Prednisone for dogs can be lifesaving…but also potentially problematic. Integrative veterinarian Dr. Julie Buzby discusses the uses, pros, and cons of this commonly prescribed drug. Learn the benefits and shortcomings of prednisone for your pup.
Prednisone can be a very useful medication when used appropriately—I’ve even taken it myself for bronchitis! However, as a veterinarian, I’m always cautious prescribing it for my patients. Prednisone can work wonders for certain conditions, but it can also be pretty tough on a dog’s body. Side effects can also be dramatic and unpleasant.
If your dog has been prescribed prednisone, or you plan to ask your vet about it, you may be wondering how this medication works, what it can treat, and whether the side effects are even worth it. Your vet is your best resource for specific questions related to your dog, but together we can take a look at some of the uses and limitations of prednisone in dogs.
- What is prednisone for dogs?
- How does prednisone work?
- What is prednisone used for in dogs?
- What are the side effects of prednisone for dogs?
- How long can a dog stay on prednisone?
- Is it okay to use prednisone with other medications?
- What is the prednisone dosage for dogs?
- Is it true that you have to taper the prednisone dosage rather than stopping your dog cold turkey?
- How are dogs on prednisone monitored?
- Helpful tips for dogs on prednisone
- What should I discuss with my vet if my dog is going to take prednisone?
- Parting thoughts on prednisone for dogs
- Work with your veterinarian
What is prednisone for dogs?
Prednisone is classified as a synthetic corticosteroid (a glucocorticoid). Essentially, it is a manufactured version of a naturally occurring steroid hormone called cortisol.
Prednisone and prednisolone (the active form of the drug) are sometimes used interchangeably. Prednisone is converted into prednisolone in the liver. Your vet may prescribe prednisolone rather than prednisone (especially common in cats), but the effects of the two drugs are the same.
We will circle back to prednisone, but first, we need to talk a bit about cortisol. The adrenal glands (a pair of small glands that sit above the kidneys) make cortisol and release it into the body to perform its life-sustaining roles. Yes, you heard that right—life-sustaining. We need cortisol to survive, pure and simple. So it isn’t all bad.
Cortisol plays some important roles in the body:
- Regulates the immune system so that it doesn’t get out of control and cause more harm than good.
- Helps the body maintain a state of “fight or flight” during times of stress.
- Causes the body to break down glycogen to release stored glucose (fuel for the cells).
- Stimulates the body to break down fats and proteins to make glucose for energy.
How does prednisone work?
Because prednisone is designed to be a synthetic version of cortisol, its functions mimic the natural functions of cortisol itself.
Interestingly, the actions of prednisone in the body are dose-dependent. Lower doses of prednisone decrease inflammation, and high doses of prednisone suppress the immune system.
Since cortisol—and therefore prednisone—affects so many body systems, this medication can treat a wide range of conditions in canines.
What is prednisone used for in dogs?
Considering the functions of cortisol, you may be able to figure out some of the reasons a vet might prescribe prednisone for your dog.
1. Prednisone for dogs is used as an anti-inflammatory drug.
Any type of tissue in a dog’s body may become inflamed for one reason or another. Although we have different pharmaceutical options for treating inflammation, sometimes steroids are the most effective at resolving severe inflammation quickly.
Skin inflammation from allergies is one example of this. In veterinary practice, vets see allergic patients who are scratching themselves to the point of bleeding. Your vet may decide to prescribe a short course of steroids to break the itch cycle and deliver relief while waiting for other allergy medications for dogs to kick in.
Vets also use it to reduce inflammation in the central nervous system (i.e. brain and spinal cord). If a dog suffers head trauma and the brain is swelling, prednisone may quickly bring down swelling and inflammation before permanent brain damage occurs.
Prednisone is also commonly used to treat intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) in dogs, but non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be more appropriate in some cases. Though it’s unlikely to cure a severe case of IVDD-induced paralysis, for an IVDD dog with a weak hind end, prednisone can help them recover without surgery.
2. Prednisone is used for dogs with cancer.
In vet school, vet students were somewhat jokingly told, “No animal should die without the benefit of steroids.” Our professors didn’t mean that we should take the use of steroids lightly. Rather they were reminding their students that steroids such as prednisone sometimes improve the quality of life—or even save the life—of patients. Prednisone truly can act as “the magic bullet.”
Cancer is one of those situations. While inferior to other chemotherapy protocols, treatment with prednisone alone induces a short-term partial or complete remission in 50% of dogs with lymphoma. The same is true for approximately 20% of dogs with mast cell tumors. Prednisone has anti-cancer properties because it can stop some cancer cells from growing and dividing.
Additionally, prednisone can sometimes be used in palliative (comfort) care for dogs with cancer, in part because it can reduce inflammation and swelling around tumors. In dogs with brain tumors, this may give them several months of improved clinical signs. It can also help dogs with nasal tumors breathe easier and reduce coughing in dogs with tumors that have spread to the lungs. Additionally, prednisone may boost the appetite and energy of dogs with cancer.
Disclaimer: When prednisone is administered to dogs with suspected cancer, it can make it more difficult to definitively diagnose the cancer. Also, prednisone can make other chemotherapy protocols less effective. For these reasons (and others we will discuss in a bit), please thoroughly discuss the implications of using prednisone as a cancer treatment with your vet. Consider all treatment options before starting prednisone treatment.
To learn more about cancer in dogs, listen to my podcast: The Myths and Misconceptions of Cancer in Dogs with Dr. Sue, Cancer Vet.
3. Prednisone is used as an immunosuppressive drug for dogs.
Vets also use prednisone to manage autoimmune diseases—those where the immune system is attacking a dog’s red blood cells, platelets, joints, skin, or other tissues. These are very serious diseases. When you need to calm down or suppress the immune system, steroids have a powerful ability to save the day.
One of my patients, a 9-year-old Wheaten Terrier, is currently on a course of prednisone for immune-mediated polyarthritis—painful inflammation in multiple joints. His symptoms dramatically improved within a day or two of taking the medication, but we’re now in the process of transitioning him to another drug for long-term management.
Prednisone can also suppress the immune system to treat dogs with inflammatory bowel disease. IBD in dogs can cause severe GI distress, and immunosuppressive doses of prednisone (and other immunosuppressive medications) can alleviate symptoms. That said, IBD is a specific diagnosis, and prednisone is not an appropriate treatment for all causes of diarrhea in dogs.
Just like it can help reduce inflammation caused by certain allergies, prednisone can be very helpful in “calming down” the immune system of dogs having allergic reactions. Allergic reactions are, after all, an inappropriately heightened immune response to some sort of stimulus—like a bee sting. Immunosuppressive doses of prednisone, often in conjunction with antihistamines (such as Benadryl for dogs), can help dogs having allergic reactions recover quickly.
4. Prednisone is used for dogs with Addison’s disease.
Addison’s disease in dogs is caused by reduced cortisol production by the adrenal glands. Since we know cortisol is essential in managing many bodily functions, dogs with Addison’s disease can be very sick. They may show vague symptoms like lethargy in dogs, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, or intermittent shaking.
Alternatively, some dogs suffer an acute Addisonian crisis. They may vomit, have diarrhea, and sometimes collapse. Thus, dogs with Addison’s disease usually take a low dose of prednisone every day for the rest of their lives. It mimics what the body should be doing for itself but can’t. This is lifesaving for them.
With all these potential benefits, prednisone sounds like a cure-all drug, doesn’t it? So you might be wondering why this medication sometimes gets a bad rap. Well, it turns out prednisone has some really significant side effects—both in the short term and the long term.
What are the side effects of prednisone for dogs?
Prednisone can be an amazing, life-saving drug. Even with that knowledge, I tend to be very conservative with it, and am cautious with prescribing it to my canine patients. This is because side effects of prednisone can be severe and sometimes irreversible.
Short-term side effects of prednisone for dogs
People who take prednisone sometimes report feeling weird, so it is understandable that they might worry the same will happen to their dear dogs. While behavior changes in dogs are possible, they are rare. I don’t often hear anecdotal reports from my clients of their dog acting weird on prednisone.
Undeniably, prednisone does come with a litany of other side effects. The most common side effects of prednisone for dogs include:
Increased thirst
Excessive thirst very commonly occurs with prednisone administration and generally stops when the medication is discontinued. This side effect may be dramatic, but restricting water for dogs on prednisone is not generally recommended.
Panting
Dogs taking prednisone often sound as if they’ve just come in from running a 5K in the South Carolina summer heat when they’re at rest. Though this can sound frightening, it also resolves once the medications are done.
