Doses - HYDROCORTISONE, HYDROCORTISONE ACETATE, HYDROCORTISONE CYPIONATE, HYDROCORTISONE SODIUM PHOSPHATE, HYDROCORTISONE SODIUM SUCCINATE

Dogs:

For glucocorticoid (antiinflammatory) activity:
a) 5 mg/kg PO every 12 hours; 5 mg/kg (salt not specified) IV or IM once daily. (Jenkins 1985)
b) 4.4 mg/kg PO q12h (Kirk 1989)
For adjunctive therapy for various forms of shock:
a) Hydrocortisone sodium succinate: 150 mg/kg IV (Kemppainen 1986)
b) Hydrocortisone sodium succinate: 50 mg/kg IV (Kirk 1989)
For glucocorticoid "coverage" in animals who have iatrogenic secondary adrenocortical insufficiency and/or HPA suppression:
a) Animals exhibiting mild to moderate signs of glucocorticoid deficiency: 0.2 - 0.5 mg/kg
PO every day.
For animals with HPA suppression undergoing a "stress" factor: Hydrocortisonesodium succinate 4 - 5 mg/kg just before and after stressful events (e.g., major surgery).
Continue with lower dosages until at least 3rd post-operative day. Access to a water-soluble form of glucocorticoid should be available should animal "collapse".(Kemppainen 1986)
For adrenalectomy in patients with hyperadrenocorticism:
a) Soluble salt of hydrocortisone 4 -5 mg/kg IV either 1 hour prior to surgery or at the time of anesthesia induction. May also be added to IV fluids and infused during surgery. Repeat dosage at end of procedure; may give IM or IV. Glucocorticoid supplementation must be maintained using an oral product (initially predniso(lo)ne 0.5 mg/kg bid, cortisone acetate 2.5 mg/kg bid, or dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg once daily).
Slowly taper to maintenance levels (predniso(lo)ne 0.2 mg/kg once a day, or cortisoneacetate 0.5 mg/kg bid) over 7-10 days. Should complications develop during the taper, reinitiate doses at 5 times maintenance. Most dogs can stop exogenous steroid therapyin about 2 months (based on an ACTH stimulation test). (Peterson 1986)

Cats:

For glucocorticoid (antiinflammatory) activity:
a) 5 mg/kg PO, IV or IM every 12 hours (Davis 1985)
b) 4.4 mg/kg PO q12h (Kirk 1989)
For adjunctive therapy for various forms of shock:
a) Hydrocortisone sodium succinate: 150 mg/kg IV (Kemppainen 1986)
b) Hydrocortisone sodium succinate: 50 mg/kg IV (Kirk 1989)

Cattle:

For adjunctive treatment of photosensitization reactions:
a) 100 - 600 mg (salt not specified) in 1000 ml of 10% dextrose saline IV or SQ. (Black1986)

Horses:

As a glucocorticoid:
a) Hydrocortisone sodium succinate: 1 - 4 mg/kg as an IV infusion (Robinson 1987)
Dosage Forms/Preparations/Approval Status/Withdrawal Times-
There are no known veterinary-approved products containing hydrocortisone (or its salts) for systemic use. There are a variety of hydrocortisone veterinary products for topical use. A 10 ppb tolerance has been established for hydrocortisone (as the succinate or acetate) in milk.
Human-Approved Products (all require a prescription):
Hydrocortisone oral tablets 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg; Cortef® (Upjohn), Hydrocortone® (MSD), Hydrocortisone® (Major) generic
Hydrocortisone acetate Injection; 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml in 5 & 10 ml vials; Hydrocortone®
Acetate (MSD); generic (Rx)
Hydrocortisone cypionate oral suspension 2 mg/ml hydrocortisone in 120 ml;Cortef® (Upjohn)Hydrocortisone sodium phosphate Injection 50 mg/ml in 2 & 10 ml vials; Hydrocortone®
Phosphate (MSD)
Hydrocortisone sodium succinate injection; 100 mg/vial, 250 mg/vial, 500 mg/vial, 1000 mg/vial;
Solu-Cortef® (Upjohn), A-hydroCort® (Abbott)
There are many OTC and Rx topical and anorectal products available in a variety of dosage forms.