Until the end of the last century, Cushing's syndrome in dogs was treated with a drug called mitotane, which had the great drawback of destroying the adrenal glands. However, intense research into alternative treatments led to the development of a safer and more effective drug, trilostane.
If you want to know more about trilostane in dogs, including its dosage and side effects, don't miss the next article on our site.
What is Trilostane?
Trilostane is a steroid hormone analogue drug that inhibits the enzyme responsible for synthesizing adrenal hormones, specifically cortisol and aldosterone. This makes it an effective medication for the treatment of hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing's syndrome, an endocrine disease characterized by the presence of chronic and excessive levels of cortisol and aldosterone.
Currently, the drug is available as hard capsules of 5, 10, 30, 60 and 120 mg. The price of trilostane for dogs varies depending on the concentration. As a reference, the price of each 60 mg capsule ranges between €1.5 and €2.
What is Trilostane used for in dogs?
Are you wondering how to treat Cushing's syndrome in dogs? Well, you should know that trilostane is the drug of choice for the treatment of this disease. Specifically, is used as a single therapy in the case of Cushing's of pituitary origin, and combined with surgery in the case of Cushing's of adrenal origin.
Trilostane dosage for dogs
The starting dose for the treatment of Cushing's syndrome is 2 mg/kg body weight The dose can be administered every 24 hours, although for a better response it is recommended to divide the dose into two doses per day. From this initial dose, you should monitor the animal's response and adjust the dose based on it:
- The persistence of the typical symptoms of Cushing's (increased water consumption, increased urine production, increased appetite and panting), means that the dose of trilostane is insufficient, so it is necessary to increase the dose.
- The appearance of typical Addisonian symptoms (anti-Cushing's syndrome characterized by vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, weakness), means that the dose of trilostane is excessive, which is why it is necessary to reduce the dose.
- If there are no clinical signs, it means the effective dose has been reached that allows good control of the pathology.
Reviews for dose adjustment should be performed every week, month, 3 months and, subsequently, every 3-6 months. It should be noted that dosage adjustments should always be prescribed by a veterinary professional.
How to administer Trilostane in dogs?
Once the dose is known, it is important to point out how to administer trilostane for dogs:
- The drug comes in the form of hard capsules, so it must be administered orally, with food.
- The capsules must not be opened or divided, as the contents may cause skin and eye irritation.
- It should be mentioned that trilostane has antiprogesterone properties, so women who are pregnant or intend to become pregnant should avoid contact with capsules.
Trilostane side effects in dogs
Trilostane is a fairly safe drug, however, some adverse reactions that should be known about are listed in its technical data sheet:
- When the necessary dose is exceeded, signs associated with hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's syndrome) appear, such as dizziness, lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea. Normally, these signs are reversible after withdrawal of treatment.
- In severe overdose, an Acute Addisonian crisis may occur.
- Infrequently, ataxia (incoordination), hypersalivation, swelling, muscle tremors and skin changes may appear.
- A few isolated cases of necrosis of the adrenal glands have been reported.
- A small number of cases of sudden death have been described.
In addition, it should be noted that treatment with trilostane may unmask the presence of kidney failure or arthritis.
Contraindications of Trilostane for dogs
Trilostane administration is contraindicated in the following situations:
- Primary liver disease.
- Renal insufficiency.
- Dogs under 3 kg.
- Pregnant, lactating bitches, and breeding animals.
- Allergy or hypersensitivity to trilostane or to any of the excipients that accompany the active ingredient.
- Recent treatment with mitotane: a period of one month must be respected between the cessation of mitotane administration and the start of treatment with trilostane.
In addition, trilostane should be administered with particular caution in the following cases:
- Elderly dogs: Liver and kidney markers (liver enzymes, electrolytes, urea, and creatinine) should be monitored to ensure Absence of liver or kidney failure, typical of older dogs.
- Diabetes mellitus: the concomitant presence of Cushing's syndrome and diabetes requires specific monitoring
- Anemia: blood cell volume and hemoglobin should be monitored since trilostane can produce significant decreases in these parameters.
- Concurrent treatment with potassium-sparing diuretics or ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors)
