Trigoderm 5 mg/g + 1 mg/g Gel for Dogs

Anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, such as betamethasone valerate, 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 and when esters possessing a long duration of
action are administered. Dosage in medium to long term use should therefore generally be
kept to the minimum necessary to control symptoms.
Steroids themselves, during treatment, may cause Cushingoid symptoms involving
significant alteration of fat, carbohydrate, protein and mineral metabolism e.g.
redistribution of body fat, muscle weakness and wastage and osteoporosis may result.
During therapy effective doses suppress the Hypothalamo-pituitreal-adrenal axis.
Following cessation of treatment, symptoms of adrenal insufficiency can arise and this
may render the animal unable to deal adequately with stressful situations.
Locally applied steroids may cause thinning of the skin.
Corticosteroids may delay wound healing and the immunosupressant actions may weaken
resistance to or exacerbate existing infections. In the presence of viral infections, steroids
may worsen or hasten the progress of the disease.
Gastrointestinal ulceration has been reported in animals treated with corticosteroids and
gastrointestinal ulceration may be exacerbated by steroids in patients given non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs and in animals with spinal cord trauma. Steroids may cause
enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly) with increased serum hepatic enzymes.

Revised: December 2014
AN: 01203/2014