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Anyone know what is the side effect of steroid injections?

Furry

Young Bun
As title - what is the side effect injecting steriods on a long term basis for a rabbit?

i am just curious.

I had to pts my 9yr old bunny. he had pneumonia. He had antibiotic injections for the last 3 weeks and 2 steroid injections over the 3 weeks.

He didn't had one last week, only on antibiotic injections and his condition deteriorated quickly. He started breathing through his mouth and loss appetite.

The vet said its not ideal to keep giving steroids and best to pts. Was too upset to ask anything at the time.

Now thinking back my poor little boy may be able to be saved if given another dose of steroid?

What do people think?
 
As far as I know steroids depress the immune system, so they aren't good to use long term. I can't say whether continuing with the steroid would have helped your bunny though.
I'm really sorry to hear about your bunny :(
 
In many cases, for most animals, long term steroid use is a last ditch option. It tends to reduce the immune system. It is often used in untreatable cancer by vets, so if your bun was so poorly the steroid was just probably giving him time rather than curing (palliative care). Steriods do tend to stimulate appetite so is often used for this.
Sorry for your loss but it sounds like your vets did their best.
 
In many cases, for most animals, long term steroid use is a last ditch option. It tends to reduce the immune system. It is often used in untreatable cancer by vets, so if your bun was so poorly the steroid was just probably giving him time rather than curing (palliative care). Steriods do tend to stimulate appetite so is often used for this.
Sorry for your loss but it sounds like your vets did their best.

Thanks, no one is sure what he got really, as the vet didnt think he's fit enough to do any test. but was suspected pneumonia because he was coughing and sneezing but we talked about it could be cancer.

I know it will only buy more time... it's just so painful to loose him so quickly.. just completely not prepared for it yet..
:cry::cry::cry:
 
We had bun on steroids for about 6 months, but that was using an inhaler ( inhaled steriods are less 'dangerous' than injected ones). He had serious respiratory problem, but again they only bought him time they did not cure him.
 
Rabbits are very sensitive to the side effects of steroids. These include suppression of the immune system, ulceration of the GI tract and damage to the liver. Steroids are generally only used as palliative care in a terminally ill Rabbit. I have had Rabbits on longterm steroids for up to 11 months as part of a palliative care regime.

The steroid wont 'cure' the illness, just ease symptoms and buy the Rabbit more time.
 
Rabbits are very sensitive to the side effects of steroids. These include suppression of the immune system, ulceration of the GI tract and damage to the liver. Steroids are generally only used as palliative care in a terminally ill Rabbit. I have had Rabbits on longterm steroids for up to 11 months as part of a palliative care regime.

The steroid wont 'cure' the illness, just ease symptoms and buy the Rabbit more time.

i agree, they gave rosie 8motnhs more with me and made her more comfortable for those 8months before she deteriated and i let her go :cry:
 
I have observed no side effects of steroid use in rabbits. They seem to be very well tolerated although the books say they are not. This may be because they were tested in lab rabbits who did not actually need them.

I nearly always have a few rabbits on steroid tablets. They are a great help for rabbits with head tilt, and for elderly rabbits that have started to fade after other treatment options have stopped providing enough help for them. I currently have two on them for head tilt, one for inoperable tumours and two very elderly very snotty rabbits to help with keeping their weight up. And also two guinea pigs for their lack of condition and extreme weigh loss. To counter the immune supressing problem it is important to use antibiotics at the same time in most cases.

They do only buy time, but it can be quite a long time. Cirrus, at 11, seems determined to live forever despite all his troubles! He has been threatening to drop dead for the last two and a half years. Methinks he likes all the extra veg this brings him!! He has been on steroids (2mg of prednicare daily) for the past six months. I just hope writing about him doesn't jinx him and kill him off quickly:? Touching wood!
 
Handy thing to know for the future. We've sometimes used steriods as a appetite inducer.
Your the only other person I know with a Cirrus, we have a grey horse called this!:)
 
Now I am thumping myself. why I didnt ask for another steriod injection for my poor little boy. He may have another 6mths to live...

I've cut short his little life... :cry::cry::cry:
 
Now I am thumping myself. why I didnt ask for another steriod injection for my poor little boy. He may have another 6mths to live...

I've cut short his little life... :cry::cry::cry:

No you didn't, not at all. It may not have made any difference at all to his condition and it is telling that just missing one dose he rapidly deteriorated which indicates he was in a very poorly state to begin with. As he had already had some corticosteroid injections one would have expected some improvement, often quite noticeable, it doesn't sound like your bunny was improving very much despite the treatment? Your vet made a clinical decision based on his knowledge and his examination/treatment of your little boy and i'm sure there were reasons for this. You may have bought him more time but again you may not the outcome would have been the same. I'm very sorry for your loss :cry:

Re. the thread - steroids may also be used as a one-off in the emergency treatment of a collapsed and very poorly rabbit if the benefits outweigh the risks.
 
Hi there,
I was so glad to see your post. My little boy (Sugar) is having problems. He can not use his back leggs and has had some seizures. No one can figure out what is going on with him and many vets are telling me to "you know" I have an appointment with a vet that I believe gives steriod shots. I am very scared but running out of ideas. Poor Sugar is eating and loving me still. I adore him and want to help him. It is very hard on me to see him in this condition. Can we talk more about the shots and other thing that were tried?

He is 10 years old and has been treated for E-coniculi, I have had him on metacam and Gabapinton, acupunture and lazer therapy.
Thank you
Shugs Mom
 
Hi there,
I was so glad to see your post. My little boy (Sugar) is having problems. He can not use his back leggs and has had some seizures. No one can figure out what is going on with him and many vets are telling me to "you know" I have an appointment with a vet that I believe gives steriod shots. I am very scared but running out of ideas. Poor Sugar is eating and loving me still. I adore him and want to help him. It is very hard on me to see him in this condition. Can we talk more about the shots and other thing that were tried?

He is 10 years old and has been treated for E-coniculi, I have had him on metacam and Gabapinton, acupunture and lazer therapy.
Thank you
Shugs Mom

I'm so sorry Sugar is poorly, and I'm sending lots of vibes. But this thread is from 2011 and the OP is no longer active on the forum I'm afraid.
 
I have observed no side effects of steroid use in rabbits. They seem to be very well tolerated although the books say they are not. This may be because they were tested in lab rabbits who did not actually need them.

I nearly always have a few rabbits on steroid tablets. They are a great help for rabbits with head tilt, and for elderly rabbits that have started to fade after other treatment options have stopped providing enough help for them. I currently have two on them for head tilt, one for inoperable tumours and two very elderly very snotty rabbits to help with keeping their weight up. And also two guinea pigs for their lack of condition and extreme weigh loss. To counter the immune supressing problem it is important to use antibiotics at the same time in most cases.

They do only buy time, but it can be quite a long time. Cirrus, at 11, seems determined to live forever despite all his troubles! He has been threatening to drop dead for the last two and a half years. Methinks he likes all the extra veg this brings him!! He has been on steroids (2mg of prednicare daily) for the past six months. I just hope writing about him doesn't jinx him and kill him off quickly:? Touching wood!

ive had buns on steroids for a couple of months at a time . It can supress immune systeme and make them prone to picking up other things but mostly we have had good results . However as others says it helps symptoms ...doesn't cure
 
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