Combination chemotherapy of canine and feline cryptococcosis using subcutaneously administered amphotericin B

Abstract

Six cases (3 cats, 3 dogs) of cryptococcosis were cured using combination chemotherapy that included amphotericin B. We developed a simple, practical and inexpensive method of administering amphotericin B as a subcutaneous infusion during the treatment of these patients. For this, the calculated dose of amphotericin B (0.5 to 0.8 mg/kg) was added to 400 mL, for cats, or to 500 mL, for dogs, of 0.45% saline containing 2.5% dextrose. These amounts were given subcutaneously 2 or 3 times weekly over several months, to a total cumulative dose of 8 to 26 mg/kg body weight. Subcutaneous infusions were generally well tolerated by the animals, although concentrations of amphotericin B in excess of 20 mg/L resulted in local irritation. This protocol enabled the administration of larger, and thus more effective, quantities of amphotericin B without producing marked azotaemia.