Increased appetite
This side effect, an increased appetite, can actually sometimes work to our advantage. Dogs on prednisone for cancer treatment, IBD, or other conditions that affect their appetite often eat better on the medication. However, sometimes ravenous dogs will get into the trash or “counter surf” while on prednisone. This appetite increase can lead to weight gain if unchecked.
Energy changes
Again a side effect that can work to our advantage sometimes. Dogs that don’t feel well often perk up a bit on prednisone. Other dogs may become restless, though.
Increased urination
What goes in must come out. Dogs with increased water intake will have increased urine output. Some otherwise house-trained dogs may have pee accidents in the house because of this.
Vomiting
Dogs on higher doses of prednisone sometimes experience vomiting.
Diarrhea or dark stool
GI upset caused by prednisone can manifest as a dog vomiting, having diarrhea, or both. Dark, tarry stool may be more of a concern, though, as this may be a sign of a GI ulcer.
Long-term side effects of prednisone in dogs
We can all agree that prednisone is a very useful, sometimes life-saving medication. I have certainly used it for many of my patients and have seen tremendous improvement. I am very cautious, though, and try to avoid using prednisone as a long-term treatment whenever possible (the exception being Addisonian dogs).
Prolonged use of prednisone increases the risk of many side effects, especially GI upset. Also, combining exogenous (medication) steroids with endogenous (cortisol produced by the adrenal glands) steroids for a long time may be detrimental to your dog’s health.
Iatrogenic Cushing’s disease
Essentially, by giving prednisone long-term, we can cause a form of Cushing’s disease in dogs, called iatrogenic Cushing’s disease. The term iatrogenic means we caused it ourselves, in this case, by giving too much prednisone. In contrast, when Cushing’s disease occurs naturally, it is because the adrenal glands are producing high levels of cortisol on their own.
Dogs with iatrogenic or naturally occurring Cushing’s Disease tend to have thin skin and a thin coat with areas of hair loss. They may have a potbellied appearance. Additionally, many of the short-term side effects in the list above also apply to dogs with Cushing’s disease.
Other possible side effects of prednisone for dogs
The immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects of prednisone, while helpful in managing some conditions, can also be problematic.
Suppressing a dog’s immune system may leave them susceptible to other maladies, such as:
- Urinary tract infection in dogs—up to 30% of dogs on long-term prednisone have occult (undetected) UTIs
- Decreased wound healing
- Fungal infections
- Viral infections
- Demodectic mange
Long-term use of prednisone in dogs can also affect certain metabolic or endocrine systems. Signs can include:
- Abnormal thyroid function
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Increased kidney enzymes—Prednisone should be used with extreme caution in dogs with kidney disease
- Muscle wasting
- High blood pressure
- Increased blood sugar—Because cortisol (and therefore prednisone) increases glucose production, prednisone can push pre-diabetic dogs into full-blown diabetes
How long can a dog stay on prednisone?
As we have established, long-term use of prednisone carries some pretty weighty risks. Most of the side effects stop when we stop the medication. And although I’ve seen sensationalized social media posts claiming “prednisone killed my dog,” I always keep in mind that those dogs had underlying diseases that prompted their vets to prescribe prednisone in the first place, and prednisone use itself is very rarely fatal.
When I make the call to put a dog on prednisone, my goal is to minimize side effects and to get him or her off of it again ASAP. However, sometimes long-term use can’t be avoided. Without it, the dog would die.
Treatment courses certainly vary in length, and there is no magical time limit for keeping dogs on prednisone. Generally, anti-inflammatory treatment carries a shorter course than immunosuppressive treatment. Some dogs are on prednisone for weeks, months, or longer to treat autoimmune conditions, heartworm disease in dogs, or other chronic illnesses.
Even when treating chronic conditions, my goal is usually to decrease to the lowest effective prednisone dose or switch off prednisone after we get through acute crises.
Is it okay to use prednisone with other medications?
Any time a vet starts a new medication, they consider how it may interact with other medications the dog is already on, or that the vet may be starting at the same time. Some drug interactions can be very dangerous.
Can prednisone and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) be given together?
If a dog is already taking an NSAID, say for arthritis pain, steroids are a big, emphatic “NO!” Using those two drugs together carries a high likelihood of GI (gastrointestinal) ulceration and GI bleeding. Bloody vomit or dark, tarry diarrhea (also called melena) are urgent concerns for dogs on prednisone, since those may be symptoms of a GI ulcer.
If a dog on prednisone needs additional pain management, medications like gabapentin for dogs can be safely used with steroids in lieu of NSAIDs.
What is the prednisone dosage for dogs?
The dosing range for prednisone is fairly wide, and very dependent on the condition that is being treated. I’ve had some clients (and non-clients) ask me if it’s safe to give their “people-prednisone” to their dog. Although the actual medication is the same formulation, the dose for people is not the same as for dogs.
The side effects of prednisone can be serious and can be magnified by an inappropriate dose. This is one drug that I never advise people to dose at home, and always to get a prescription from their vet. Potentially saving a bit of money or time is just not worth the risk to your dear dog.
Is it true that you have to taper the prednisone dosage rather than stopping your dog cold turkey?
Sometimes a vet may give a very short course of prednisone—maybe three to five days—in which case we don’t typically need to taper. Otherwise, and more commonly, the prednisone dose starts out high, drops to a mid-range dose, and then finally to a low dose, before stopping completely.
The reason for this lies with the adrenal glands. Since prednisone supplies an outside source of cortisol, the adrenal glands produce less of the natural form. If this goes on long enough, the adrenal glands will actually atrophy, or shrink. We don’t want this to happen.
By tapering the prednisone, the blood levels will begin to fall gradually. This “wakes up” the adrenal glands and signals them to make more cortisol. That is really critical. Otherwise, you can induce an Addisonian crisis where the body’s cortisol levels become dangerously low.
How are dogs on prednisone monitored?
Anytime I have a dog on medication for a length of time, I want to keep a close eye on his or her bloodwork. For dogs on prednisone, this often means bloodwork to evaluate the kidneys, liver, and blood sugar.
I also want to track the status of whatever condition I am treating with prednisone through recheck exams. This lets me taper as quickly as possible to that lowest effective dose. This minimizes side effects and keeps the adrenal glands functional, active, and happy.
Helpful tips for dogs on prednisone
If your dog has been prescribed prednisone, you may be wondering how you can make things easier for your canine companion and for you. My best advice is to be aware of the side effects, and remember they are generally not permanent.
Keep in mind that dogs on prednisone will have increased thirst and urination. Your pup will likely need to go out more frequently for potty breaks, and may even have some accidents in the house. Although you may be tempted to try to minimize this side effect, never, ever restrict water intake.
Prednisone also increases a dog’s appetite, but that doesn’t mean you should give in to those begging eyes. The four weight management tips I share in my article, How to Help a Dog Lose Weight, may help prevent your dog from packing on the prednisone pounds.
Dogs on prednisone may be restless (or even just seem restless with all the panting). Try to minimize outside stressors by keeping their routine the same, making sure they have a comfortable place to rest, and getting plenty of TLC!
What should I discuss with my vet if my dog is going to take prednisone?
As you can see by now, the decision to use prednisone for dogs should never be made lightly, but sometimes it is necessary and even lifesaving. The best advice I can give you is to have an open and honest conversation with your vet if you have concerns.
- Listen carefully to the explanation of why prednisone is being used and ask any questions that arise.
- Find out how long your vet expects your dog to be on prednisone and discuss the plan for tapering.
- Review the side effects and what to monitor.
Watch your pet for any serious or unexpected side effects and report them to your veterinarian immediately. Also, keep him or her apprised of how your dog’s condition is responding to the prednisone so dosage adjustments can be made if needed.
Parting thoughts on prednisone for dogs
As veterinarians, we love helping our patients. We also love helping our clients understand why we’re doing what we’re doing and how they can best help their pets.
Prednisone for dogs can have some really significant side effects. But sometimes it is necessary and even miraculous. When used judiciously, it can really improve the quality of life in dogs with lots of different conditions.
Work with your veterinarian
As with any medication (but maybe especially with prednisone), talk to your vet about its use, dosage, side effects, and course of treatment. You should have clear and open communication with your veterinarian before, during, and after your dog’s treatment with prednisone.
If you have questions about prednisone for your dog, please discuss them with your vet!
If your dog has taken prednisone, what advice would you give to others?
Please comment below. We can all benefit from the experiences of others.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published April 26, 2021. It has been updated to include more information on prednisone for dogs.
