Which species have cited Prednisolone dosing data?

Prednisolone dosing in the ExoticRx formulary covers 20 species: African Grey Parrot, African Pygmy Hedgehog, Ball Python, Bearded Dragon, Blue-tongue Skink, Cat (Domestic), Cattle (Beef/Dairy), Corn Snake, Crested Gecko, Dog (Domestic), Ferret, Guinea Pig, Horse (Equine), Leopard Gecko, Rabbit (Domestic), Red-eared Slider, Russian Tortoise, Sugar Glider, Sulcata Tortoise, Veiled Chameleon.

Is Prednisolone a controlled substance?

Prednisolone is not federally scheduled in the US. Controlled-drug status differs by country — verify your local rules.

What are the warnings or contraindications for Prednisolone?

PU/PD, polyphagia, weight gain, iatrogenic Cushing's. Immunosuppression risk. GI ulceration (especially with NSAIDs). Do not abruptly discontinue after chronic use. Cats require prednisolone (not prednisone).

What are the side effects of Prednisolone?

Reported side effects, adverse reactions, and contraindications for Prednisolone: PU/PD, polyphagia, weight gain, iatrogenic Cushing's. Immunosuppression risk. GI ulceration (especially with NSAIDs). Do not abruptly discontinue after chronic use. Cats require prednisolone (not prednisone).

How does Prednisolone work?

Binds intracellular glucocorticoid receptors, modulating gene transcription. Suppresses inflammatory and immune responses at multiple levels.

Prednisolone

US brand names:Delta-Cortef, Prelone

Calculate dosage

Sourced from published veterinary references. Awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer — our editorial process.

Prednisolone is dosed at 2–5 mg/kg PO, IM q24-48h in ball pythons, per Lawton MP.C. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — PRINTED DETAIL MISSING FROM THIS RULE (retrieved 2026-08-19): Prednisolone 2-5 mg/kg PO, IM q24-48h269 Most species/antiinflammatory — Carpenter's 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles); missing "Immunosuppressive, contraindicated in cases of infectious disease" — Mader's 3rd ed, printed p.662, Table 67.4. Verify against current literature before clinical use.

Drug Class

Immunosuppressant

Routes

Indications

allergic reactionsAnti-inflammatoryAnti-inflammatory (glucocorticoid)Anti-inflammatory/ImmunosuppressiveAntiinflammatoryAutoimmune haemolytic anaemiaAutoimmune hemolytic anemiaImmunosuppressiveInflammationInflammatory conditionsInsulinoma managementLymphoma palliationrecurrent airway obstruction

Backed by 21 published sources

· 243. Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.261 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.8 (Hormones and Steroids Used in Reptiles). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929
· 269. Lawton MP.C. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — PRINTED DETAIL MISSING FROM THIS RULE (retrieved 2026-08-19): Same Carpenter Table 4.6 row; independently corroborated by "Reptiles: Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory: 2-5 mg/kg p.o. q24-48h" — BSAVA-B 10th ed, printed p.251 — which prints p.o. only; missing the same infectious-disease contraindication

Sample dosing (2 of 22 cited rules)

A dog/cat sample is shown here. Cited dosing for all 20 species — reptiles, birds, pocket pets, livestock, and equine — is free on the per-species pages above. Pro adds the weight-based calculator for every species.

Species	Route	Dose	Frequency	Evidence	Source
Dog (Domestic)	PO	2–4 mg/kg	q12h	Strong	Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed p.1061, PrednisoLONE/Prednisone/PrednisoLONE Sodium Succinate monograph, section DOGS/CATS / Immunosuppressive agent, located 2026-08-05 by monograph + species-section + exact figure match. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207
Cat (Domestic)	PO	1–2 mg/kg	q12-24h	Weak	BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A, Prednisolone, DOSES — Cats: 'Immunosuppression: 1-2 mg/kg p.o. q12-24h', printed p.341 (corpus p.357) — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705

· 269. Lawton MP.C. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — PRINTED DETAIL MISSING FROM THIS RULE (retrieved 2026-08-19): Same Carpenter Table 4.6 row; missing "Because no pharmacokinetic studies have been done to assess glucocorticoids in reptiles, dosages […]" — Mader's 3rd ed, printed p.1163 (Ch.119), whose Table 119.1 labels this very dose "Empirical"

· BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed., Part A, Prednisolone, DOSES — Cats: 'Immunosuppression: 1-2 mg/kg p.o. q12-24h', printed p.341 (corpus p.357) — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part A — Canine and Feline — ISBN 9781910443705, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443705

· Ewringmann A, Gloeckner B. Leitsymptome bei Meerschweinchen, Chinchilla und Degu, Enke, Stuttgart, Germany; 2012. / Fehr M, Sassenburg L, Zwart P. Krankheiten der Heimtiere, 8th ed., Schluetersche Verlagsgesellschaft, Hannover, Germany; 2015. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.802 doi:10.1055/b-004-129947 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 9.7 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Rodents). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Hedley J. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary. Part B: Exotic Pets, 10th ed., British Small Animal Veterinary Association. / 32. Ness RD, Johnson-Delaney C. Sugar gliders. In: Quesenberry KE, Carpenter JW, eds. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 3rd ed., Saunders/Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2012:393-410. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.712 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 7.5 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Sugar Gliders). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· Howard J, ed. Current Veterinary Therapy: Food Animal Practice. 2nd ed. WB Saunders; 1985. doi:10.1016/0007-1935(87)90012-1 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1089 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.1089' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.1062; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.1062. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, ed. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, 2018:81-166. - Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.8 (Hormones and Steroids Used in Reptiles), lizard row: 'Prednisolone | 0.5 mg/kg q24h PO, SC, IM x 14 days, then q48h until PCV stable243 | Lizards/autoimmune hemolytic anemia'. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed pagination, so the table is the citable location.

