Steroids have long been used in veterinary medicine to reverse inflammation and treat certain conditions involving the immune system. The administration of steroids for treating medical conditions in dogs must be monitored closely to prevent Cushing 's disease, or hyperadrenocorticism. One symptom of Cushing's Disease is diarrhea.
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Uses for Steroids
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Glucocorticoid steroids are used to treat a host of conditions from chronic allergies to autoimmune diseases. The body makes these compounds naturally. They are responsible for stimulating the liver and promoting healthy gastric motility in dogs.
Hazards
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Chronic use of steroids results in a disease known as Cushing's disease. Cushing's disease is a syndrome caused by the overuse of corticosteroids in treating other diseases. Depending on the disease being treated, the potential of developing Cushing's disease is an accepted risk to the use of steroids for disease management.
Symptoms
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Symptoms of Cushing's disease includes bloody diarrhea caused by ulcerations in the stomach and intestinal walls as a result of the dog's inability to produce the protective lining that prevents stomach acids from eroding the tissue.
Complications
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The bloody diarrhea can cause dehydration, anemia and prolapsed rectum, requiring additional treatments to correct.
Autoimmune Disease
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Steroids are rarely used to treat diarrhea. Most often, they are used to treat diarrhea as it presents as a symptom of an autoimmune disease. Steroids are prescribed to suppress the immune system. As the disease is brought under control, the diarrhea will subside.
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