Is Cortisone Safe for Dogs?

Cortisone medications are also called glucocordicoids and corticosteroids. They are typically used for dogs with Addison’s disease, osteochondrosis, extreme arthritis and allergies. They work by assisting to reduce inflammation, which in turn helps to lower pain. Cortisone is an artificial medication that imitates the natural hormone cortisol, and can just be acquired with a veterinarian’s prescription.

Types

Cortisone medications can be found in oral tablets and injections. Tablets can be provided one to three times a day, depending on your veterinarian’s suggestions.

Liver Problems

With long-lasting usage, there is a minor possibility of liver damage. Any dog on cortisone medications needs to take liver working tests.

Generic Names

Cortisone medications are a family of drugs. Particular generic drug names include prednisone, betamethasone, cortisone acetate, dexamethasone and hydrocortisone.

Cortisone Dosage and Administration

Cortisone is only readily available by prescription, so your veterinarian will need to figure out an ideal dose based upon the condition being treated, your dog’s size, his case history and the seriousness of the symptoms.

Oral forms of the medication are considered more secure than injectable kinds, but injections may be more effective for dealing with joint problems and arthritis.

Cortisone can cause a variety of crucial side effects (more on these below), so it is normally utilized for the briefest duration possible. Your vet will normally begin by administering reasonably high dosages of the medication to stop the unpleasant symptoms rapidly, and then she or he will taper the dose down till the minimum efficient dosage is figured out.

More about dosing read in this article.

Cortisone Side Effects in Dogs

Despite its effectiveness and value in dealing with numerous medical problems, cortisone can trigger a list of side effects. A few of the most typical side effects happen reasonably rapidly, while others just appear after long-term usage.

A few of the most common short-term side effects consist of:

– Poor resistance to bacterial, fungal, and viral infections
– Increased thirst and water intake
– Frequent urination
– Increased appetite and food usage
– Reduced energy level
– Weight gain
– Panting
– Nausea
– Vomiting

Caution
Never ever offer human cortisone medications to your dog. They will be far too strong for a dog and will get him sick.