Hydrocortisone
“This page provides important general information for pet owners whose animals have been prescribed Hydrocortisone during a consultation by Dr Noor in Perth.”
Hydrocortisone (hye-droe-kor-ti-zone)
Description:
This medicine is a type of steroid medicine.
Other Names for this Medication:
- Cortef®
- Solu-Cortef®
Common Dosage Forms:
- Animal-specific products: none.
- People’s products: tablets in 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg.
This handout does not include every detail that exists about this medicine. It is meant to help with common questions, but it does not replace advice from a veterinary professional. If you still have questions or need more details about this medicine, contact your veterinarian or your pharmacist.
Key Information for Hydrocortisone
- Give this medicine at mealtime or with a meal.
- The plan is to use the smallest dose that works, and to use it for as little time as possible.
- The side effects seen most often (especially when used for a long time) are:
- increased hunger
- increased drinking
- needing to urinate more
- In dogs, this medicine can sometimes cause sores in the stomach or intestines, a hole in the stomach or intestines, or bleeding. If your pet will not eat, or you notice a high fever, dark black stools that look like tar, or vomit with blood, contact your veterinarian right away.
- Do not end treatment suddenly unless your veterinarian tells you how to do it, because serious problems can happen.
How is this medication useful?
In animals, hydrocortisone may be used for Addison’s disease (when the body does not make enough natural stress hormone). It may also be used to reduce swelling and irritation, to strongly lower the body’s defense response, and as a medicine used in cancer care. The amount given is different depending on the reason it is being used.
This medicine is not officially approved for animals. In some cases, veterinarians may prescribe and use people’s products that contain this medicine for animals. You and your veterinarian can talk about why this option is the best choice.
What should I tell my veterinarian to see if this medication can be safely given?
Many different factors can change how well this medicine works for your pet. Talk with your veterinarian about the points below so you can decide together what is best.
- Other medicines can affect this medicine. Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about everything your pet takes, including vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. Also share how much you give and when you give each one.
- Tell your veterinarian about any health problems your pet has now, or has had before.
- If your pet has had the same illness or problem before, tell your veterinarian what was used last time and whether it helped or did not help.
- If your pet is pregnant or nursing, discuss the possible risks of using this medicine.
- Tell your veterinarian and pharmacist about any past medicine reactions or side effects your pet has had, including allergic reactions, not wanting to eat, loose stools, itching, or hair loss.
How long until I will know if this medication is working, and how long will the effects of this medication last?
You may notice your pet feels better within 1 to 2 hours after a dose. After that, the signs you are seeing should start to improve. This medicine has effects that last a medium amount of time, which means the effects may continue for a few days. The helpful effects may last longer if your pet’s kidneys and/or liver are not working as well.
When should this medication not be used or be used very carefully?
No medicine is completely safe for every pet. Your veterinarian will talk with you about any special concerns for your pet.
This drug SHOULD NOT be used in patients:
- That have an allergy to this medicine.
- That have a fungal infection (unless it is being used during an Addisonian crisis).
- That have sores in the stomach or intestines.
This drug should be used WITH CAUTION in patients:
- With untreated Cushing’s disease (when the body is making too much natural stress hormone).
- That are taking other medicines that can cause stomach sores, including aspirin or NSAIDs (for example: carprofen, flunixin, meloxicam).
- That have diabetes mellitus (also called sugar diabetes).
- That have heart disease.
- That are pregnant.
- That have a bacterial infection.
- That are young and still growing. If used for a long time, this medicine can slow growth.
If your pet fits any of the situations listed above, talk with your veterinarian about the possible risks compared with the possible benefits.
What are the side effects of this medication?
No medicine is completely safe for every pet. Your veterinarian will talk with you about any special concerns for your pet.
Side effects that usually are not serious include:
You do not need to be highly worried if you notice these, unless they are severe, get worse, or do not go away. If that happens, contact your veterinarian.
- Increased hunger, increased drinking, and needing to urinate more.
- Vomiting or loose stools.
- Small changes in behavior.
- Panting more than normal (in dogs).
Side effects that may be serious or indicate a serious problem:
- Sores in the stomach or intestines, a hole in the stomach or intestines, or bleeding. If your pet stops eating, or you notice a high fever, black tar-like stools, or vomit with blood (or vomit that looks like coffee grounds), contact your veterinarian immediately.
