Can Steroids Cause Depression In Dogs
Stephanie Dejoode
As a result, it's ideal for swelling and painful symptoms. Because ginger also has natural anti-inflammatory properties, it cannot suppress the immune system in dogs the way prednisone and prednisolone can.
Hypervigilance is a behavioural sign of fear, anxiety and certain other forms of stress. Hypervigilant dogs are more prone to focus their attention on potential threats [10,30,31]. The consequences of this should be considered when dogs are treated with corticosteroids. One survey of owners has reported that dogs being treated with prednisolone become more vigilant and prone to startle, and it has been suggested that the long-term demand of hypervigilance can have negative psychological effects [16].
High arousal and hypervigilance may also be associated with pain-related aggression in dogs, which might lead to corticosteroid prescription [32]. Without careful assessment of timelines, it can be difficult to distinguish the role of pain and possibly increased endogenous corticosteroids from the influence of treatment in the onset of aversive behavioural responses, and the possible cumulative effects of the two cannot be excluded.
It has been reported by owners that dogs receiving treatment with corticosteroids showed a tendency to react aggressively when petted or even just approached and that their dogs also appeared to be significantly more prone to avoiding people or situations [17]. It was also found that dogs exposed to corticosteroids after being referred for behavioural problems were significantly more likely to show behaviours motivated by negative affective states compared with dogs not exposed to these drugs [18].
The reported case studies in human medicine and studies conducted on laboratory animals provide compelling evidence to assume that similar side effects occur in dogs. In human psychiatry, it has been reported that corticosteroid treatments affect mood, memory, and cognition, and the incidence of adverse effects has been associated with corticosteroid dose, repeated treatments, and pre-existent psychiatric disturbances [68,69]. The impact of the psychiatric side effects of corticosteroids on human patients in the UK has been quantified by analysing longitudinal medical records over an 18-year period. The authors found patients exposed to exogenous corticosteroids were five to seven times more at risk of suicide, delirium, confusion, disorientation, mania, and panic disorders. They also found that high doses of corticosteroids and a prior history of neuropsychiatric disorders were associated with a higher risk of negative psychiatric outcomes [56].
The scarce reporting of the clinical behavioural side effects of corticosteroids in dogs is possibly related to a lack of awareness and the potential difficulty in identifying these side effects and behavioural changes, given that they could often be associated with the disease for which these drugs may have been prescribed. For example, corticosteroid medications are largely used in dermatology, and pruritus can increase irritability, however it was reported that the treatment, and not the pruritus, was associated with an increased reactivity to potentially fearful stimuli [70].
Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, corticosteroids are a valuable class of medications. They are commonly used to treat mild inflammatory conditions and/or to suppress the inflammation associated with an allergic response. When administered in high doses, they act as immunosuppressant drugs meaning they suppress or prevent an immune response.
Most forms of corticosteroids that are prescribed are synthetic, and include prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone, triamcinolone, and methylprednisolone. These synthetic forms of corticosteroids are many times more potent than the naturally occurring forms found in the body and typically last much longer. Because of their increased potency and duration of activity, if synthetic corticosteroids are used, the patient must be carefully monitored to minimize the risks of serious side effects.
An excessive level of corticosteroids may cause Cushing's disease. When a dog is on long-term, high doses of glucocorticoids, there is an increased risk that a condition called iatrogenic (medication induced) Cushing's disease will develop. The clinical signs of Cushing's disease include increased thirst and urination, an increase in UTI's and skin/ear infections, a pot-bellied appearance, thinning skin, and hair loss. In the treatment of some diseases, the risk of iatrogenic Cushing's disease is unavoidable. To minimize this risk, corticosteroid doses are tapered down over time, or several different drugs may be used in combination.
Corticosteroids can be life-saving medications and improve the quality of life for many dogs. By working closely with your veterinarian, you can safely administer these drugs and provide your dog with the high quality of care he needs and deserves. If you have any questions or concerns about your dog's medications, please contact your veterinarian.
