Study suggests once-daily prednisolone may reduce PU/PD in dogs

A small randomized crossover trial in the Journal of Small Animal Practice compared once-daily versus divided twice-daily oral prednisolone in 12 dogs and found that once-daily dosing was associated with significantly lower water intake by day 14, with no difference between regimens in urine osmolality or urine specific gravity. In other words, splitting the daily prednisolone dose did not appear to reduce the classic steroid-associated polydipsia and polyuria signal in these dogs, and may have been less favorable on water intake. The study adds new clinical-research data to a long-running question in canine medicine about whether dividing glucocorticoid doses improves tolerability. (researchgate.net)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the finding is practical: if the goal is to reduce steroid-related drinking and urination, dividing prednisolone into twice-daily dosing may not help, at least over a 14-day course in this small study. That aligns with broader background on glucocorticoid adverse effects in dogs, where polyuria and polydipsia are common and clinically meaningful for pet parents, and with other canine prednisolone research suggesting once-daily regimens can produce fewer adverse effects in some settings. Because the trial included only 12 dogs, it shouldn't be treated as definitive across all indications or dose ranges, but it may support choosing once-daily administration when clinically appropriate and when adherence and quality-of-life concerns are front of mind. (researchgate.net)

What to watch: Whether larger, indication-specific studies confirm that once-daily prednisolone can improve pet parent-reported tolerability without compromising efficacy will be the key next step. (researchgate.net)