My 4.5 year old Morkie was diagnosed with no infectious encephalitis after an MRI in August 2024. We did a treatment of cytosar and prednisone 5mg once daily. We added in mycophenolate so we could eventually taper the prednisone. He did amazing and was pretty much back to normal on this regime. We had a recheck with our neurologist and was told to taper to 4mg for the prednisone. Now there was an error on their end. They moved us to liquid prednisone and instead of prescribing 4mg it was 2.4mg! So I was giving my Thomas such a low dose for 2 weeks and that’s when he started showing symptoms so I called right away and this was uncovered. We are back to 5mg until Monday and then we provide an update. So far he his head has been a bit wobbly and he keeps trying to bite one side by his lower spine. He has twitches here and there. My question is how long does it take for the prednisone to help again? He’s eating, drinking and bowel movements have been normal this whole time. I just want him to get back to where he was before this error.
Hi Lorraine,
I am sorry your pup has been through so much over the past few months. There is no definitive period of time for your dog’s body to start responding to the medication. Generally, I expect to see improvement fairly quickly. How is Thomas doing today? Hoping things are back on track and he is feeling well. Praying for continued success and wishing you both nothing but the best.
Hi
My 12 1/2 year old min pin ( rescue) was diagnosed with mammary gland tumors. They were removed 2 1/2 weeks ago and she was recovering nicely. A few days later we were told she has stage 3 cancer after the biopsy results. Keira was recovering nicely from the surgery and we wanted to wait for her to heal a few more days before diving into looking what we could do to see an oncologist for options if the cancer has spread or was it all removed. Sadly in the interim our 18 year old Min pin passed away a few days ago and now Keira is acting withdrawn and not eating and sleeping a lot .
Plus, our daughters left for college and the house hold dynamics have changed. We have an appointment with our vet to see if she’s depressed, still healing or has the cancer spread. Do you think trying a few roads of prednisone may help with the cancer?
Dear Carolyn,
I am sorry your family has been through so much over the past few weeks. I understand your concern for your senior girl with this difficult diagnosis she is facing. While prednisone can be very helpful for some cancerous conditions, I am not sure if it will offer the benefits you are seeking for your pup. I usually use it in cases where the cancer has spread to the lungs and is causing breathing trouble due to inflammation or if I need to shrink the tumor size to promote comfort (bladder tumors, bone tumors, etc.). It still may be a good idea to discuss this option with your vet. Hoping you can find a way to restore your girl’s quality of life for as long as possible. Best wishes and bless you and your family.
My Giant Schnauzer Zsa is on 80 mg of prednisone daily. She had a recent bout with weight loss, 10 lbs, and an ultrasound revealed an enlarged spleen and low platelets. This is her first ultrasound, but she has been on rounds of steroids at least 5 times in the last two years, her plates were at times -0-. The vet has stated she has itp. She is only five years old Is there any other treatment for this disease? The dog drinks excessive water and pees all over the house. She eats a terrible amount of food. I can’t see limiting food or water when I am the one dispensing the drug causing all these problems. I can’t hardly take it anymore
Hi Terri,
I am sorry Zsa is living with this terrible disease. ITP can be very tricky to treat and sometimes requires several medication changes and adjustments to find the right combination. Here is a link to another article with more information: ITP in Dogs: Through the Eyes of a Veterinarian and Dog Mom
Don’t forget you can always ask for a consultation with an internal medicine specialist if needed. Hoping you get the answers you need to ensure Zsa remains happy and healthy for many years to come. Best wishes to you both!
my 9 year old Cane Corso was diagnosed with masticatory myositis last year. He was initially treated with a high dose of prednisone. That helped greatly. I made the mistake of giving him the higher dose for too long and he started losing muscle mass quickly. Our vet referred us to a specialty vet who helped us lower the dose and started him on mycophenolate to wean off prednisone. He relapsed as soon as we got to a low dose of prednisone. We stopped mycophenolate and upped pred. Then vet had us start cyclosporene with same result. Then azothyaprene with same result. We start higher prednisone when he relapses. Now vet wants a scan to try to find if it’s something else. I cannot afford a scan. The meds have been very expensive. He has pain when opening his mouth. His head is flat on one side. Do you have any information on further treatment for MMM? Thank you so much.
Hi Vonda,
I am sorry your senior guy is living with this terrible disease. I understand your concern with the prednisone side effects and wish the other medications had been effective at keeping the MMM symptoms suppressed. I am not aware of any other treatments available and would defer to the expertise of the specialist you are seeing. You could consider pursuing alternative therapies and see if there is a vet in your area that practices Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ultimately, if you think your boy is suffering and his quality of life is poor, it may be best to say goodbye and offer him relief from his struggles. Praying for answers and a clear path forward. Bless you and your sweet boy.
Hello, my sixteen year old Nova Scotia Duck Toller, Echo has recently been diagnosed with what her vet thinks is Pemphigus (I say ‘thinks’ because we have elected to try Prednisone and see if it is effective before doing expensive and uncomfortable biopsies on her lesions to rule out cancer.) She had three small lesions on her face and redness in her gums and anus. After three weeks I’m happy to say she has significantly improved. She is very active for her age and has had no loss in energy, but she has shown some panting, increased thirst and appetite, and some restlessness. This is all manageable, but she has had episodes of diarrhea over the last few days, which is concerning and difficult to manage. We have no idea how long she will be on the prednisone and we are in the process of finding the lowest effective dose. If necessary, is there medication that she can take long term to control the diarrhea?
Hi Linda,
I am sorry your senior girl is living with this difficult disease. I am glad you noticed an improvement once starting the prednisone but understand your concern with the ongoing side effects. There are medication options for long term management of diarrhea, but you would need to discuss them with your vet. Also, if your girl is not currently taking a probiotic, I recommend considering adding one to her daily regimen. Hoping you can find a way to achieve a good balance with her medications. Wishing you all the best and keep up the good work!
My 13 yo 75lb boy was just diagnosed with lymphoma. We chose not to go the chemo route for a couple of reasons, one being his age, two, the financial side of it. Instead we were prescribed prednisone at 60mg/d. This is a high dose but I know it’s not long term.
I also have changed his diet. He isn’t interested in his kibble so I’m making his meals. They consists of lean meats, ground turkey, ground beef, chicken breast, sardines for omega 3 benefits, mushrooms, and broccoli. I don’t know how long he has left but I am devoted to do whatever I can to keep him comfortable and as healthy as I can. I had another dog that had IMHA, and was prescribed prednisone so I’m well aware of the side effects. I don’t think my boy will be on it long term so I’m hoping he tolerates it well in the short term. Any advice or experiences are welcomed. Thank you.
Dear Miriam,
I am sorry your senior guy has received this terrible diagnosis. He is lucky to have you taking such good care of him and serving him delicious home cooked meals. Here is a link to another article with more information about lymphoma: Lymphoma in Dogs: Signs, Treatment, Prognosis
Hoping you can make the most of the time you are gifted and find joy in each day you spend together. Best wishes and bless you both. ♥
My 8 1/2 year old mastiff has been diagnosed with non regenerative anemia, kidney failure and some form of cancer (we didn’t get a detailed report)
He is currently on prednisone along with pain medication.
He was never really a food driven dog so having a low appetite is normal for him.
My question is, with the pain medication and prednisone, will that cause a worsening impact on his kidneys? He’s 105kgs and is on 2 steroids a day.
Thanks so much
Hi Meg,
I am so sorry your big guy has received these difficult diagnoses. I understand your concern and think it is good you are searching for advice. You are correct that some pain medications and steroids can have a negative impact on kidney function. With that being said, when dealing with palliative care, often the benefits outweigh the potential risks. If you want more information or have lingering concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to your vet. I am sure they would be willing to discuss their reasoning for the treatment that was chosen and address any unmet needs. Hoping your boy can maintain his quality of life for as long as possible. Wishing you all the best as you navigate this difficult path.
My 13 yo 75lb boy was just diagnosed with lymphoma. We chose not to go the chemo route for a couple of reasons, one being his age, two, the financial side of it. Instead we were prescribed prednisone at 60mg/d. This is a high dose but I know it’s not long term.
I also have changed his diet. He isn’t interested in his kibble so I’m making his meals. They consists of lean meats, ground turkey, ground beef, chicken breast, sardines for omega 3 benefits, mushrooms, and broccoli. I don’t know how long he has left but I am devoted to do whatever I can to keep him comfortable and as healthy as I can. I had another dog that had IMHA, and was prescribed prednisone so I’m well aware of the side effects. I don’t think my boy will be on it long term so I’m hoping he tolerates it well in the short term. Any advice or experiences are welcomed. Thank you.
