To the anonymous poster et al:
Neupogen (filgrastim: Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA) is a recombinant granulocyte
colony-stimulating factor (g-csf). It is produced by recombinant DNA
technology (biotechnology) and is very similar to naturally occurring g-csf.
In a patient who is receiving immune-suppressing chemotherapy, recombinant
g-csf (filgrastim) helps to stimulate the production of white blood cells,
thus helping to stave off infections. Since doses must be continued long
enough for the patient's own immune function to return to normal, it is a
very costly course of therapy. The effects of g-csf will wear off in about
four days after withdrawal of therapy. Therapy usually continues about 3
weeks or more.
I have no idea whether filgrastim is approved for veterinary use, but I'd be
concerned about what dosage should be administered. Filgrastim was approved
by the FDA only in the past couple of years. When I was managing editor at a
medical education project house, I saw a lot of the research on all the
recombinant stuff. It's pretty amazing how it works.
 
--Mary
[Posted in FML issue 1132]