Which of the following principles applies to corticosteroid therapy?

Corticosteroid therapy is commonly used in veterinary medicine for various inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. One important principle that applies to this therapy is the strategy of alternate-day dosing. This method can help minimize the side effects associated with corticosteroid use while still providing effective treatment. By allowing for recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, alternate-day dosing can reduce the risk of adrenal suppression, which is a significant concern with long-term corticosteroid therapy.

The practice involves administering the corticosteroid on alternate days rather than daily, which can also improve the quality of life for the patient by reducing the likelihood of adverse effects such as weight gain, increased thirst, and other metabolic issues. This principle underscores the need to balance effective therapeutic benefits against potential complications associated with continuous corticosteroid administration.

The other options do not align with best practices in corticosteroid therapy. For instance, therapy should indeed be adjusted based on the patient's response to treatment, making the notion that it should never be adjusted misleading. Additionally, corticosteroids can be administered via various routes, including oral, topical, and injectable methods, so limiting their effectiveness to only oral administration is incorrect. Lastly, corticosteroids are often used in emergency situations for their fast anti-inflammatory properties,