Hi Miriam,
I am sorry your senior guy has received this cancer diagnosis. I agree, when facing a palliative care situation, the benefits of steroid administration usually outweigh the possible side effects. I hope the prednisone will offer continued comfort and relief for your boy. Try to make the most of the time you are gifted and give your sweet pup a hug for me. ♥
Love this article! Very informative!
My ShiTzu has been on prednisone every day for a year now. Most nights, he is so restless & won’t sleep. Therefore, I can’t get any sleep. I WILL NOT lock him out of “our” bedroom! He has slept with me for 13 yrs. Is there anything he can safely have to help him sleep?
Hi R,
I understand your concern for your pup and think it is great you are searching for advice. He is a lucky guy to have you taking such good care of him. There definitely are medication and supplement options that can help him sleep better and more consistently. It would be best to discuss this with your vet to make sure whatever you try will not interact negatively with his other medications. Some people have good luck with melatonin and others use anti-anxiety treatments. I will attach links to other articles with more information. Hoping you can find a solution that works for you and your sweet boy.
1. Senior Dog Anxiety at Night? 9 Solutions for Better Sleep
2. Marvelous Melatonin for Dogs
3. Sundowners in Dogs: A Veterinarian’s Guide
Thank you for this article – our beloved 12 year old Swiss Shepherd is on prednisone to help with a brain tumor (she was no longer responding much, nor was she able to walk properly) – since then she has become an entirely different dog, she is walking again, eating, interacting… We are so happy and grateful! However, as a side effect, she has been drinking and urinating A LOT. I am aware I must not restrict her water intake, however I can’t take her out more than 8 times a day for her walks (we live in a small apartment). I am using two sets of two washable floor diapers and it’s still not enough, as she is urinating a huge amount every time. Any tips on how to best handle this situation? The apartment is rented and the floors are wooden floors.
Dear Flavia,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult situation with your senior Shepherd. I can only imagine how hard it must be to try and balance her health and well-being and the maintenance of your home. Are you using pads on the floor and diapers? If you haven’t tried having her wear diapers, that could prove to be helpful. You may have to use gates to section off a small area in your apartment that you cover heavily with pee pads/puppy training pads and have her stay there when you are not available to take her outside. Honestly, there really isn’t a great solution. This is just one of those very hard seasons of life. Hoping your girl can maintain for a while longer and keep finding joy in her days. Praying for strength and comfort. Bless you both. ♥
Hello my 10 year old Belgian shepherd has been diagnosed with pulmonary mets secondary to some Osseous tumour in his leg (we haven’t done the biopsy).. last night the vet gave him prednisone after which his pain reduced markedly… I wanted to know if prednisone could be used for the long term on my dog? For how long can I use prednisone in my dog without causing him serious harm?
Dear Sarah,
I am sorry your senior pup has received this difficult diagnosis. If the spots seen in the lungs are definitely metastasis of a bone tumor, then your boy is probably living in his final days. While long term prednisone is not ideal, when facing a hospice situation, the benefits often outweigh any potential complications. If you need additional information or advice, don’t hesitate to ask for a consultation with an oncologist. Praying for comfort and peace for you and your sweet boy. Bless you both.
Our mini Schnauzer is being treated for IMHA diagnosed about 2.5 weeks ago. He is on Prednisone 2x daily along with Atopica. He wants to eat constantly but gets 3 well-balanced smaller meals a day. He is very shaky on his feet, particularly his hind legs and his energy level is still well below what it was. Is there anything we can feed him to slow the muscle weakness/atrophy. He is due to start tapering the Pred next week. Perhaps that will help with the energy level? I can’t help think that more energy would mean more movement and more strength. Any advice welcome.
Thanks!
Hi Brian,
I am sorry your boy is dealing with this difficult disease. While prednisone can cause muscle weakness, this may also still be a side effect from the IMHA. I am not sure you can combat the muscle atrophy with diet alone and agree it will probably take a combination of exercise and weaning off these medications. Here is a link to another article with more information and great comments from other readers: IMHA in Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide
Hoping your pup can keep fighting and praying he will start to feel better once the steroids have been discontinued. Feel free to keep us updated on how things are going. Best wishes to you and your sweet boy.
Could only figure out how to comment thru reply.. We rescued a puppy that was abandoned at our home. Her face began to swell to where here eye was closed within 24 hours. Vet put her on steroids. The swelling was almost gone within 24-48 hours. She is on a tapering dose, but her swelling is returning. Is this normal
Hi Shannon,
I am sorry your puppy is experiencing this worrisome issue with facial swelling. The fact that the swelling is returning as you taper the prednisone tells me that the underlying issue is still present and needs to be diagnosed. If your vet can find the cause of the swelling, then you can figure out how to resolve it or keep it under control. Facial swelling is usually an allergic reaction but can also happen due to MANY other conditions. Please reach out to your vet right away and let them know about the recurring problem. Hoping for quick answers and a clear path forward!
My female Border Collie, 11.5 yrs old, 50 lbs, has small cell B lymphoma and is on a 30mg dose of Prednisone for 2 weeks, then we have instructions to taper down to 20mg every 24-48 hours as needed. Tonight will be her 10th dose of 30mg and her lymph node swelling is almost gone (was her only symptom). She’s been panting a lot more past couple of days but besides that and more drinking, she behaves the same. Will some of those side effects decrease as the dose decreases?
Hi Tammy,
I am sorry your Border Collie received this difficult diagnosis, but what a blessing she has responded so well to treatment! The prednisone side effects should decrease as the dosage is decreased. Some dogs are more sensitive to steroids than others and may still show side effects until the steroids are stopped completely. Hoping you can find the right balance to keep the lymphoma under control and also keep the side effects to a minimum. Wishing you all the best and praying for healing for your sweet girl.
Hello Dr Busby, My apologies for asking a question here, but I couldn’t work out how to post a new question. My 12 year old male 4.5kg Yorkie started high dose steroids 9 mg a day yesterday for suspected Thrombocytopenia, which was found incidentally on a pre-GA blood test for dental extraction. Following this, he had an ultrasound to rule out abdominal tumours and this was NAD.. I am very concerned about side effects of the steroids, but feel I have no other option, given the extremely low platelets. He has had two doses of medication now, is very quiet, but doesn’t have excessive thirst, urination or panting. The plan is to retest bloods in one week to see if the platelets are recovering and if so, to reduce the steroids down by 1/2 mg. I would be grateful for your thoughts please. Thank you, Jackie
Hi Jackie,
I am sorry your little guy is dealing with a low platelet count. From what you describe it sounds like your vet is providing the standard of care that would be expected for this situation. I am glad your pup is not experiencing any negative side effects and hope you will receive favorable results at the next blood work recheck. Praying for steady improvement and a full recovery for your sweet boy.
I cannot figure out how to post other than replying. My apologies to Brian.
Our vet put my 13 year old Corgi on prednisone for asthma, stating it will be a life long medication.
she used to snort like a pug. After the prednisone, she does this less. but she suddenly seems as if she is on deaths door. Lethargic, lays and pants heavily. her breathing is labored and heavy. She looks distressed. She does not play. She just stands and stares if she is not laying down. She looks as if she is suddenly dying. The vet brushed this off. help.
Hi Rhenn,
I am sorry your Corgi is living with asthma and is now exhibiting these worrisome symptoms. This definitely sounds like side effects of prednisone, but it would be best to rule out the possibility of something contributing to her issues. Please make sure your vet is aware of your dog’s recent change in her condition and behavior. It may be possible to decrease her prednisone dosage a bit to achieve the same benefits but with less side effects. Also, you can always ask for a consultation with a specialist if needed. They may have ideas about other ways to treat the asthma without having to use steroids. Hoping you can find a way to get your sweet girl comfortable and restore her quality of life. Best wishes to you both. ♥
Hello! My boyfriend accidentally gave his 10lb dog a full tablet of Prednisone when she’s only supposed to be taking half of one every 12 hours. The bottle said they’re 5mg. Will it hurt her to have accidentally had the whole tablet just one time?
Hi Chloe,
I understand your concern for your boyfriend’s dog and think it is great you are trying to help. I do not think this will cause an issue, but without knowing all the dog’s medical details, I can’t say for sure. Please contact your vet so they can advise you how to proceed. They will also be able to offer guidance on whether to administer the evening dosage or not. If you cannot reach your vet, you can contact a local emergency clinic or call the pet poison helpline if needed. Hoping all is well and wishing you the best of luck!
Hi-
My 1 1/2 y/o boxer mix was put on prednisone for low WBC count to try and get his bloodwork back to normal. He was on 10mg twice a day. Hes been on it 5 days so far and has all of the common side effects but also seems to be having some extreme ones. He seems very confused ( forgets who people are, waking up confused) and weak. He keeps stumbling into things around the house and can barely walk steps at home. He also has not been sleeping at night.
