Can Dexamethasone Cause Ulcers In Horses?

Corticosteroids such as dexamethasone can cause or worsen gastric ulcers. In some instances your veterinarian may chose to prescribe drugs such as omeprazole to protect your horse’s digestive tract while it is on dexamethasone.

Can steroids cause ulcers in horses?

Corticosteroids. Stomach ulcers may occur following corticosteroid therapy. Horses may show a reduced appetite, discomfort when eating, failure to thrive, diarrhoea and rarely, sudden death due to perforation of the stomach wall. Ulcers may also occur in the mouth, oesophagus and caecum.

What are the side effects of dexamethasone in animals?

Other side effects that occur, usually with higher doses, include dull/dry haircoat, weight gain, pot-bellied appearance, muscle weakness, panting, vomiting, diarrhea, or elevated fat or liver enzymes on bloodwork analysis.

What are the most common side effects of dexamethasone?

The most common side effects are sleep problems, mood changes, indigestion and weight gain. Taking dexamethasone tablets or liquid can mean you’re more likely to get infections.

Is dexamethasone hard on the stomach?

Dexamethasone makes your stomach and intestines more susceptible to the irritating effects of alcohol, aspirin, and certain arthritis medications: this effect increases your risk of ulcers.

What are the side effects of dexamethasone in horses?

Increased urination (polyuria), increased water consumption (polydypsia) and muscle wasting can be seen with prolonged dexamethasone use.

Why does my horse keep getting ulcers?

Ulcers are caused by a variety of factors including: diet and feeding management – feeding high levels of concentrates, feed deprivation and types of feeds (timothy vs alfalfa, alfalfa is known to have acid buffering abilities) – stress of training or disease, mechanics of training (splashing of acid in stomach while

How long does dexamethasone stay in a horses system?

Dexamethasone was not detectable in urine at 72 h in five horses but was detectable at a low concentration (0.1 ng/mL) at 96 h in one horse.

Can dexamethasone cause permanent damage?

Tell your doctor about any past illnesses or infections. Eye problems: Using dexamethasone for long periods can lead to eye problems such as cataracts or glaucoma. The drug may also cause damage to the optic nerves, or fungal or viral eye infections.

What are the disadvantages of dexamethasone?

Downsides
Indigestion, facial hair growth (especially in women), high blood pressure, slow skin healing and skin thinning, osteoporosis (brittle bones), low potassium levels, and problems with blood glucose control may also occur. Rarely, severe allergic reactions have been reported.

Do side effects of dexamethasone go away?

How long do dexamethasone side effects last? With a half-life of four hours (the amount of time it takes the body to eliminate half a dose), a 20 mg dose is eliminated from the body in about 24 hours. Many of the temporary side effects of dexamethasone, such as mood changes or anxiety, will wear off by that time.

Is dexamethasone a high risk medication?

Using this medicine may increase your risk of cancer, including Kaposi’s sarcoma. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about this risk.

Is dexamethasone the strongest steroid?

Is dexamethasone a strong steroid? Yes, dexamethasone is considered a strong corticosteroid. It is a long-acting corticosteroid that is about 25 times more potent (stronger) than hydrocortisone and 6 times more potent than prednisone.

Does dexamethasone increase stomach acid?

Dexamethasone-induced development of gastric ulceration by many mechanisms viz, dexamethasone increases lipid peroxidation and increases the generation of free radicals, stimulates both basal and drug induced gastric acid secretion and inhibits arachidonic acid metabolism[2,4,5].

Can dexamethasone cause gastritis?

Glucocorticoids, including dexamethasone, may cause GI effects, including peptic ulcer (with possible perforation and hemorrhage), dyspepsia, gastritis, abdominal distention, and ulcerative esophagitis (Ref).

How long does it take to wean off dexamethasone?

After completion of radiation therapy, the dexamethasone is usually tapered and discontinued over 2–4 weeks. The usual starting dose is 16 mg daily. Dexamethasone should gradually be tapered to the lowest dose that controls the patient’s symptoms; dexamethasone should not be discontinued abruptly.

What happens if you give a horse too much dexamethasone?

Doses greater than those recommended in horses may produce a transient drowsiness or lethargy in some horses. The lethargy usually abates in 24 hours. Use of corticosteroids, depending on dose, duration, and specific steroid, may result in inhibition of endogenous steroid production following drug withdrawal.

How much dexamethasone can you give a horse?

Dexamethasone Dosages for Horses
Anti-inflammatory; glucocorticoid agent (Labeled dosage): Dexamethasone 2.5 – 5 mg (total dose) IV or IM; dexamethasone sodium phosphate: 2.5 – 5 mg (total dose) IV.

Does dexamethasone relieve pain for horses?

The use of dexamethasone will relieve pain in your horses and make them calmer to ride but with all of the other potential ill effects, it hardly seems worth the risk.

What is the best ulcer preventative for horses?

Alfalfa-hay is a good choice for reducing ulcer risk in horses that require an energy-dense diet. It has a buffering effect in the stomach due to its higher protein and calcium content. Horses fed alfalfa-hay had a healthy stomach pH and lower number and severity of gastric ulcers compared to bromegrass hay.

Can horses fully recover from ulcers?

The prognosis for affected horses is generally good. Gastric ulcers can be treated and prevented relatively easily. Most heal within four weeks of treatment.