Thank you so much for your article. Our 17 month old Springer doodle had vaccine induced srma. The first time it was classic and high dose prednisone saved his life. We did taper him off steroids but then it returned so we started him again. Then we tried the chart from this article and he was ok for a month then was extremely sore in one paw. The vet thought it was srma and started him in high dose steroids again but now his liver function tests are poor and they want to reduce him quickly down from 50 mg by 10
Mg per week to see if his liver recovers. He also had an open pus draining wound which we presumed was a puncture but maybe drug related? They think he has something else happening, although all his symptoms can be explained by the steroids except perhaps his ataxic walk and occasional standing without squaring up. We are afraid his srma will come back when take him off steroids especially so quickly. We talked about using cyclosporine but because his liver is not doing well they want to wean him off and see what else is left. They put him in on gabapentin as well. How do we find out more about other solutions? Diet? Holistic? Thank you so much for your help.
Recognizing and controlling pain in dogs and cats are important parts of companion animal medicine. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a mainstay of pain management, but these drugs can cause side effects, some of which can be serious. Veterinarians are in the best position to inform dog and cat owners about these side effects and should discuss the benefits as well as the risks of an NSAID with their client before prescribing it for a patient.
Just as in people, the degree of pain control in response to an NSAID varies between dogs. Because the response is individualized, no one NSAID is considered more effective than another, and because every NSAID can cause side effects, none is considered safer than others.
Health conditions related to inflammation in dogs can result in several unpleasant symptoms, including pain and severe itching. Luckily, there are a few medications that can help with inflammation, two of the most common being prednisolone or prednisone for dogs. But, what's the difference between these two steroids?
A while back, I shared results on a small study that looked at the potential behavioral side effects of steroids in dogs. A more recent study was completed by Notari, Burman, and Mills that took the next step into studying the effects of steroids on dogs. This study found that, similarly to people, steroids do have side effects that are not just physical (drinking more water, urinating more ...) but also behavioral.
With the information above, it is important to maintain perspective. Not all dogs will have side effects and steroids may be the best treatment option in certain cases. It is just nice to be informed of all side effects so we know what to watch for and can make informed choices about medical care for our pets.
This episode is Half COVID Cakes, Half Hotcakes, and 100% fresh. Our guest Dr. Utibe Essien MD, MPH @UREssien and Curbsider/epidemiologist, Dr. Rahul Ganatra MD, MPH @rbganatra discuss some Hot COVID Cakes including: racial differences in COVID-19 outcomes, why dogs and dexamethasone may hold the key to defeating COVID-19, how hormonal adjunctive therapies might be key for depression, and when to poo-poo probiotics versus when a side of Lactobacillus may be beneficial.
The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030 depression will be one of the three leading causes of burden of disease (WHO 2006). Depression is particularly difficult to treat; only two thirds of patients achieved remission after four sequential treatments in the STAR*D Trial. A recent review of numerous small studies suggests that adjunctive hormonal therapies show promise as novel effective treatments for depression (Dwyer et al 2020).
Many corticoids are administered as esters. Esterification of the alcohol at C-21 determines the extent of water/lipid solubility and controls the in vivo disposition of the compound. Esterification with a monoacid, such as acetic acid, yields water-insoluble drugs (eg, methylprednisolone acetate) that can be used as long-acting formulations when administered by the intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intra-articular route. Other water-insoluble esters are diacetate, terbutate, and pivalate. By contrast, esterification of the same corticoid by a diacid such as succinic acid can yield a hydrosoluble ester because the second acid function (as for methylprednisolone sodium succinate) allows a salt to be formed. Phosphate esters are also hydrosoluble. Solutions of free steroids or of hydrosoluble esters can be administered by the intravenous or intramuscular route and are often used to treat life-threatening conditions such as heaves or hypersensitivity reaction. Esters may also be administered orally, but hydrolysis occurs in the lumen of the digestive tract (pancreatic esterase) and the free active moiety is absorbed; thus, a formulation may be long-acting when administered parenterally but short-acting when administered orally (eg, prednisolone acetate).
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