They also used sedatives at the vet to calm him down and it nearly took him 4 days to recover from the effects of that where he also had trouble walking, which is not common for him.
He returned to the vet today where his bloodwork improved and we were told to decrease his dosage the next 3 days.
Are these side effects he’s experiencing normal for some dogs? The vet didn’t seem to have very many answers for us as to if they are and if he will recover from them. Does he need to be eased off of the prednisone since he was only on it a few days? Thank you for the article.
Hi Amanda,
I am sorry your boy is having such severe side effects from the prednisone. While steroids can cause muscle weakness, this is usually seen with long term administration. I am not aware of prednisone causing confusion, but I guess it is possible. If these worrisome issues are due to the medication, then you should start to see an improvement as you decrease the dosage. I do like to slowly wean off prednisone even with a short course of treatment. How are things today? Hoping your boy is doing better and praying for healing and relief. Feel free to leave an update and let us know how things are going if you have a chance.
My 14 year old red nose is allergic to NSAIDs, first loose stools, then bloody stools, finally vomiting. He has inflammation in his knee from ACL surgery several years ago and IVDD. We just started a 3 week step down regimen of prednisone. He is also on Librela. He does tolerate ice packs on his knee. I know he is at end of life but was wondering if there was anything else we could try once he’s regimen is over. He also takes Daxoquin.
Thank you for such an informative article.
Hi Denise,
I am sorry your boy is dealing with joint pain and NSAIDs are not an option due to their severe side effects. You are already doing such a great job with all you have in place. There are a few other things that may be useful such as acupuncture, laser therapy, PEMF mats, CBD products, and deer antler velvet supplements. You can also discuss with your vet the possibility of adding in other medications such as gabapentin and amantadine. I will attach links to other articles with more information. Hoping you can find the best combination of therapies to offer your sweet boy relief and comfort. Best wishes and keep up the good work!
1. Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 13 Methods
2. What is Gabapentin for Dogs?
3. Amantadine for Dogs: Everything You Need To Know
4. Deer Antler Velvet: The Science Behind the Supplement
5. How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
My 3 1/2 year beagle had diarrhoea like 5 times in the span of few hours and had blood in it. I took him to the doctor and they did anal gland cleaning and gave antibiotics and anti bleeders for 3 days. Diarrhoea stopped after we took him to the vet but he was still passing blood in his stool after the anti bleeding medication was done so I took him to another vet and he did a blood test and he had low platelets 73000 and had fever. He suspected relapse of tick fever which he got last year in October and started him on antibiotic and prednisone and we also changed his food to suit gastrointestinal problems.
After we changed his food his stool became normal and he was active. Next day we started antibiotics and prednisone which was prescribed 30mg 2x per day my beagle weighs 40.7lbs
From the time I started prednisone he became very restless low on energy and has been drinking a lot of water and is asking for food it’s been 2 days and he has a pot belly does not urinate in the house waits for us to take him out he was very active before I started this treatment. Now he pants a lot after his daily walks and does not walk as he use to before does not sleep as he was before. His front leg started shaking.
Now the tick fever came back negative and doctor asked to continue prednisone for 3 more days. In this case is this for increasing the platelets is this worth the side effects and is there any alternative
Hi Tj,
I understand your concern for your pup with all he has been through over the past few days. Yes, the prednisone is to suppress the immune system and allow the platelet numbers to return to normal (to stop the bleeding). I know you want to offer your boy some relief, but 3 days is not very long in the grand scheme of things and the temporary side effects may be worth the benefits. These negative side effects should resolve on their own once the prednisone is discontinued. Here is an article with more information that may help to clear up why the prednisone is a necessary evil in this situation: ITP in Dogs: Through the Eyes of a Veterinarian and Dog Mom
Hoping your boy can continue to improve and praying for a full recovery. Feel free to leave an update and let us know how things are going!
My dog is 16 years old and has severe arthritis and IVDD. He’s been on and off Prednisolone for several years now it’s incredible to see him come back to life. But now of course he’s urinating all over the house and sometimes even in his bed. He seems generally happy but mostly sleeps all day. I’m starting to wonder if this is not the best quality of life for him.
Hi Mike,
I am sorry your boy is having side effects from the steroids. If the prednisolone is being used to keep the IVDD and arthritis inflammation under control, it may be possible to start some other pain medications and slowly wean your pup off the steroid. I will attach links to other articles with great information and many different ways to combat arthritis and joint pain. Hoping you can find some ideas to discuss with your vet and they can help you restore your senior boy’s quality of life. Best wishes and keep up the good work!
1. How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
2. Dog Arthritis Treatment: 8 Ways to Help a Senior Dog at Home
3. Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 13 Methods
4. How To Comfort A Dog in Pain: 9 Vet-Recommended Ideas
Hi! Great information on prednisone. My aussie has been on prednisone for 2 weeks for lymphoma. He is doing ok on the medicine, no crazy side effects. We are supposed to drop to half a pill once a day instead of twice daily. Is he going to decline health wise? We are heading out of town for a week, would it be ok to keep him on half a pill twice daily for another week?
Thanks
Hi Jeanette,
I understand your concern for your Aussie and think it is good you are planning ahead. It is possible you may see an increase in symptoms from the lymphoma as you decrease the prednisone, but there really is no way to tell for sure without giving it a try. It might be best to keep the dosage higher to avoid potential complications while traveling, but you would have to get this approved by your vet since they are familiar with all of your boy’s medical details. I encourage you to call your vet and discuss these concerns. They should be able to help you come up with a plan to keep everyone comfortable and stress free. Wishing you all the best. Give your sweet boy a hug for me. ♥
my dog Harley had her ears cleaned and had to use ear ointment, she was on Presnizone and Clavet, I took her back to the vet because beside the normal side effects of drinking lots of water and having a crazy appetite she became…best I can describe it… depressed really, not playing as normal not getting excited about anything etc, Vet took her off the Prednizone, how long until she will be back to her old self?
Hi Bianca,
I am sorry Harley experienced this strange change in behavior and I understand why you are concerned. If the depression is a side effect of the prednisone, then you should start to notice an improvement very quickly after stopping the medication. Without having definitive evidence to show the medication is to blame, it is hard to make specific conclusions. Hoping you can get things turned around soon and Harley can get back to living her best life.
My 7.5 year old pit mix has been on prednisone for about 4 months after being diagnosed with lymphoma.
She has done very well. In the beginning she was urinating excessively and panting. She has since stopped. She does have a bit o trouble sleeping. I will call my vet. But I’m just wondering if I should stop giving her the prednisone since she is doing well. She has gained weight and has a pot belly. Not as much energy as she used to have of course. Can her lymphoma be in remission?
I didn’t think she would live this long once she was diagnosed about 4-5 months ago.
Hi Lisa,
I am sorry your girl has received this difficult diagnosis, but what a blessing she is doing so well with treatment. I would not recommend discontinuing the prednisone as this is the reason why she is feeling good and not showing any severe symptoms from her cancer. I am not sure I would call this “remission” but rather a temporary improvement or plateau. I am glad you have gained so much extra quality time together. Try to make the most of the days you are gifted. Bless you and your sweet girl.
This is a great article on prednisone. My Rottweiler has been on prednisone for nine months and he is now down to 5 mg every other day as I try to wean him off. Most recently, his fur has been coming out in clumps and he has dry scaly patches. My vet tells me not to worry about it because it’s just a side effect of the prednisone. However, I would love to find a way to reduce the hair loss and give him some relief. Is there anything you would suggest or I could explore with my vet?
Hi Anna,
I understand your concern for your Rottweiler with his long-term use of prednisone. Unfortunately, I am not sure how to offer relief from side effects without lowering the dosage further or discontinuing the medication. I would offer a word of caution about the scaly dry patches of skin. This could be a sign that your pup is developing Cushing’s disease. I would talk to your vet about this possibility and get their expert opinion. Also, depending on what condition your boy has that the prednisone is treating, it may be possible to switch him over to a different medication. Hoping your dog can continue to improve and wishing him all the best at a full recovery.
My 11 year old standard poodle started holding his head sideways and could barely walk. Took him to the vet. She said he has something neurological, brain tumor likely. Put him on prednisone. Two days later, his head became straight and he’s doing much better. It’s now been three weeks. He is doing well, except his tremendous thirst and hunger. He is constantly panting.
My question is, could it have been something else? The vet didn’t give much hope , but also didn’t really answer questions that we had. I was too upset to ask, I was holding back tears. We didn’t get an MRI. Closest one is three hours away and very expensive.
