Steroids Can Help and Harm Your Pet

Dog Breeds

Steroids can be excellent medication though they affect virtually every tissue in the body and have many side effects.

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Prednisone is an excellent medication that belongs to a family of drugs commonly known as steroids, corticosteroids, or glucocorticoids. It is a highly effective drug that is used in the treatment of a wide variety of medical problems, including rheumatism, arthritis, allergic and immune-mediated diseases, shock, trauma, swelling of brain and spinal cord, inflammation of the skin and joints, and for supportive care during stressful conditions. Corticosteroids work by inhibiting the formation of chemicals called prostaglandins, which are responsible for causing pain and inflammation.

Prednisone and other similar corticosteroids such as prednisolone seem at times to be miracle drugs. In dogs and cats suffering from severe allergies, they dramatically reduce itching and scratching. In crippled, arthritic dogs, they appear to make puppies out of old dogs by restoring mobility and reducing joint pain. Unfortunately, none of this comes without a price.

Corticosteroids affect virtually every tissue in the body and have many side effects. Most common are increased thirst and urination, as well as panting. Other side effects may include increased appetite, weakness, muscle wasting, lethargy, weight loss, lack of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. More serious side effects, such as bloody vomiting and diarrhea, pancreatitis and liver disease can also be caused by corticosteroids.

Corticosteroids slow wound healing, suppress inflammation, reduce fever, and lower resistance to infection. Long-term use may suppress the body's natural steroid production in the adrenal glands and lead to serious metabolic imbalances (called Cushing's syndrome). They also suppress the immune system and reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Since urinary tract infections (e.g. bladder infections) commonly occur with long-term steroid use (e.g. treatment of arthritis or allergies), it is recommended that a urinalysis be performed every six months on pets that are in long-term therapy.

Because of the potential for harmful side effects with long-term steroid use, veterinarians always strive to have pet owners use the lowest possible effective dose on their pets. Whenever possible, patients are placed on an alternate-day dosage schedule in order to minimize side effects (given one day, skipped the next). If treatment with prednisone and other steroids is terminated abruptly, these animals become particularly vulnerable to stress. For this reason, withdrawal from corticosteroids such as prednisone should always be done gradually by reducing the dose rate in order to allow the body to recover slowly over several weeks.

Managing a Dog's Medication