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Can I safely stop my dog's daily Apoquel to test for allergies?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Male | unneutered | 3 years and 7 months old

My dog has been on apoquel for over a year now, I am worried about giving it to him every day. Is it bad to take him off to see if he still has allergies? He was originally put on in fall 2018 due to always licking his paws to an extreme amount after being outdoors...now that its winter I question if he still has them.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on December 27th, 2019

Apoquel is a very safe drug. I would not stop giving it to Rupert without speaking to his vet first. He's likely stopped licking his paws because the medication is working, and usually in these cases, the symptoms come right back when the medication is stopped.

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4Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 18th, 2019

    Hello. There is no indication that allergies will get worse if Apoquel is stopped. No medication is 100% effective, but if the Apoquel was successful in controlling allergies & is stopped, then the symptoms may temporarily increase. But there is no danger stopping the medication after a month. Apoquel is approved to use twice a day for up to 14 days, but after 14 days, the dose should be decreased to once a day or as needed to control itching. This can be administered very long term. Unfortunately, there are no miracle cures in dermatology, & not all dogs benefit from Apoquel. Fortunately, many dogs have been helped tremendously by this medication where steroids are too dangerous, cyclosporin is just as bad & antihistamines just do not work. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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