Prednisolone In The Dog
There are a number of drugs available to control inflammation and suppress the immune system in dogs an example of this is prednisolone
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There are a number of drugs available to control inflammation and suppress the immune system in dogs an example of this is prednisolone, this is a very commonly used drug. This drugs belong to a class of drugs known as glucocorticoids so called because they are related to cortisone and they contain glucose in their molecules. These drugs are also related to the steroid hormones normally produced by the adrenal gland.
The effects of glucocorticoids can be observed in every organ system in the body and these drugs should not be used except when necessary. Basically prednisolone is an anti-inflammatory drug which reduce the swelling, pain and redness associated with inflammation. But an important effect of these drugs is that at high and very specific doses, the immune system is suppressed.
These are prescription drugs and can only be obtained from a vet or by prescription from a vet.
What would you use prednisolone for in the dog?
The uses of prednisolone are wide and varied here are a few examples. It is used to treat allergies, inflammations and autoimmune diseases when the underlying cause cannot be treated or prevented. Examples include treatment of bronchial and lung diseases, skin diseases, intestinal diseases, spinal cord and brain diseases and diseases of the blood. Prednisolone is often a supplemental treatment for various cancers.
It is required as a supplement in the adrenal gland disorder, Addison’s disease (hypoadrenocorticism).
It is used as a treatment in bacterial (endotoxic) shock, it is also used used to treat a variety of immune system and autoimmune disorders .
What are the Precautions and Side Effects for Prednisolone
While generally safe and effective when prescribed by a veterinarian, prednisolone can cause side effects in some animals.
- Prednisolone should not be used in animals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to the drug.
- Prednisolone should be avoided in fungal infections.
- Prednisolone should not be used in pregnant animals, since it can induce labor.
- Extreme care must be taken when stopping prednisolone therapy. If an animal has been on prednisolone for an extended period of time, slow weaning off the drug is critical to avoid serious complications.
- Prednisolone may interact with other medications. Consult with your veterinarian to determine if other drugs your pet is receiving could interact with prednisolone. Such drugs include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.
- Adverse effects include increased thirst and appetite, panting, vomiting, restlessness and diarrhea.
- Some animals may develop stomach ulcers from prednisolone use.
- Long-term use of prednisolone may result in loss of hair coat, weakening of the muscles, liver impairment and behavioral changes.
Dose rates
Medication should never be administered without first consulting your veterinarian.
Doses of prednisolone vary widely depending on the reason for prescribing.
Anti-inflammatory doses range from 0.1 to 0.3 mg per pound (0.2 to 0.6 mg/kg) up to twice daily.
Immuno suppressive doses range from 1 to 3 mg per pound (2 to 6 mg/kg) up to three times daily.
Doses for various diseases range between 0.1 to 3 mg per pound (0.2 to 6 mg/kg).
The duration of administration depends on the condition being treated, response to the medication and the development of any adverse effects.
whilst living in Spain 2 dogs adopted me, a greyhound and and alsation. They now live with us in the UK and have done so for the last 2 and a half years. The greyhound fell ill and was eventually diagnosed with “Alabama Rot” which was treated with drugs including a long course of steriods and eventually he recovered at a large financial cost running into thousands of pounds. The other dog “Max” was always very thin, we have had all injections throughout the years and they are both Pet Passported. They are both approx. 5/6 years old.
Getting onto “Max” he had an extremely big nosebleed 6 months ago, was taken to vets given antibiotics and it settled down after one day. He has since had a couple more but not as bad. Last year one of his front toes got infected and we had to have his toe removed. I feel since this operation he has never been himself. This week we noticed a sore on his pad and presumed this was a cut, I cleaned and dressed it but it does not seem to be getting any better, this morning I decided a trip to the vets was necessary after having lots of blood tests to see if Max has any blood problems. His last test was DNA to see if a parasite was in his blood this came back negative. The vet now wants to take him in and do biopsies and tests and ex-rays. This poor dog is very nervous and frets terribly when separated from his greyhound friend “Harry”. Do I do the right thing, which I am not sure what the right thing is. Put him through tests and getiing upset as I saw our other dog suffering with these forms of “tests” or let him suffer. We do not have insurance on either dog and these tests do become expensive. I have been to the PDSA but as we do not claim benefits they will not look at our dog. I feel my vet at the moment will encourage us to spend, spend, spend. I am sure they have the interest of the animal first and foremost, but also the drugs they keep on throwing at us just don’t seem to stop.
Can I give my dog some steroids which we have left over from when the other dog was under treatment. They are prednisolone 5mg. The dogs weight is 25kgs. The vet this morning suggested this was the track we may have to follow.
I look forward to hearing your comments and any helpful advice you may have to offer.
Caroline 8/6/09
Comment by caroline fawcett | June 8, 2009
Hello Caroline, I dont see why not, but i would definetly contact your vet first to make sure this process will be okay for your dog!
Just be careful as it can be a very sensitive drug, I have to start my little staffy on the first thing tommorrow morning he was recently diagnosed with a brain lesion on the central part, im absolutely devastated but hes still here and free of pain so i need to keep going becaiuse he is!! Good luck i hope everything goes ok, keep me posted on how he gets on.
Jonny
Comment by Jonny | June 24, 2009
Hello,
I have a bitch G.S. at 10yrs-9mths. We had similar problems with Amy being very thin as a puppy and only going up to 27kgs at maturity where her normal weight should have been 33kgs for her size. Her joints swelled and after tests including synovial fluid extracts she was diagnosed with idopathic polyarthritis. Our specialist “Davies Vet. Services recommended a reducing dose of Prednisolone which relieved the joint swelling but she continued to lose weight to 23kgs. Finally, I suspected a dietary intolerance and had a folate test carried out which showed the possibility of a dietary deficiency. We immediately changed her food from chicken/brown rice to a dietetic food Royal Canin Fish/Tap on their recommendation. However, this smelt terrible and the smell hung on the dogs breath. We then had a discussion with the Burns Food Vet and moved to their dietetic food Venison/Brown Rice. This she found highly digestible and enjoyed. The net result was her weight steadily improved to 33kgs. We feed her food split into 3 lots and have for years. It seemed that our dog had a dietary intolerance to chicken. This problem, I found, is not usual but can be missed. Do not put your dog on prednisolone unless it has an inflammatory problem or requires some suppression of the immune system. Check a dietary intolerance. I found the Burns Food Vet. very good. They sent samples of food for testing. Amy has had this food for several years now but your problem reminded me of ours. In fact the first test we when she was 18 months old when she was thin showed the problem but it was missed.
Hope all goes well,
D. Cave.
Comment by Mr D. Cave | November 12, 2009