Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Adrenal function in small dogs using ear steroid drops
By Ghubash, R et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2004·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of adrenal function in small-breed dogs receiving otic glucocorticoids.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 14 small-breed dogs received ear drops containing dexamethasone or betamethasone for two weeks, even though they didn't have any ear infections. After treatment, most dogs given betamethasone had normal adrenal function, while some dogs given dexamethasone showed signs of adrenal suppression. About 42% of those affected returned to normal within a week after stopping the medication, while the others took two weeks. This suggests that dexamethasone can temporarily affect adrenal function in dogs, and further studies are needed to understand the implications for dogs with ear infections.
People also search for: dog ear drops side effects · dexamethasone effects on dogs · small breed dog adrenal function
Abstract
The objectives of this study were to evaluate adrenal function after otic glucocorticoid [Tresaderm (dexamethasone) and Otomax (betamethasone)] therapy in small-breed dogs without evidence of otitis and to evaluate the length of time needed for resolution of adrenal suppression after discontinuation of treatment. Fourteen clinically healthy, privately owned, small-breed dogs with normal ears and normal adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation tests were assigned to one of two treatment groups, receiving one of the medications at the manufacturer's recommended dosage twice daily for 2 weeks. All of the dogs in the betamethasone treatment group had normal ACTH stimulation tests after 2 weeks of treatment. In contrast, 5/7 (71.43%) in the dexamethasone group, had suppressed adrenocortical responses to exogenous ACTH. Three of these five dogs (42%) returned to normal values 1 week after ceasing the medication and two (28.57%) returned to normal values 2 weeks after ceasing the medication. In conclusion, it appears that adrenal function can be suppressed for up to 2 weeks in dogs receiving otic dexamethasone. A follow-up study repeating this work in dogs with inflamed ears is needed before further clinical recommendations can be made.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15585011/