Is there a way that we can wean him off of the prednisone? Will we be taking too much of a risk?
Hi Audry,
I am sorry your boy experienced this scary episode and I understand your concern. Without more advanced testing there is no way to pinpoint the cause of these neurological symptoms and yes, it is possible this could be something else. Another condition that comes to mind is vestibular disease. Here is an article with more information: Vestibular Disease in Dogs: Doggy Vertigo
Unfortunately, the only way to know if you can wean him off the prednisone is to give it a try and see how he responds. There is risk involved but I’m not sure it outweighs the benefits. Try to focus on quality of life and you may want to discuss finding a vet in your area that specializes in palliative care should the symptoms return. Hoping you can find the answers you need to give your sweet boy relief. Wishing you all the best of luck and praying for a positive outcome.
Same symptoms as my dog and he was diagnosed by MRI with SMRA meningitis. It’s along road on pred but we are getting there.
My dog was diagnosed with Addison Disease a few weeks ago – she is on prednisone and started the shot (every 25 days) and was on 7..5ml twice a day with prednisone, then reduced to 5mil twice a day, now 5ml once a day because of the extreme urination – is there anything else that she can take besides prednisone?
Hi Linda,
I am sorry your girl is having these extreme side effects from the prednisone. While there are other steroids that can be used, prednisone has shown to be the most effective as a treatment for Addison’s. Also, any steroid used will probably cause similar side effects, especially if your pup is sensitive to them. Unfortunately, Addison’s disease causes a lack of natural steroid to be produced so the treatment has to include the supplementation of steroids. There is still hope that with time your vet can get the dosage adjusted so that it offers the maximum benefit with minimal negative effects. The process of getting a newly diagnosed Addisonian dog regulated is a bit of trial and error and takes great patience. In the meantime, it might be worth utilizing diapers to help prevent accidents. Wishing you all the best and praying for brighter days ahead.
My boxer dog is on prednisone along with Atopica for auto immune disease in an attempt to “reboot” his system as his platelets get dangerously low. As a result of the steroids, he has great muscle waste and it is affecting his ability to walk (his back legs have gotten extremely weak). What can I do for him and will he regain his strength when we hopefully wean him off the prednisone if his platelets get back on track?
Hi Hesther,
I am sorry your Boxer is struggling with ITP and is experiencing side effects from the prednisone. There is a chance he can regain his strength once the steroids have been discontinued, but the more muscle he can maintain the better. I highly recommend you ask about a veterinary rehabilitation professional in your area. Rehab and physical therapy are great ways to keep muscle wasting at bay and offer strength training even if exercise has to be kept to a minimum for now. Hoping your boy will respond quickly to the treatment and praying for a full recovery. Feel free to keep us updated on how he is doing!
My dog was prescribed 5mg of predicare 4 times a day for seasonal allergies effecting his ears otisis. He had them for a period of 3-5 days then took him off them until the next flare up, in summer his fair ups where every time I stopped the prednicare so the vet suggested 5mg daily throughout summer so he has been on only 5mg a day for around 8-12 weeks so classed as long term for this drug. I upped it to 10-15mg a day during the bad flares ups then dropped back down to 5mg now he is a bulldog 35kg in weight so it is a very low dose however he is very stomach sensitive as bully breeds tend to be. Lately he’s had terrible acid reflux & occasional morning vomiting sometimes bile sometimes a little bit of food still in the stomach from the day before but always early morning or middle of the night after midnight so the timing looks more like acid than anything like a ulcer or tumour etc however I have now stopped completely no need to taper as he was down to 5mg a day & he has had a week on antacids but still having reflux daily & vomitted once when the antacids ran out ! My vet suggested a ultrasound , he isn’t too concerned about extremes like cancer but wants to check for ulcers & rule that out , he isn’t losing weight , he’s not lethargic, poos are fairly normal sometimes slightly hard but no runny & no blood which would indicate possible cancer , he has a appetite but he’s greedy so I find it hard to believe he wouldn’t regardless! Is reflux and vomiting possible on such a low dose as long term use or should I be more concerned about something more serious
Hi Dk,
I am sorry your boy is living with allergies and is now having GI issues as well. I am not used to seeing reflux and vomiting as a side effect of steroids. While it is possible, I agree with your vet that more investigation needs to take place to rule out other things that could be contributing. How are things today? Are the GI symptoms still occurring? Hoping all is well and wishing your sweet boy comfort and healing.
Hello Dr
My puppy has been on prednisone for two weeks for puppy strangles. Now we’re on the two weeks of tapering, I notice just today that I did the math wrong for her every 48 hours dosage after 24 hours dosage and accidentally jumped to 72 hours her last two dosages. She needs one more dose of e 48 hrs and then I’m supposed to go to every 72hs. Should I just give her the last e 48hrs dose tomorrow when it was supposed to be or keep doing e 72hrs. I’m so upset with myself and embarrassed to call my vet. They have tons of attitude. Hope you can help.
She’s been good btw no odd symptoms.
Hi Ashley,
Everyone makes mistakes and this really shouldn’t be a big deal. Try not to stress. If you had already weaned your pup down to dosing every 72 hours, I would just keep that frequency until the medication was finished. Also, no matter how you think your question will be perceived, don’t hesitate to call your vet. They are there to help you and offer guidance. You need to make sure you are working with a vet whom you can trust and form a solid partnership. Hoping your sweet girl has made a full recovery and wishing you both all the best for many happy years ahead.
I have a almost 3 years old Great Dane. when she was a puppy she had puppy strangles and has a chicken allergy.
she also had knots on the tops of all 4 paws. at the time they didn’t bother her.
she now has 2 large knots on one of her hind paws. one on the side and one on top. they are very painful for her and gets to where she doesn’t want to walk because she is in so much pain. her vet has taken x-rays at different times and compared them. he says its not tumors or anything since they don’t show up on the x-rays. he said they are some sort of nodule and they can’t be removed. the only thing that helps is prednisone. we tried 2 different antibiotics and it didn’t seem to help. I don’t want to keep her on this forever due to her being a great Dane and already having that against her. my vet also stuck a needle in them to try to get samples and he said it seemed to be a thick sticky like infection.
anyway my question is have you had experience with anything like this or have any recommendations I can suggest to my vet to check for?
she has started to act lethargic like she isn’t feeling so well which has me worried she is experiencing some side effects for being on it already.
Dear Leslie,
My heart goes out to you as you face this difficult situation with your Dane. What you describe makes me suspicious about interdigital cysts, but without personally examining your pup it is hard to make specific conclusions. Here is a link to an article with more information: Interdigital Cyst in Dogs: A Painful Bump Between Your Dog’s Toes
My best recommendation is to ask your vet for a referral to a specialist. The specialist can discuss details of testing and treatment and may have access to therapies that are not readily available in general practice. Hoping you can find the answers you need to restore your sweet girl’s quality of life. Wishing you all the best of luck and praying for her healing.
Hi! My almost 14 year old lab was prescribed cortisone for a very recent diagnosis of vestibular disease. I’ve noticed she’s been shaking a lot. Is this a side effect? I was thinking she might be scared because of what’s going on with her but I’m not sure.
Hi Heather,
I am sorry your senior Lab is dealing with the symptoms of vestibular disease. While steroids can cause a number of unwanted side effects, shaking is not one I would expect. It could be due to anxiety, and it would be good to have your vet make sure it isn’t a sign of other neurological issues. Hoping your girl will recover quickly and praying for her health to be restored.
This has been happening to my dog too the past few nights. She was on 5mg of Prednisone for 5 days and on the 2nd day of starting the half pill (tapering down) she started shaking/trembling at night. 🙁
Hi there,
my dog who is roughly 12 years old was also diagnosed with vestibular disease. We had done MRI , spinal tap etc. Before this was done he had a severe tilt of head and walked somewhat sideways. We had found out he had a severe middle ear infection and blown ear drum but on oppositeside of his tilt. He was put on antibiotics and prednisone. He was doing much better until he had finished his taper and after 2 day with no prednisone he collapsed and has a extremely difficult time finding his legs under him and walking. He went to emergency vet where they said his ear was better but not completely healed. went back on prednisone and antibiotics but was told to see neurologist. When we saw the neurologist he was still on prednisone and hadn’t begun his taper. Mri looked fine and hence his diagnosis of vestibular disease. However he had another episode at exact time as before when he was on his second day of finishing his prednisone taper.
He also is shaking his head more as well.
