VPT 311: General and Systemic Veterinary Pharmacology (2+1)

IMMUNOSTIMULANTS 

• These are agents that have been used to enhance an immune response and are helpful as adjunct agents for therapy.
• Most common use in dogs is for the treament of chronic recurrent staphylococcal pyoderma.
• Staphage lysate is a preparation  of S. aureus and staphylococcal bacteriophage. It is believed to stimulate T lymphocytes and activate phagocytic cells.
• Staphylococcal bacterin toxoid has been used with some success in canine bacterial hypersensitivity.
• One of the most commonly used immunomodulator in veterinary practice is the anthelmintic levamisole , which is advocated at one-third the anthelmintic dose for immunomodulatory activity for generalised immunity enhancement as is required post vaccination.