· Klaphake E, Gibbons PM, Sladky KK, et al. Reptiles. In: Carpenter JW, eds. Exotic Animal Formulary, 5th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2018:81-166. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.261 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 [w3r2 2026-08-14] LOCATOR: Carpenter 6th ed, Table 4.8 (Hormones and Steroids Used in Reptiles), Prednisolone block. Held copy is a paginationless ebook conversion, so the table and not the page is the citable location.

· Lawton MP.C. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — PRINTED DETAIL MISSING FROM THIS RULE (retrieved 2026-08-19): Prednisolone 2-5 mg/kg PO, IM q24-48h269 Most species/antiinflammatory — Carpenter's 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles); missing "Immunosuppressive, contraindicated in cases of infectious disease" — Mader's 3rd ed, printed p.662, Table 67.4

· Lawton MP.C. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — PRINTED DETAIL MISSING FROM THIS RULE (retrieved 2026-08-19): Same Carpenter Table 4.6 row; missing "Impaired wound healing and delayed recovery from infections may be seen." and "Do not use in pregnant animals. Systemic corticosteroids are generally contraindicated in patients […]" — BSAVA Small Animal Formulary 10th ed Part B, printed p.250

· Lawton MP.C. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929 — SOURCE ROW: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, corpus p.256 — "Prednisolone 2-5 mg/kg PO, IM q24-48h(269) — Most species/antiinflammatory". NOTE: the same dose appears at corpus p.261 as "2-5 mg/kg PO, IM q12-24h(63) — Most species/analgesia (chronic pain)"; the interval is what separates the two indications.

· Lawton MPC. Pain management after surgery. Proc North Am Vet Conf; 1999:782. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.256 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 4.6 (Analgesic (Including Antiinflammatory) Agents Used in Reptiles). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Marsella R. Equine allergy therapy update on the treatment of environmental, insect bite hypersensitivity, and food allergies. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2013;29(3):551-557. PMID: 24267674 — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.1089 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.1089' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.1062; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.1062. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Morrisey JK, Carpenter JW, et al. Formulary. In: Quesenberry Q, Orcutt C, Mans C, et al. Ferrets, Rabbits and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery, 4th ed., Elsevier, St. Louis, MO; 2021:620-630. — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.742 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 8.6 (Analgesic/Antiinflammatory Agents Used in Hedgehogs). Located 2026-08-05: the only table covering this species in which the drug's own row prints this dose. The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9780323484350, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323484350

· PRIMARY: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. (2020), Part B - Exotic Pets, Prednisolone monograph, DOSES, printed p.251 (corpus p.265), verbatim: 'Birds: Pruritus: 1 mg/kg p.o. q12h, reduced to minimum effective dose as quickly as possible.' CORROBORATING (same book, cited entry, continuation page): Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed., corpus p.464: '0.5-1 mg/kg PO q24h - Harpy eagle/inflammatory bowel disease; prednisone'. — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 5.7 (Hormones and Steroids Used in Birds). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, Prednisolone, Prednisolone Acetate, Small Animal Dosage — Dogs, printed p.669 (corpus p.697) — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323244855 — CEILING: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, Prednisolone monograph, printed p.1088, Anti-inflammatory agent — "Dogs: 0.5 - 1 mg/kg PO once daily; not to exceed 40 mg/dog (NOT mg/kg) in large breed dogs. Dose […]" The 40 mg is a DAILY total.

· Plumb DC. Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 9th — Verified against Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.880 (2026-08-01). — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 10.10 (Miscellaneous Agents Used in Rabbits). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — EDITION NOTE 2026-08-06: this rule's Plumb's reference names the 9th edition, which is not held and was never consulted. The held copy is the 10th ed (2023). The Plumb's line was never confirmed against the held edition, so rely on it only as background; any other source named in this citation is unaffected. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207; Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929

· Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed p.1061, PrednisoLONE/Prednisone/PrednisoLONE Sodium Succinate monograph, section DOGS/CATS / Immunosuppressive agent, located 2026-08-05 by monograph + species-section + exact figure match. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207

· Verified against Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology, 7th Ed, p.858 (2026-08-01). — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.858' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.846; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.846. — SOURCE EDITION: Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology — ISBN 9781416000280, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781416000280

Prednisolone

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Prednisolone dosing data (22 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 22 dose rules

Backed by 21 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 22 cited rules)

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Other formulations of Prednisolone

Prednisolone

Drug Class

Routes

Indications

Mechanism of Action

Side effects & warnings

Species with Prednisolone dosing data (22 dose rules)

Evidence levels across 22 dose rules

Backed by 21 published sources

Sample dosing (2 of 22 cited rules)

Upgrade for Full Details

Other formulations of Prednisolone

Articles mentioning Prednisolone

More Immunosuppressant drugs