarded as substitute for professional advice. The publishers, contributors and the BSAVA do not take responsibility for the information provided on this leaflet and hence do not accept any liability for loss or expense incurred (by you or persons that you disseminate the materials to) as a result of relying on content in this leaflet. To this end, you are advised to consult your vet and seek their professional advice before taking any steps set out in this leaflet. If you are a vet, you must not rely on the contents in this leaflet without independently verifying the correctness and veracity of the contents. BSAVA is not responsible for any alterations made to this document from the version supplied.