Prednisone: veterinary dose and monograph

At a glance

Drug class

Veterinary drug

Also known as

Prednisone, Deltasone, Wysolone (prednisolone)

Species with doses

Dogs and Horses

General dose range

0.5–2 mg/kg PO q12–24h (taper) — check the species tables for the indication

Routes

PO, IM

Last reviewed

1 October 2026

Indications

• Anti-inflammatory therapy (allergic dermatitis, inflammatory disease) — dogs/horses
• Immunosuppression (immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia, IMPA, IBD) at higher doses
• Replacement/glucocorticoid cover; anti-neoplastic protocols (lymphoma)

Prednisone dose by species

Doses are per administration unless stated. mg/kg doses scale with body weight; per-animal, per-quarter and infusion-rate doses are shown as the reference writes them.

Dogs

• Anti-inflammatory: Papich 5e: 0.5–1 mg/kg per day (once or divided q12h), then taper to 0.3–0.5 mg/kg q48h. Plumb’s p.998: 0.5–1 mg/kg PO per day (Maddison); 0.55–1.1 mg/kg/day (Lowe). Converted in the liver to prednisolone. Taper after more than 1–2 weeks (HPA suppression).
• Immunosuppression: Papich 5e: 2.2–6.6 mg/kg/day initially (rarely more than 4 mg/kg/day), tapering to 2–4 mg/kg q48h. Plumb’s p.998: up to 2.2 mg/kg/day — higher doses add adverse effects, not immunosuppression; many cap at 80 mg/day; sample taper 2.2 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks, 1 mg/kg/day 3 weeks, 0.5 mg/kg/day 3 weeks, then 0.5 mg/kg every other day. Add a second immunosuppressant rather than exceed this.
• Hypoadrenocorticism (glucocorticoid replacement): Papich 5e: 0.2–0.3 mg/kg/day PO. Plumb’s p.998: start 0.1–0.22 mg/kg and taper to the lowest dose that controls signs (Scott-Moncrieff); many dogs need no more than 0.1 mg/kg/day. Dogs on DOCP always need prednisone; about half on fludrocortisone do not.

Cats

• Use prednisolone instead: Papich 5e: not recommended for cats (inability to form the active metabolite); if attempted, higher doses than in dogs are needed. Plumb’s p.998: use oral prednisolone in cats whenever possible.

Horses

• Oral prednisone: Papich 5e: no oral doses are listed for horses because oral prednisone does not produce active prednisolone concentrations.
• Anti-inflammatory (IM suspension): Papich 5e: prednisone suspension label dose 100–400 mg per horse (0.22–0.88 mg/kg) IM, repeated every 3–4 days.

Contraindications

CATS (unreliable hepatic conversion — use prednisolone) and significant hepatic dysfunction. Systemic fungal/uncontrolled infection, GI ulceration, poorly controlled diabetes. Concurrent NSAIDs (GI ulceration). Abrupt withdrawal after prolonged use. Pregnancy (can induce parturition late term). Known hypersensitivity.

Species-specific warnings

Cats: Use PREDNISOLONE instead of prednisone in cats — hepatic conversion of prednisone to active prednisolone is unreliable, risking under-treatment.

Adverse effects

• PU/PD, polyphagia, weight gain, panting
• GI ulceration (esp. with NSAIDs), hepatopathy (steroid), immunosuppression/infection
• Iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism and HPA suppression (chronic use)
• Muscle wasting, poor healing, behavioural change

Drug interactions

• NSAIDs: additive GI ulceration (avoid combining)
• Insulin/oral hypoglycaemics: antagonised (hyperglycaemia)
• CYP inducers (phenobarbital)/inhibitors: alter steroid levels
• Diuretics: additive potassium loss; vaccines: reduced response

Pregnancy and lactation

Glucocorticoids can affect the fetus and induce parturition late in pregnancy — use only when clearly needed.

Monitoring

• Clinical response and steroid side effects (PU/PD, weight, infection)
• For long-term use: liver values, glucose, urinalysis (UTI risk)
• Taper when discontinuing; use lowest effective dose
• In cats/hepatic disease — use prednisolone (confirm you are not using prednisone)

Toxicity and overdose

Shares the glucocorticoid adverse-effect profile: dose/duration-related iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism, GI ulceration, hepatopathy, immunosuppression/infection, muscle wasting and HPA suppression. In cats/hepatic dysfunction, the practical "failure" is inadequate activation (under-treatment) — use prednisolone instead.

Management: No specific antidote. For excess effect, reduce/taper the dose and manage complications (GI protectants for ulceration, control hyperglycaemia). Never stop abruptly after prolonged use — taper to avoid iatrogenic adrenal crisis.

Clinical pearls

• Prednisone is a PRO-DRUG activated by the liver to prednisolone — in dogs/horses they are largely interchangeable
• In CATS use PREDNISOLONE, not prednisone — cats convert it unreliably (same applies with significant liver dysfunction)
• All the usual glucocorticoid rules: lowest effective dose, taper to stop, avoid with NSAIDs, and watch for iatrogenic Cushing's with chronic use
• See prednisolone for the fuller shared side-effect/monitoring profile

Mechanism of action

Prednisone is biologically inactive until the liver reduces its 11-keto group to the 11-hydroxyl of PREDNISOLONE, the active glucocorticoid, which then binds glucocorticoid receptors to suppress inflammatory gene transcription (cytokines, prostaglandins, leukocyte function) and, at higher doses, lymphocyte function (immunosuppression). Because cats convert prednisone to prednisolone poorly/unreliably, giving prednisolone directly avoids the conversion step.

Formulations and products

• 5 / 10 / 20 mg tablet
• 1 / 2.5 mg tablet (low-dose taper)
• Wysolone (prednisolone) / prednisone — 5 / 10 / 20 mg tablet, Tablet (human-label)

Storage

Tablets: 15–30 °C, dry, protect from light.

Before you use this dose

Reference doses for veterinary professionals. Confirm the dose against the product label, the patient’s condition, current guidance and local regulations before use; the attending veterinarian remains responsible for every clinical decision.

Other hormones, emergency drugs, supplements and other drugs

• PMSG / eCG (Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophin)
• Potassium Bromide (KBr)
• Pralidoxime (2-PAM)
• Prazosin
• Propentofylline
• Protamine Sulfate
• Pyridostigmine
• Salbutamol (Albuterol)

Frequently asked questions