Cabergoline
**Cabergoline** is a synthetic ergot derivative primarily used in veterinary medicine for its potent prolactin-lowering effects. * **Key Indications:** Treatment of pseudopregnancy (false pregnancy), estrus induction/synchronization, pregnancy termination, and management of mastitis in dogs and cats. * **Clinical Advantages:** Compared to older dopamine agonists like bromocriptine, cabergoline is much better tolerated, possessing greater receptor specificity, a longer duration of action, and a significantly lower incidence of vomiting. * **Off-label uses:** Has shown some efficacy in treating pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease) in dogs and persistent egg-laying in psittacines. * **Cost Consideration:** Can be expensive for large dogs, but generic tablets are available. It often requires compounding by a pharmacist for accurate veterinary dosing.
Mecanismo: Cabergoline is a highly specific, long-acting **dopamine D2 receptor agonist**. * **Mechanism:** It binds with high affinity to **D2 receptors** on lactotroph cells in the anterior pituitary gland. * **Pathway:** **D2 receptor activation** → inhibition of adenylyl cyclase → decreased intracellular cAMP → direct suppression of **prolactin** synthesis and secretion. * **Reproductive Impact:** Because prolactin is luteotropic in dogs and cats (it maintains the corpus luteum during the second half of pregnancy), suppressing prolactin leads to a drop in progesterone. This mechanism is responsible for its ability to terminate pregnancy, resolve pseudopregnancy, and induce estrus.
Dosificación por especie
- Estrus induction · 5 micrograms/kg PO once daily induces fertile proestrus in 4-25 days. · PO · q24h · 4-25 days
- Estrus induction · 5 micrograms/kg PO once daily until an induced proestrus is pronounced for 2 days or until onset of estrus · PO · q24h · Until proestrus is pronounced for 2 days or onset of estrus
- Estrus induction · 0.6 micrograms/kg PO once daily. Make a 10 micrograms per mL solution by dissolving commercial tablets in warm distilled water (One 0.5 mg tablet (500 micrograms) per 50 mL of distilled water.) Give the appropriate dose for the patient within 15 minutes of preparation and discard the remaining solution. Continue until day 2 after the onset of the first signs of proestrus, or until day 42 without signs of proestrus. · PO · q24h · Until day 2 after onset of proestrus, or up to 42 days · 81% (22 of 27) of dogs treated at this low dose showed proestrus between days 4 and 48.
- Pseudocyesis (pseudopregnancy) · 5 micrograms/kg once a day PO for 5-10 days. · PO · q24h · 5-10 days
- Pseudocyesis · 5 micrograms/kg once a day or every other day SC · SC · q24h or q48h · Not specified · Likely needs to be compounded.
- Pseudocyesis · 5 micrograms/kg PO once daily for 4-5 days; occasional failures can be handled by repeating treatment and extending duration to 8-10 days. · PO · q24h · 4-5 days (up to 8-10 days) · Additional protocols for treatment failures include combining cabergoline with metergoline (500 micrograms/kg PO twice daily), or cabergoline with bromocriptine (10-30 micrograms/kg PO twice daily).
- Adjunctive treatment of mastitis after puppies weaned · 5 micrograms/kg PO daily. · PO · q24h · Not specified
Vías de administración
Contraindicaciones
- Pregnancy (unless abortion is desired)
- Hypersensitivity to ergot derivatives
- Uncontrolled hypertension (in humans)
- Nursing mothers
Efectos adversos
- Vomiting (infrequent, alleviated by food)
- Coat color changes (in dogs treated >14 days)
- Postural hypotension (reported in humans)
- Dizziness (reported in humans)
- Headache (reported in humans)
- Nausea (reported in humans)
Interacciones farmacológicas
- Hypotensive Drugs · Concomitant use may cause additive hypotension due to cabergoline's hypotensive effects.
- Metoclopramide · Use with cabergoline may reduce the efficacy of both drugs and should be avoided. · major
- Phenothiazines (e.g., acepromazine, chlorpromazine) · Use of cabergoline with dopamine (D2) antagonists may reduce the efficacy of both drugs and should be avoided.
- Domperidone · Antagonizes the therapeutic effect of cabergoline · major
- Phenothiazines (e.g., Acepromazine) · May antagonize cabergoline effects due to dopamine receptor blockade · moderate
- Hypotensive agents · Additive hypotensive effects · moderate
Monitoreo
- Clinical efficacy (resolution of pseudopregnancy, estrus induction, etc.)
- Adverse effects (vomiting, behavioral changes)
Sobredosis
Overdose information is not available for dogs or cats, and remains very limited for humans. * **Potential Signs:** It is postulated that cabergoline overdoses could cause severe hypotension, nasal congestion, syncope, or hallucinations. * **Treatment:** Treatment is basically supportive and primarily focuses on supporting cardiovascular function and blood pressure.
La referencia de fármacos de VetSheet está destinada a médicos veterinarios como apoyo a la decisión clínica; no sustituye el juicio profesional ni la información vigente del fabricante.