Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cats with steroid side effects causing skin and health problems
By Lien, Yu-Hsin et al.Ā·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital AssociationĀ·2006Ā·Department of Veterinary MedicineĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism in 12 cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Twelve cats developed serious skin problems and other health issues after being treated long-term with corticosteroids, a type of medication. Symptoms included loss of appetite, tiredness, excessive thirst and urination, and muscle wasting. Blood tests showed signs of infection, liver issues, and high blood sugar, with some cats also experiencing temporary diabetes and thyroid problems. After stopping the corticosteroids, most cats started to improve, with symptoms regressing in about five months.
People also search for: cat skin problems after steroids Ā· cat excessive thirst and urination Ā· corticosteroid side effects in cats
Abstract
Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism is an extremely rare condition in cats. Twelve cats with a medical history of progressive skin lesions and long-term treatment with corticosteroids were retrospectively studied. Noncutaneous signs in the cats were variable and included anorexia, lethargy, polydipsia, polyuria, and atrophy of the thigh muscles. Laboratory abnormalities included leukocytosis, elevated alanine aminotransferase levels, and hyperglycemia. Transient diabetes mellitus was a secondary complication in four cats, and transient hypothyroidism was suspected in four cats. The mean time for regression of signs was 4.9 months after corticosteroid withdrawal.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17088387/