Treating a pet for allergies

By Dr. John Koch

Question: My dog has a terrible time with allergies. The only thing that seems to help very much is cortisone. Sometimes we go in to the vet's office for cortisone shots and sometimes we just give the medication in a pill form. I know that giving too much cortisone can be a bad thing. How concerned do I need to be about overdosing him with this medication?

Answer: The easiest, cheapest, and often the most effective treatment for allergies is cortisone. Unfortunately, this medication does have some undesirable side effects. Excessive drinking, excessive urinating, increased appetite and weight gain are common. For seasonal allergies, short term and judicious use of cortisone is still generally acceptable.

Year-round daily use of cortisone can cause serious, potentially life-shortening problems and is discouraged. The answer to when is a pet getting too much is difficult because it depends upon a number of factors. One factor is the philosophy of you, the pet owner and your veterinarian. Some prefer to only give cortisone in rare circumstances. Others will use it more often thinking that perhaps it is better for the pet to potentially live a shorter, more comfortable life than to live a long, miserable one. Another factor is the pet. Some pets tolerate cortisone rather well while others do not.

The decision of when and how to use cortisone should be carefully discussed with your veterinarian. Cortisone can be a useful tool in treating your pet's allergies. As a medication it should be respected, but not feared. When used, it should be administered at the lowest effective dose. In addition, your veterinarian should observe your pet for problems associated with cortisone usage.

There are alternative medications and techniques for treating allergies. One of the most accepted methods involves allergy tests followed by a desensitizing vaccine. Antihistamines, food additives, low antigen diets, medicated shampoos and other topical medications are all helpful .

Sadly, pet allergies are rarely curable. Often veterinarians can only hope that trial and error will reveal what makes the pet more comfortable.

Dr. Koch is a Cape Girardeau veterinarian.