Can You Get Cortisone Tablets Over The Counter

[Luke GSP]

I go to the vets with Monte probably once a month with a new sore patch somewhere or other and every time they give me Antihistamines and cortisone. It costs me about $90-110 every time to get $20 worth of medication. I have asked them if I could buy them in bulk to save the constant visits and consultation fees but they will not do it. I have been told that you can use telfast as an antihistamine at a dose of 2MG per KG of dog but I am not aware of an over the counter non prescription cortisone option. Does anyone here know of one?

Edited April 5, 2008 by luke dixon

[fifi]

PM'ing you now.

fifi

[sas]

Hey Fifi can you PM me too? LOL

[Sheridan]

What has the vet suggested as the underlying problem?

[persephone]

Hi..Wouldn't it be perhaps more cost-effective to get some allergy testing done?

Once the actual allergen is found, then maybe there would be a solution available instead of the dog being on medication forever ?

[Luke GSP]

What has the vet suggested as the underlying problem?

We have had tests done and it is some sort of contact allergy. They can't pin it down to an exact. He almost scratched a nipple of and was bleeding from his mouth and armpit through scratching last night. So out of desperation I read up on telfast as an antihistamine as I knew the vet gives him antihistamines when he has an outbreak. The only thing I had was Telfast which is an antihistamine but also has another ingredient that reduces/constricts blood vessels or something, but I had no choice as it was even starting to sound like he was having problems breathing. HAppy to say that once the Telfast kicked in he stopped breathing funny and shaking and stopped using himself as a chew toy. Honestly I thought only teenagers with funny haircuts listening to EMO music were supposed to be in to self mutilation! The problem is that when he is severe like last night the antihistamine makes him comfortable but doesn't seem to get him on top of it without cortisone. Out of frustration today I went to see another vet, what a breath of fresh air. $56 for the consult including some antihistamine/cortisone tablets plus was happy to write a script for prednisole (spelling from Memory) for long term use to try and manage the skin rather than wait for another serious outbreak. They also said that should the human prednisole not be enough on its own to manage the condition, they have put a note on the system, so if I call them and ask for it they will write me a script for a tablet containing cortisone as well so that we can alternate. They also said that to get another script all I need do is call. which will not incur another consult fee. What a differance. Don,t get me wrong I do not mind paying $100 that we can ill afford, for medical care for my dog if it is all for care but I do have a problem paying $90 every month for a vet to say "oh yes it has flared up again hasn't it, here have some more of the same tablets that will sort it out in the short term and I will see you in another month to do the same again,ker ching that's another $90 thanks"

Hopefully we will now be able to put a long term management program in to place so that we will not have to wait until it is this bad in the future for the vet to give himsomething for the short term.

[Luke GSP]

Hi..Wouldn't it be perhaps more cost-effective to get some allergy testing done?

Once the actual allergen is found, then maybe there would be a solution available instead of the dog being on medication forever ?

already had tests done and they were inconclusive. All they could say is that it appeared to be contact driven ie grass pollen etc. we did have wandering jew but I have sorted that out. I have also been looking for a canine/plant expert to look at our garden to see if there is anything else that may be an obvious one. But have not found one yet.

[Nekhbet]

There is a new product just on the market from Virbac called Cortavance. Its a corticosteroid in a spray form for contact allergies and wont cause weight gain etc like the tablet forms.

Will last you longer and do a better job

[sas]

Hi..Wouldn't it be perhaps more cost-effective to get some allergy testing done?

Once the actual allergen is found, then maybe there would be a solution available instead of the dog being on medication forever ?

I think you're making assumptions.

[persephone]

I think you're making assumptions.

Ok

[Danois]

Hi

I have a dog who is on mid-long term cortisone use. IMO I would not be continuing to medicate once the original dispensed amount ran out - I would be seeking a new consult and treatment plan.

Cortisone can have significant side effects with longer term use such as muscle wastage, weight gain, blood clots, coat condition, internal organs effected etc - you want your dog on cortisone for the least time possible and at the lowest dose possible to manage the condition. Cortisone can also mask other issues such as infections as it keeps the dog's temperature down.

Long term use in the absence of a diagnosis would seem indicates that the underlying cause is not being treated - only the symptoms.

[Sheridan]

Hi..Wouldn't it be perhaps more cost-effective to get some allergy testing done?

Once the actual allergen is found, then maybe there would be a solution available instead of the dog being on medication forever ?

already had tests done and they were inconclusive. All they could say is that it appeared to be contact driven ie grass pollen etc. we did have wandering jew but I have sorted that out. I have also been looking for a canine/plant expert to look at our garden to see if there is anything else that may be an obvious one. But have not found one yet.

Luke, I had a previous dog who was allergic to quite a few things but oddly, one was wattle. This was a contact allergy. My dad said he wasn't going to cut the tree down but within a week it was gone (it suddenly became 'sick', my dad said :D ). It's a good idea to just have a look at what's in your garden and slowly eliminate each.

In terms of cortisone use, it's not good to use long-term as it depresses the immune system. I had another dog on cortisone long-term due to an autoimmune disease and it caused him all sorts of problems. It's more of a quick fix solution and doesn't do anything for the underlying problem. In my dog's case, nothing could be done about his autoimmune disease; it just masked the symptoms and helped him move around.

[stormie]

Hi

I have a dog who is on mid-long term cortisone use. IMO I would not be continuing to medicate once the original dispensed amount ran out - I would be seeking a new consult and treatment plan.

Cortisone can have significant side effects with longer term use such as muscle wastage, weight gain, blood clots, coat condition, internal organs effected etc - you want your dog on cortisone for the least time possible and at the lowest dose possible to manage the condition. Cortisone can also mask other issues such as infections as it keeps the dog's temperature down.

Long term use in the absence of a diagnosis would seem indicates that the underlying cause is not being treated - only the symptoms.

These side affects are usually only seen with the higher immuno suppressive doses of cortisone. The dose used for anti inflammatory effects is about 1/4 - 1/5 of the dose used to treat auto immune diseases, and is much safer with less side affects, so long as the dog recieves a 'day off' every day or two in order to keep the adrenal glands on their toes. :rolleyes:

Unfortunately, even with the diagnostic tests available, its not always possible to cure atopy. It's not as simple as pulling out the offending plant, as the pollens are brought in through the air and can travel vast distances. Dogs with allergies to multiple things are also harder to treat with desensitizing injections (and also more expensive).

Luke - I find (and it has also been noted by vets and specialists) that giving antihistamines at the same time as the cortisone lets you get away with giving less cortisone but with the same results. Also, adding an Omega 3 supplement will also help the efficacy of the antihistamine. There is a drug available which is a combination of an antihistamine and cortisone which I find works well and I don't have to give as much to get good results.

So basically it's a matter of weighing it all up. I, for instance, will keep Orbit on cortisone every second day etc, as it gives him quality of life now. I would much rather him be happy and not bleeding and sore now. We just do what we can with treatment, but I am very aware this may be a life long issue. If he develops side affects later in life, then we'll deal with them then when they come up. But now, it's about making him happy. Atopy is a really awful condition for pet owners to face and until you've been there with an animal, it really is hard to comment on. I have had MANY sleepless nights - and I mean totally sleepless, because of his constant itching prior to treatment. I have sat up with him all night putting cool packs on his skin trying to reduce the itch.