You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Corticosteroids (sometimes just called "steroids") are some of the most commonly prescribed drugs for veterinary patients...but what are they?

Natural corticosteroids are hormones produced by the adrenal glands, which are located near to the kidneys. There are two types of corticosteroid :

• Glucocorticoids - these affect the metabolism of the sugar glucose, but they also alter protein and calcium metabolism. In addition they have anti-inflammatory actions. They are the most commonly prescribed corticosteroids and they are used in the management of many diseases from allergies to colitis, eye diseases to cancer treatment and they are excellent in the treatment of shock and as hormone replacement therapy in adrenal disease. Popular drugs in this category include prednisolone, betamethasone, dexamethasone and triamcinolone.
• Mineralocorticoids - these affect water and electrolyte balance. These drugs are not used that frequently. An example is fludrocortisone acetate which is used as hormone replacement therapy in adrenal disease.

Corticosteroids play a very important role in the treatment of many diseases, but there are some problems associated with their use :

• There are many side-effects including muscle wastage, delayed wound healing, increased thirst and hair loss.
• Sometimes treatment with "steroids" can lead to the development of diabetes
• Sometimes treatment with "steroids" can lead to failure of the adrenal glands to produce hormones.
• They can cause abortion in pregnant animals.
• They can cause ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract - stomach or intestine.
• "Steroids" can reduce immunity and make animals more susceptible to infections.

For this reason, veterinarians will usually try to keep an animal with a chronic illness on low doses, or intermittent doses  (eg every other day instead of daily treatment) to minimise the chances of side-effects developing. Because giving corticosteroids reduces the production of natural corticosteroids by the adrenal glands animals should be weaned off the drugs slowly so that the adrenals can gradually increase their production.

Updated October 2013