How should you taper down a cortisone dose?

If a low dose of cortisone has only been administered for a couple of days it is OK to stop treatment immediately. However, if your cat has been treated with cortisone for a longer period of time, the dose needs to be slowly tapered over several weeks or even months. This is to allow the body to get used to producing cortisone on its own.

There is no exact schedule that works for all cats. How the dose is tapered down depends on, but is not limited to, the following factors:

• The reason why the cat is on cortisone
• How the cat responds to treatment
• If the cat suffers side effects

p>You should always discuss dose changes with the veterinarian who is treating your cat before you make any adjustments to the treatment schedule.