Single dose treatment may be appropriate for some specific conditions (anaphylaxis, etc.), but for more general treatment they may be given for one to three weeks at doses between:

The lowest effective dose must be used. Treatment should not be withdrawn suddenly. Problems of adrenal insufficiency should be minimised by dosing on alternate days, dosing to coincide with the endogenous cortisol peak (i.e. in the morning with regard to dogs and in the evening with regard to cats) and a gradual reduction of dosage.

For the treatment of cats and dogs with tumours responsive to corticosteroid therapy the balance between the risks of therapy and the benefits of treatment may justify large doses. In such cases doses between 20mg/m2 every other day and 60mg/m2/day have been found to be useful. (Dose is related to the animal's estimated body surface area, in square metres.)