Any thoughts? I am grasping at straws
best
jp
Dear Jason,
I am so sorry you are in this difficult situation with your senior guy. I wish I had some great advice but without playing a personal role in your dog’s medical care, it is hard to make specific conclusions or recommendations. Is the neurologist aware of this most recent relapse? It may be worth trying a longer course of prednisone or pursuing additional testing. Hoping you can find the answers you need to improve your boy’s quality of life. Wishing you all the best and praying for a positive outcome.
Thank you for this article! What advice do you have for how to manage the q1-2 hr waking for drinking/potty breaks thru the nights? Our 9-10 yr old rescue was recently dxed with IMHA and will be on prednisone for many months. She is on a high dose now, split BID. We are getting up with her continuously thru the night and I don’t know who we will manage for the next year with this frequency. Does it get better? I’m not sure how soon the steroid dose will be weaned. Can we give the entire dose in the morning? Help!!! And thank you.
Hi Zoe,
I understand why you are frustrated and searching for help. I am sorry your girl is having these severe side effects from the prednisone. The frequent urination is usually dose dependent. So, if your pup stays at this same dosage then yes, I would expect to see the same side effects. I would not recommend combining the two daily doses into one single dose. Have you thought about using dog diapers? They can hold a very large amount of urine and might help everyone make it through the night. You may need to have her sleep in a kennel or other room so that her pacing does not wake you up. Hoping the prednisone dosage can be decreased soon and praying for complete remission for your sweet girl.
What dose was this and how much does your dog weigh ?
Hi – Our almost 6 year old black lab has recently been diagnosed with PIMA – very similar to IMHA but the RBC are being destroyed sooner. (last of the bone marrow tests still need to come back to confirm). She’s on prednisone and cyclosporine… and regeneration has kicked in. (YEA). I too am up in the night for potty breaks. When I read your question I had a lightbulb moment!… what about putting in a doggy door so she’s able to ‘let herself’ out? If you have a safe secure yard, maybe that’s the answer? (or a doggy door that would go out into a kennel area). Oh the things we go through with our fur babies… Hope that helps and wishing you speedy recovery and many red blood cells! 🙂
Hi Gretchen,
Thank you for offering advice and support to others as they navigate this difficult path. Wishing your girl continued success and many happy years ahead. Bless you!
my 10 year old terrier has a collapsed trachea and has regular bouts of wheezing to which shes prescribed prednisone 2mg every day for a week then 2mg every other day for another week 10 days in and my poor furbaby is suffering with night panting and irregular breathing i know this is a side effect but im really worried
Hi dottys mum,
I am sorry your girl is experiencing these severe symptoms. While panting is a common side effect of prednisone, you should not be seeing irregular breathing. This has me concerned and I highly recommend you contact your vet. Please make sure they are aware of this ongoing issue. There could be something more serious contributing to your dog’s condition that needs more investigation. Praying for answers and a clear path forward. Wishing you both the best.
Good Day Doctor Buzby,
I’m not sure if this is the place to post my question but I really need help. My pug has been on prednisone for almost a year due to bronchial collapse and trachea collapse.
It started with 5mg per day for a month and slowly tapered to 1mg per day for the last 6 months.
He still has his occasional wheezing and reverse sneezing. But Im more concerned about his increased appetite, Recently it has gotten worse to the point that he is begging for food hourly! It really stresses me as I know it’s not good for him since he also has IVD.
Anyway he is on vegetarian diet with quinoa, spinach, carrots, pumpkin and papaya. I also supplement a bit of royal Canin sensitivity control (canned food).
But I am at a loss as his appetite is getting greater. Please advise.
Thanks
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I understand your concern for your Pug and his ravenous appetite. Without examining him myself, it is hard to determine the cause. I am not sure if this is all due to the prednisone or if something else could be contributing to his symptoms. If you have not mentioned this new development with your vet, I highly recommend you start the discussion. They may need to do an exam or perform some testing. Also, it could be a good idea to schedule a consultation with a veterinary nutritionist. They can ensure the home cooked diet you are offering is nutritionally complete and make sure it is a good fit for your dog’s specific medical needs. Hoping you can get some answers and find a clear path forward. Best of luck to you and your sweet boy.
I’m in the same boat with my lab. I will say I’ve been through the panting and don’t freak out that’s normal and it will quit. My lab went on it for the same issue. But now he is sweating to where it look like he’s stepped out in the rain. And he just isn’t right. It’s like he’s lost the strength to keep his back in up for long can’t climb in the chair at all. I don’t know what’s the issue and can’t find out till tomorrow.
Dear Robert,
I am sorry your Lab is having these severe issues. Hoping your vet can help get some answers and find the best way to offer your boy some relief. Best wishes and praying for a positive outcome.
an older terrier and noticeable breathing issues…..having had highland terriers for many years and cautiously advise about pulmonary fibrosis……a thorough chest x ray with first rate equipment can advise….
Good morning, Dr. Buzby.
I sincerely appreciate this article and all that you do.
My 2 year old Dachshund has been taking carprofenfor 2 weeks, for a slipped disc. Feeling that this hasn’t helped with any relief of pain or significant reduction of inflammation, her Dr. wants to start a 7 day treatment of 10mg of Prednisone, which I’m obviously cautious about.
I want to do everything possible to try and prevent a full-blown case of IVDD, so after reading your article, I think I’m going to start the Prednisone for her, this morning.
I’m concerned about the dosage, as I don’t want to give her anymore than necessary. She weighs 19 pounds and is a very compact girl; 1.5 inch legs, and only 16 inches from back of head to tail.
I understand the issues with dosing discussions, but do you feel 10mg would be too high for my Roxie? For 7 days?
Again, you’ve given me some peace and reassurance, and I appreciate that, no matter what. Thank you.
Hi Bobbi,
I am sorry your Dachshund is dealing with IVDD symptoms. I understand your concern with prednisone and the potential side effects. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, I really can’t give out dosing information. This medication has a wide range of recommended dosages. The most important thing right now is to get the inflammation around the spinal cord to decrease. Your vet will probably adjust the dosage based on how your pup responds. Also, 7 days is a very short course of steroids. I wouldn’t expect any long-term issues after giving steroids for such a short amount of time. Hoping your sweet girl will start to improve and praying for a full recovery.
hi,I have a 7 year old male dashound that has ivdd he’s had it almost a year now at first he was put on prednisone 2x a day for 3 days then it was 1x a day for 4 days well that pill worked wonders cause my dog was in so much pain after that course he went 2 months without pain then all of a sudden he was in pain again so I had to call the vet to get another prescription of prednisone he takes 1 pill 2x a day every day for the last couple of months and he can’t go a day without missing it or he will be in pain,I’ve tried 1 pill a day but by the next morning he was in alot of pain so I’m guessing he will be on prednisone for the rest of his life.
Hi Jamie,
I am sorry your Dachshund is having these chronic IVDD issues. While I am glad the prednisone helps offer relief from the pain, I am concerned about the possible side effects of long-term steroid use. It may be time to schedule a consultation with a specialist and discuss treatment options. Your boy might be a good candidate for surgical correction of his IVDD. Wishing you both the best of luck and praying for a positive outcome.
We started a 12 day cycle 3 days ago to tackle an interdigital cyst that’s come back 3 times now and avoid operating, aside from increased thirst which I was expecting he’s been having these loud sneezes out of the blue, mostly normal ones but sometimes he also throws in the reverse ones.
I know it’s an immunosuppressant so that might be the cause, but could he be allergic? Since it’s the 26th vet’s closed today so I couldn’t ask them if it was a normal reaction, what do you think?
Hi Martin,
I too am puzzled as to what could be the cause of your dog’s sneezing episodes. I have never heard of prednisone causing this side effect. In fact, if the sneezing was due to some sort of inflammatory problem, the prednisone should help to treat it. I wouldn’t think this is an emergency issue but would recommend you call your vet once their office is open again. Here is some additional information just in case it could be helpful: Interdigital Cyst in Dogs: A Painful Bump Between Your Dog’s Toes
Wishing you and your sweet boy the best!
My 8 month old puppy is on prednisone for mascatory muscle myositis (mmm) which he had for over a month before it was properly diagnosed. I am told mmm is extremely rare in such young dogs so vets assumed he had a jaw injury and kept prescribing pain medications which helped his pain but hid the real cause of is inability to open his jaw all the way. I am.super worried about my pup taking prednisone at such a young age but I know it saved his life. However, he does have excessive thirst and urination. I have read so much about mmm and prednisone since the diagnosis. Your article was one of the most helpful that I have found. Thank you for such a clear and thorough explanation of prednisone.
Hi Dee,
I am sorry your puppy has been through so much in his short lifetime. Thank you for the kind words and positive feedback about the article. I am glad you found it to be informative and helpful. Praying your sweet boy will continue to respond well to the medication and hoping his condition will eventually be able to remain stable without the prednisone. Wishing you all the best. Keep up the good work!
