Steroids and working

[Marsha Cassada]

I'm scheduled for driving classes weekend of Sept 30. Dusty just started a round of steroids for his skin condition. He'll be on the downside of the dose by next weekend. Never having done steroids on a horse before I'm wondering if the 3 hour trailer ride and stress of strange barn/horses will be a bad thing for an animal on steroids. It did not occur to me until I gave him the first dose last night and was marking the doses on the calendar.

I will call vet today also, but thought I'd also like to hear anyone's personal experiences.

I've tried everything else on him; the steroids were a last ditch thing. You can tell he can hardly bear to have his skin touched in some areas, let alone wear harness. Something drastic had to be tried.

 

[shelterwood]

I'm scheduled for driving classes weekend of Sept 30. Dusty just started a round of steroids for his skin condition. He'll be on the downside of the dose by next weekend. Never having done steroids on a horse before I'm wondering if the 3 hour trailer ride and stress of strange barn/horses will be a bad thing for an animal on steroids. It did not occur to me until I gave him the first dose last night and was marking the doses on the calendar.

I will call vet today also, but thought I'd also like to hear anyone's personal experiences.

I've tried everything else on him; the steroids were a last ditch thing. You can tell he can hardly bear to have his skin touched in some areas, let alone wear harness. Something drastic had to be tried.

Marsha,

I'm not sure we've chatted before, but I have a mare that I have been battling skin issues related to what we think is a bug allergy, sweet itch problem. I'd love to hear what Dusty's symptoms are, what you've tried, and furthermore how the steroids worked. My mare is affected spring through fall these last two years, and we have ruled out all but these allergies. Currently I'm using a combo of fly control products, oils, flax, spirulina, and good management techniques like fans, avoiding dawn and dusk etc, but really, her skin is just dry, flakey, itchy, and hair is coarse in places and nice in others. She also seems to resent the harness as it hits itchy points like her flanks and chest, and I hate to think she is suffering through a drive. I have tried Benadryl, but saw few results there. Vet does not recommend Trihist.

As a nurse, my experience with steroids is that they lower resistance. I would be careful about stress, but I would gauge it by his overall response to the drug initially. What did your vet put him on? My vet is hesitant with my mare as she is prone to being overweight and has a slightly cresty neck. I do know horses that have been treated with steroids for breathing issues and worked right through them, even with improvement in overall performance because symptoms are under control.

Katie

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

Steroids are not all the same and side effects tend to be dose dependent.

In general, animals tend to tolerate steroids quite well and I generally do not recommend altering a normal life style.

Dr Taylor