- After several weeks or longer of use: weight gain, a rounded belly, changes in skin or coat, hair loss, or weakness. These can mean the dose is too high. If you notice any of these, contact your veterinarian.
- Very increased drinking and urinating along with very increased hunger while still losing weight. These signs are often seen with this medicine, but they can also be a sign of diabetes.
- Major behavior changes (for example, acting aggressive or threatening). Contact your veterinarian immediately if this happens.
- Low energy can be a sign of infection. When hydrocortisone is used at high doses, it can lower the body’s ability to fight infection, so pets can get infections more easily. Low energy (lethargy) may be the only sign you notice, because usual warning signs (such as fever, or urinating often or with pain) can be hidden by this medicine. If you are worried your pet may have an infection, contact your veterinarian immediately.
If my animal gets too much of this medication (an overdose), what should I do?
If you see an overdose happen, or you think it may have happened, call your veterinarian right away for advice.
How should this medication be given?
- To get the best results, give this medicine exactly the way your veterinarian prescribed it. Use the prescription label to confirm you are giving it the right way.
- Giving this medicine with food can help lower the chance of vomiting after a dose and may also help lower the chance of stomach sores or bleeding.
- If it is given once per day, it is usually given in the morning for dogs and in the evening for cats, because this is closer to their natural hormone timing.
- Your veterinarian may set up a tapering plan (a schedule where the amount is slowly reduced). A higher amount is used at the start, and then the dose is decreased over time. If you are unsure about how much to give or how often to give it, ask your veterinarian or pharmacist.
- If a special liquid version is made for your pet, measure it carefully. Your veterinarian or pharmacist can provide special spoons or syringes to help measure the dose.
- If giving the medicine is difficult, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist for ways to make dosing easier and less stressful for you and your pet.
- This medicine may be used for different lengths of time. Make sure you understand how long your veterinarian wants you to keep giving it. You may need refills before the full treatment is finished. If you want to stop this medicine, talk with your veterinarian first, because there may be important reasons to continue.
- If your pet has been taking this medicine for a long time, do not stop it suddenly without speaking with your veterinarian. Stopping quickly can make your pet very sick.
What should I do if I miss giving a dose of this medication?
If you forget a dose, give it as soon as you remember. However, if it is close to the time for the next dose, do not give the missed dose. Instead, give the next dose at the normal time. Then continue the regular schedule. Do not give two doses at once and do not give extra doses.
How should I store this medication?
- Keep this medicine in the original prescription container, or in an approved dose organizer (such as a pill minder). Store it at room temperature and keep it away from light.
- If your veterinarian or pharmacist made a special version for your pet, follow the storage directions and the expiration date for that product.
- Store it where children and pets cannot reach it.
Can handling this medication be hazardous to me, my family, or other animals?
No special handling steps are needed unless you are allergic to this medicine. Wash your hands after you handle any medicine.
How should I dispose of this medication if I don’t use it all?
- Do not put this medicine into the toilet or pour it into a sink.
- If your area has a community medicine “take-back” program, use that.
- If there is no take-back option:
- combine the medicine with used coffee grounds or cat litter (so children and animals will not want it, and so it is not recognizable to someone searching trash).
- Put that mixture into a sealable plastic bag to prevent leaks, and throw the bag into your household trash.
- Do not keep extra medicine for later use, and do not give it to anyone else.
What other information is important for this medication?
- If your pet uses hydrocortisone for a long time, your veterinarian will need to do regular checkups and blood tests to adjust the dose correctly.
- If your pet has been receiving high doses of hydrocortisone or other medicines that strongly lower the body’s defenses, vaccines may not work well. Talk with your veterinarian about how to keep your pet protected while your pet is on this medicine.
- If you visit a different veterinarian than usual, tell them your pet is taking this medicine. Pets that need surgery, or pets under stress from injury or illness, may need extra medicines.
- This medicine may not be allowed in some animal competitions. Check the rules before entering your pet in a competition while your pet is receiving this medicine.
- If you have any other questions about this medicine, contact your veterinarian or pharmacist.
“Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided as general educational material only. Every animal’s health situation is unique, and treatment decisions must be based on a full veterinary assessment. Always follow the specific instructions given during your consultation, and contact the prescribing veterinarian if you have any concerns.”