Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dexamethasone is safe and works for dog jaw muscle inflammation
By Foreman, Max & Cherubini, Giunio Bruto·Published in Topics in companion animal medicine·2021·Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Dexamethasone Can Be Safely and Effectively Used for Treatment of Masticatory Muscle Myositis in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with masticatory muscle myositis, an immune-related condition affecting their jaw muscles, were treated with dexamethasone. Within two weeks, 93% of the dogs showed improvement, and by ten weeks, all dogs had responded positively to the treatment. While 35% experienced mild side effects, these were manageable and resolved when the dose of dexamethasone was gradually reduced. Overall, dexamethasone proved to be a safe and effective option for treating this condition in dogs.
People also search for: dog jaw muscle inflammation treatment · dexamethasone for dogs side effects · masticatory muscle myositis in dogs
Abstract
Dexamethasone is the glucocorticoid of choice in many human inflammatory and immune-mediated conditions, given its reported effectiveness and limited side effect profile. In veterinary medicine, the glucocorticoid of choice is prednisone, however the safety of longer-term use of dexamethasone has not previously been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety, effectiveness and side effects of dexamethasone use as the glucocorticoid treatment for masticatory muscle myositis in dogs - an immune-mediated inflammatory condition. 93% of dogs showed a clinical improvement within two weeks of treatment, and 100% by ten weeks. 35% of dogs showed adverse reactions, however these were all mild and resolved with tapering of the dexamethasone dose. In conclusion, dexamethasone can be safely and effectively used for the treatment of masticatory muscle myositis in dogs, and should be considered for use in these cases, either alone or alongside additional immunosuppressive medications. Side effects are mild and resolve with tapering of the dexamethasone dose.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33933701/