Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Adrenocortical suppression in dogs with ear infections after four
By Reeder, C J et al.·Published in Veterinary therapeutics : research in applied veterinary medicine·2008·Animal Dermitology Clinic, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparative adrenocortical suppression in dogs with otitis externa following topical otic administration of four different glucocorticoid-containing medications.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with ear infections (otitis externa) were treated with four different ear medications that contained steroids to see if any caused problems with hormone levels. The study found that dexamethasone might cause more hormone suppression compared to the others, but the difference wasn't strong enough to be certain. This means that while dexamethasone could potentially affect hormone levels more than the other options, all the medications are generally considered safe for treating ear infections. Pet owners should discuss the best treatment option with their veterinarian.
People also search for: dog ear infection treatment · dexamethasone side effects in dogs · safe ear drops for dogs
Abstract
The safety of using otic formulations is often of concern for practitioners and pet owners alike, with "safe" in this context meaning no adrenocortical suppression. This study evaluated the effect of four glucocorticoid-containing otic formulations on plasma cortisol concentrations, measured by corticotropin stimulation testing (plasma cortisol concentrations before and after corticotropin injection), in dogs presented with otitis externa. Dexamethasone tended to have larger adrenocortical suppression compared with the other three formulations (betamethasone, triamcinolone, and mometasone), but the difference was not statistically significant. The largest difference among the four drugs was observed between dexamethasone and betamethasone (P=.09).
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18597249/