Dexacortone

1 x 10 pc

Chewable tablet

Active substance

Dexamethasone : 2 mg

ATC code

QH02AB02 Dexamethasone (Corticosteroids - moderately potent (group II))

QH02AB Glucocorticoids

QH02A Corticosteroids for systemic use, plain

QH02 Corticosteroids for systemic use

QH Systemic hormonal preparations, excl. sex hormones and insulins

Species

Dogs and cats.

Indications

For the symptomatic treatment or as adjunct treatment of inflammatory and allergic conditions in dogs and cats.

Dose to be administered and administration route

Oral use.

Dose: 0.05-0.2 mg/kg/day. The dose and duration of treatment should be determined by the veterinarian based upon the desired effect (anti-inflammatory or anti-allergic) and on the nature and severity of each individual case. The lowest effective dose for the shortest possible period should be used. When the desired effect has been achieved, the dose should gradually be reduced until the lowest effective dose is reached.

Dogs should be treated in the morning and cats in the evening on account of differences in cortisol circadian rhythms.

Tablets can be divided into 2 or 4 equal parts to ensure accurate dosing. Place the tablet on a flat surface, with its scored side facing up and the convex (rounded) side facing the surface.

2 equal parts: press down with your thumbs on both sides of the tablet.

4 equal parts: press down with your thumb in the middle of the tablet.

Adverse reactions

Dogs and cats:

Very common

(>1 animal / 10 animals treated):

Cortisol suppression^¹, elevated triglyceride^²

Rare

(1 to 10 animals / 10,000 animals treated):

Elevated liver enzymes

Undetermined frequency (cannot be estimated from the available data):

Polyphagia^³, polydipsia³

Polyuria³

Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushings disease)^4,5,

Diabetes mellitus³

Excitation

Gastrointestinal ulceration⁶, pancreatitis

Enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) Changes in blood biochemical and haematological parameters (e.g. elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP), decreased lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), hyperalbuminaemia, eosinopenia, lymphopenia, neutrophilia⁷, decreased aspartate aminotransferase).

Hypothyroidism, elevated parathyroid (PTH) concentration

Inhibition of longitudinal growth of bones

Cutaneous calcinosis, skin thinning Delayed healing, immunosuppression⁸, weakened resistance to or exacerbation of existing infections⁸

Sodium and water retention⁹, hypokalaemia⁹

¹as a result of effective doses suppressing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

² as part of possible iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism (Cushings disease).

³ after systemic administration and particularly during early stages of therapy.

⁴ iatrogenic.

⁵ involving significant alteration of fat, carbohydrate, protein and mineral metabolism, e.g. redistribution of body fat, increase in body weight, muscle weakness and wastage and osteoporosis may result.

⁶ may be exacerbated by steroids in animals given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and in animals with spinal cord trauma.

⁷ increase of segmented neutrophils.

⁸ in the presence of viral infections, corticosteroids may worsen or hasten the progress of the disease.

⁹ in long-term use.

Anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone, are known to exert a wide range of side effects. Whilst single high doses are generally well tolerated, they may induce severe side-effects in long-term use. Long-term use should therefore be avoided. Should long-term use be indicated, a corticosteroid with a shorter duration of action e.g. prednisolone is more appropriate (see section 4.5).

Following cessation of treatment, signs of adrenal insufficiency extending to adrenocortical atrophy can arise and this may render the animal unable to deal adequately with stressful situations. Consideration should therefore be given to means of minimising problems of adrenal insufficiency following the withdrawal of treatment.