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Dog got steroid shot. Can I skip oral meds due to side effects?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

my dog got an injection of steroid shot today at the vet. and was prescribed a steroid in oral powder medicine form. at the vet’s office, i did not know about the serious side effects of such drugs and shots and now I am wondering if it would be okay for me to not give my dog the prescribed meds and end with the one-time injection of steroids. however i also have learned an abrupt stopping of steroids causes problems. and lastly how long would it take for it to wash off? steroid was clear.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Makenzie Kurth, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 27th, 2018

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The real answer is- it depends on why they were prescribed and for how long. If this is for an auto-immune disease, your pet’s life may depend on the steroids. Same for severe asthma or allergic reaction. If however, it is for itching or minor swelling/inflammation, or allergies, a shorter course or even a single injection may be safe. In general steroids do not tend to cause serious side effects unless they are used at high doses or for long courses of treatment. Long story short, it may be perfectly fine to skip the oral medication but definitely ask your doctor first.

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    Answered By Laura Johnson VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I highly recommend discussing this with your Vet. It all depends on WHY your dog was prescribed the steroid. It may be very important to follow your Vets instructions. Ultimately it is okay to not continue the oral form after the injection if your Vet is fine with it. But once you start the oral form you do need to wean off. I wish you the best!

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