Triamcinolone is an anti-inflammatory medication used to manage pain and inflammation in dogs. It’s a prescription medication that’s available in the form of tablets, injections, topical ointments and oral syrups, and is used for conditions such as arthritis, ear and eye infections and skin allergies.
Triamcinolone Facts
Triamcinolone is a corticosteroid belonging to the category of synthetic glucocorticoid drugs. It’s used as an anti-inflammatory drug and has veterinary formulations such as Vetalog and Panalog. It reduces swelling and decreases your pet’s ability to fight infections. It’s generally prescribed by the vet to control the immune system’s response to trauma or infection and reduce severe or chronic inflammation. This medication is generally effective for a period of several days to several weeks.
Benefits of Triamcinolone:
- Treats several skin conditions and the itchiness, redness, inflammation and scaling caused by them
- Treats endocrine disorders
- Treats conditions such as acute arthritis
- Cures inflammatory ear infections that cause hearing loss
- Cures inflammatory eye diseases
- Treats immune disorders
- Reduces inflammation in allergic reactions
Dosage of Triamcinolone
The daily dosage for dogs is 0.5 to 1 mg of Triamcinolone per 10 pounds of body weight. This drug should only be given according to the veterinarian’s instructions. It should always be administered with food in order to prevent stomach upsets. Triamcinolone should be stored at room temperature and away from heat and moisture. It should also be stored out of the reach of pets and children.
Precautions of Using Triamcinolone
Triamcinolone should never be discontinued unless otherwise directed by the vet. There should be a gradual reduction of the dosage before discontinuing the drug completely. Triamcinolone is contraindicated in dogs that are sensitive to steroids or pets that are suffering from bacterial, viral or fungal infections. Veterinarians generally advise against the use of this drug just before a surgical procedure as it can delay the healing of surgical wounds.
Dogs taking this drug shouldn’t be vaccinated as the drug will render the vaccine ineffective. Triamcinolone is contraindicated in nursing dogs and in animals suffering from:
- diabetes mellitus
- heart ailments
- Cushing’s syndrome
- gastric ulcers
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- corneal ulcers
- glaucoma
Making up for a Missed Dose
If you have missed a dose and you give one dose every day, you should administer the medication as soon as you remember. If you give 2 daily doses, you should give the missed dose as soon as you remember or give both doses at the time of the next dosage.
Symptoms of Overdose
An overdose of Triamcinolone can happen due to large doses being administered over a prolonged period of time.
Symptoms of overdose include:
- increased thirst
- increased hunger
- increased urination
- weight gain
- Cushing’s syndrome
- vomiting
- mood swings
- difficulty in breathing
- weakness
- hair loss and
- diarrhea
Since other medications can interact with Triamcinolone, you should only give other drugs or over the counter medications after discussing it with the vet. If your pet has any adverse side effects to this medication, conduct a vet check at the earliest.