I just wanted to chime in on the topic. I had to give Riley a light steroid called Temaril-P for itchy skin last summer. The results was immediate and he stopped itching. However, he then stopped eating and we went through months of getting his appetite back through meds., acupuncture, herbs, etc. His tummy has never been the same since, he now has a very sensitive tummy whereas before he could eat anything.
I am cautious of steroids, but i do believe they can give great immediate results. I thought i would share my experience to give additional information.