Shortage of prednisolone

[Kflowers]

due to it's use for covid patients. We need to be aware of this and have enough on hand to wean the cats taking it off of it slowly if need be. This has happened with other medications in the past, but this time it isn't the manufacturer's fault. The shortage is with both pills and liquids, for animals and humans

ATTENTION: National Prednisolone Shortage - All About Cats

Please give our office as much notice as you can to ensure we can get you a refill. You can have your medication ordered through a local...

weareallaboutcats.com

 

[neely]

Thanks for the update. This is crucial information since many animals, both cats and dogs, take prednisolone to treat a number of health issues. Our own cat has been on prednisolone twice so I can understand the urgency and how it can affect our pets.

 

[Antonio65]

I've been told that some pets couldn't receive their annual vaccine boost because the pharma industries are now focused on producing vacciens against covid and/or the glass vials are diverted for other uses.
The glass vials thing was told me by the local vet, she said they were having difficulties with the vaccines because of the shortage of vials.
The vaccine shortage was told me by a person I know.

I had predicted this problem last year, long before the vaccines for the coronavirus were available.

 

[Meowmee]

That is odd because people don’t usually take prednisilone, they take prednisone and other steroids. Dexamethasone has been used for covid a lot. I havent heard anything about vaccines. Quinn had his last winter no problem and Merlin is not due. Jezibel was vaxed in June.

 

[janey88]

My little cat is currently on prednisolone (have both tablets & liquid). Since I take prednisone (RA) myself I looked up the difference & what I understood (I'm no pharmacist) prednisone is sorta broken down to prednisolone in the liver. Prednisolone is the final product so to speak. Does this sound right ?

 

[WillowMarie]

That's what I was told by my vet, too. Not all cats can break prednisone down, so that's why some need and only respond to prednisolone.

 

[Meowmee]

My little cat is currently on prednisolone (have both tablets & liquid). Since I take prednisone (RA) myself I looked up the difference & what I understood (I'm no pharmacist) prednisone is sorta broken down to prednisolone in the liver. Prednisolone is the final product so to speak. Does this sound right ?

Cats can only take prednisilone because they can’t metabolize prednisone into prednisilone.

Side Effects Of Injectable and Oral Steroids In Cats | Trudell Animal Health

 

[dustydiamond1]

Gypsy takes 1/2 a tablet of 5 mg Prednisolone every other day. I hadn't planned on a refill yet but after reading this I called our vet and requested dbl the amt we usually get, I mentioned I'd heard of a possible shortage. Receptionist told me when she called back to let me know the prescription was ready that no one there had heard of a possible shortage but they were going to look into it. Gypsy says thanks for the heads up.

 

[Kflowers]

I certainly hope it's a temporary thing or maybe just in one part of the country, but a vet's office reporting it makes me apprehensive. We were using Novis calming medicine when that got messed up. It was terrible.

Gypsy's a beauty.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

That article is from August 2020 - there was indeed a pred shortage a year or year-&-a-half ago (due to covid issues). We just switched to using Wedgewood pharmacy, for compounded pred/ 2.5mg pills, and have been using that ever since. Not sure if the pred shortage is still as intense.