Triamcinolone acetonide, better known by the brand name pharmaceuticals Panalog and Vetalog, is one of the most potent steroid drugs that is available for veterinary use. This medicine is incredibly powerful and able to reduce your pet's inflammation in a wide variety of different conditions and parts of his body. Accordingly, it must be handled carefully and used with the direct supervision of a vet to ensure that there aren't any complications.
Triamcinolon Acetonide Overview
Panalog and Vetalog are examples of a synthetic glucocorticoid. This synthetic type of steroid will act to reduce inflammation in parts of your pet's body. Because inflammation is a natural reaction to various types of injury and disease, this medicine is a good way to help handle the symptoms of many different conditions. Unfortunately, it will not also help to treat the underlying cause of most of these conditions.
Panalog and Vetalog are commonly used as long term treatments for arthritis inflammation and pain. They can also be used to counter inflammation in the ears, the eyes, on the skin as part of granuloma or other types of related issues, and more. For more information about the specific conditions that these medicines are designed to treat, speak with your vet. This medicine is formulated for both humans and animals, and you'll need to obtain a special vet prescription in order to purchase the medicine.
Using Triamcinolon Acetonide For Your Pet
Because of the wide range of uses of this medicine, it is available in a number of different forms. The most common is an injectable solution that is used for arthritis inflammation and joint pain. Panalog is a topical ointment that can be used for skin conditions, and there's also a tablet form of the drug and an oral suspension as well.
Because of the potent nature of triamcinolon acetonide, and because of the potential for damage to your pet's body through misuse of the drug, it's crucial that you follow your vet's advice for dosing and providing the medicine to your dog as closely as possible. The exact dose is dependent not only on the nature of the condition that you're aiming to address, but also on your dog's weight and size.
Risks and Side Effects of Triamcinolon Acetonide
The most common side effects of this drug include:
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Aggression and other abnormal behavior
- Loss of appetite
- Increase in thirst
- Excessive panting
One of the major concerns about this medicine is that it is medium-acting. This means that the effects are spread out over several hours and may last up to a few days, and it also means that any side effects may persist for a longer period than they would with other types of medicines. As with other steroids, there are increased dangers associated with long term use of this medicine, so it's crucial that you have your pet examined regularly by a vet if you plan to keep your dog on triamcinolone acetonide for an extended period of time.