title: Safety of intrathecal administration of cytosine arabinoside and methotrexate in dogs and cats.
abstract: The objective of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the short-term safety of intrathecal administration of cytosine arabinoside alone or in combination with methotrexate in dogs and cats. One hundred and twelve dogs and eight cats admitted between September 2008 and December 2013, diagnosed with suspected inflammatory (meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown aetiology) or neoplastic disease affecting brain or spinal cord and treated with an intrathecal administration of cytosine arabinoside alone or in combination with methotrexate were included in the study. Recorded information regarding possible adverse events during administration while recovering from anaesthesia and during hospitalization period were evaluated. The results showed that one patient developed generalized tonic-clonic seizure activity after administration of cytosine arabinoside and methotrexate during recovery from anaesthesia, however responded to intravenous administration of diazepam. On the base of our results we can conclude that intrathecal administration of cytosine arabinoside alone or in combination with methotrexate is a safe procedure in dogs and cats.
authors.affiliation: Dick White Referrals, Veterinary Specialist Centre, Suffolk, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genoni
authors.affiliation: Dick White Referrals, Veterinary Specialist Centre, Suffolk, UK.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palus
authors.affiliation: Dick White Referrals, Veterinary Specialist Centre, Suffolk, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eminaga
authors.affiliation: Dick White Referrals, Veterinary Specialist Centre, Suffolk, UK.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cherubini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003561:Cytarabine; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: MUA; chemotherapy; cytosine arabinoside; intrathecal; methotrexate; safety