title: A Prospective, Randomized, Masked, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study of Capromorelin in Dogs with Reduced Appetite.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reduced appetite is a common clinical sign in dogs. This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of capromorelin oral solution, (ENTYCE®, Aratana Therapeutics, Leawood, KS) a new drug that is a ghrelin receptor agonist, for stimulation of appetite in dogs with reduced appetite.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Capromorelin will increase appetite, as measured by the owner's evaluation, over 4 days. An additional objective was to evaluate the safety of capromorelin at the labeled dose.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 244 client-owned dogs reported by owners to be inappetent for at least 2 days were enrolled, with 177 cases in the effectiveness analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized, masked, placebo-controlled study, dogs were treated daily with capromorelin (3 mg/kg) oral solution (n = 121) or placebo oral solution (n = 56). Owners completed an evaluation of appetite at days 0 and 3 ± 1. Success was defined as improvement in appetite at day 3. Safety was evaluated by physical examination, clinical pathology, and monitoring adverse events and owner observations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Capromorelin treatment improved appetite compared to placebo (68.6% and 44.6% treatment successes with 95% CI 59.7, 76.3 and 32.2, 57.8, respectively, P = .008). Mean body weight in capromorelin-treated dogs increased compared to placebo-treated dogs (1.8% with 95% CI 1.3, 2.3, and 0.1% with 95% CI 0.9, 1.1, respectively, P < .001). Adverse reactions occurring in >5% of either group were diarrhea and vomiting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capromorelin oral solution is an effective treatment for stimulation of appetite in dogs and represents the first ghrelin receptor agonist shown to be effective for this indication.
authors.affiliation: Aratana Therapeutics, Leawood, KS.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zollers
authors.affiliation: Aratana Therapeutics, Leawood, KS.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wofford
authors.affiliation: Aratana Therapeutics, Leawood, KS.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heinen
authors.affiliation: ClinData Services, Fort Collins, CO.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huebner
authors.affiliation: Aratana Therapeutics, Leawood, KS.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rhodes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D019167:Appetite Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010880:Piperidines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin / Q000819:agonists*
chemical_list: D019167:Appetite Stimulants; C433143:CP 424391; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D054440:Receptors, Ghrelin
keywords: Appetite stimulation; Food consumption; Ghrelin receptor agonist; Growth hormone secretagogue; Inappetence