Hi! This blog is amazing! My nine-year-old lab has a mast cell tumor that is inoperable. He was put on Palladia, but had a terrible reaction to it after the first dose. He is showing signs of metastatic disease in his spleen and he has been on prednisone since July, the tumor has never shrunk down to nothing and we have been maintaining it at a certain size but now it is growing again. Is it OK to increase his prednisone dosage for a short time to shrink it back down to what we consider its normal size? Thank you!
Hi Rhea,
I am sorry your Lab has received this difficult diagnosis, and the tumor seems to be growing again. This is a great question to ask your vet and discuss the benefits verses the risks. I am not sure if your dog is already on a high dose or if there is any wiggle room to adjust it further. At higher doses, steroids can have some pretty nasty side effects. Also, when using prednisone to extend the life span of cancer patients, there will always come a time when the medication is no longer effective, and the cancer progresses. This may be what you are experiencing with your pup. Please reach out to your vet with your concerns and find out what options are available for your dog’s specific situation. Hoping he can still have some great days ahead. Bless you both. ♥
Dear Dr. We are in Brazil and my old and beloved 13 years old female Lab was diagnosed with ” Cauda Equina”. After trying other options what work for her is giving one 20mg Predisolone pill for five days and stopping for 15 days, so giving more 20mg Predisolone pills for five days and stopping . She is fine this way. Ask you please if this treatment used forever gives high risks to her or, at this time of her life it is acceptable. My kind regards
Hello Alvaro Barcellos Souza Mouawad,
I’m glad to hear that your Lab is responding well to the prednisone. Without knowing more about her health history, I can’t say for sure how risky the intermittent prednisone use would be, but I can say that being able to do it for 5 days and then stopping for 15 days should decrease the risks compared to being on it every day. Plus, there are some situations where prednisone is necessary for the dog’s comfort, and other options don’t provide the same results. Since it sounds like that may be the case here, the risks to your dog of using prednisone may be lower than the risks of not using it.
Sorry that I couldn’t be more specific. Your vet may be able to give you more details about the risks in your dog’s particular case.
I hope she continues to do well for a long time yet!
My 12 year old golden mix was diagnosed with a partial slipped disc in his neck. sometimes it would flare up and he wouldn’t be able to turn his head one way. The Prednisone worked good for it but it seemed to happen on weekends or evenings and he was in pain until I could get him to the vet. I finally talked them into prescribing extra. I found that if I could catch him right away before the inflammation got worse it helped tremendously. I would give him half a pill as soon as I noticed and keep him inactive which was easy and found that it worked right away and I didn’t have to go through the whole tapered down dosage. one half a pill would do it. 3 separate times it worked great. I hope this helps someone else out.
Hi Mark,
Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers. I am glad you found what works best for your sweet boy. He is lucky you have been so vigilant about getting the medication in quickly when a flare up begins. Wishing you both many happy days ahead. Keep up the great work!
Thank you for writing this informative article in easy to understand layman’s language. My one year old border collie was diagnosed with IMPA last week. She’s currently on prednisone among other things. I’m trying to educate myself as much as possible so that I can partner with my veterinarian as we develop a treatment plan so she can live her best life. I have noticed the panting and restlessness since starting prednisone. But, I will take that over ‘whale eyes’ and an inability to get up – scary. Her case presented itself with lethargy and a high fever first followed by joint pain and limping. On odd antedotal note, she’s decided that she doesn’t like our 13 year old dachshund anymore – related, who knows. Send positive thoughts our way as we navigate this new reality.
Hi Rebecca,
I am sorry your young pup is dealing with this terrible condition. It sounds like you were able to get a diagnosis fairly quickly and have been able to start fighting back with medications. I hope your girl will respond favorably to the treatment and can make a full recovery. Wishing you both the best as you navigate this difficult path. Praying for a positive outcome!
I’m struggling to find answers as to give steroids or not, my dog has lymphoma it will shrink the tumors, but is it worth the side effects. any information will be helpful
Hi Renee,
I just left a reply to your other message you submitted on the lymph node article. I hope you will see it too and find the link I attached to another article with great information and comments from other readers. Wishing you and your sweet boy the best. Bless you both.
I’m struggling with whether to use it for a cervical herniated disk on my 12 year old Lab. NSAIDS didn’t help. I guess it my only chance left to help him as I feel surgery at his age would be to hard on him.
Hi Erin,
It can be so hard to make these decisions for our senior dogs. I understand why you are concerned and looking for answers. You may want to consider talking to your vet about gabapentin, tramadol, or even amantadine. Your veterinarian can let you know if any of these other medications would be a good fit for your Lab. I also like to use laser therapy to reduce inflammation around the spinal cord in these cases. Hoping you can find the right combination of things to give your sweet boy relief.
My Golden Retriever ( 13 years old ) has a constant infected right ear . Yeast the vet tells me. He is always on Prednisone. If he has to be on it all the time ….how long in between should he be off Prednisone? I pay $90.. every time I go for exam and more medication. Please advise.
Thank you
Hi Petra,
I understand your concern for your Golden and this ongoing ear problem. Without playing a personal role in your dog’s medical care, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. Some dogs take medications like prednisone for their whole lives. Others only need them for short periods of time. It really all depends on the underlying diagnosis. Are these yeast infections coming from allergy problems? Is there bacteria present along with the yeast? It could be worthwhile to pursue some more in-depth testing (such a culture and sensitivity) or schedule a consultation with a veterinary dermatologist. Hoping you can find the answers you need to get your sweet boy back on the right path. Best of luck to you both!
Our 2 1/4 year old Carin terrier has been diagnosed with DLE lupus and they’ve prescribed .5 mg of prednisone twice a day. Our biggest problem is dealing with her excessive water drinking and peeing in the house and it’s getting to the point where in a five hour period we took her out three times and she still Peed in the house two times in that five hours. we are in our mid-60s and early 70s and find this a bit overwhelming.
Hi Jill,
I understand your concern for your pup and see how this could be very difficult for everyone involved. Is your vet aware of how severe the prednisone side effects have been? There is a chance they might could decrease the dosage a bit to see if it helps lessen the severity of the excessive drinking and urinating. There may even be a different medication that could be used instead of prednisone but would still effectively suppress the immune system. Also, I highly recommend you try diapers. I know they are not ideal, but they could save you from constantly cleaning up accidents in the house. They are also great options for overnight. Please make sure you are taking care of yourselves. I know you love your pup dearly, but caregiver fatigue is real and comes with a high cost. Praying you can find the best solution to give everyone some relief. Bless you. ♥
hi doctr, my 1 1/2yr old rotti has been put on 20mg prednisone 4 bronchitis. she started out on 2 pills a day w/antibiotics. she’s now on 1 pill every 24hrs. she has now developed tremors in her back legs while laying down & sometimes can feel her shiver when I hug her. supposed 2 b on this dose 4 another 14 days then decrease 2 half a pill. should I be concerned? to be honest I’m starting to freak out, feel bad for her. help!!! sincerely
Hi Ruth,
I understand your concern for your young dog and think it would be good to inform your vet of these worrisome symptoms. This could definitely be a harmless side effect of the prednisone, but I like to err on the side of caution. So, make sure you call your vet and keep them updated. They can let you know if a recheck is needed or if this is nothing to worry about.
so the. vet put are 7 yrold golden on prednisone cause she has anemia im wondering why her gums are still pale does that mean it’s not working its day 8 nowt
Hi Melissa,
Please contact your vet right away and let them know your dog’s gums are still pale. This can be a sign of a serious issue that requires emergency attention!
Hello Dr. Buzby, we have a seven year old Shit zhu named Maisie that has started reverse sneezing. She started doing this 4 days after she got a bordatella vaccine so we thought it was related, but now not so sure. We aren’t sure if inflammation or allergies. Could it be related to the bordatella vaccine she got?
We are trying to figure out why she has started reverse snezing without having to put her under for more intrusive diagnostic procedures. We don’t want to just keep her on a low dose of prednisone for the rest of her life either.
Any information you could shed here would be greatly appreciated.
David and Maisie.
Hi David,
I am sorry Maisie is having such a hard time with reverse sneezing. Have these episodes stopped since starting the prednisone? If so, it might be worth talking to your vet about discontinuing the medication to see if the sneezing returns. It is possible the symptoms could be resolved. But if the reverse sneezing is still occurring even with the prednisone, then I am afraid I would recommend moving forward with more diagnostics. Hoping you can get some answers and restore your sweet girl’s quality of life. Wishing you both the best of luck.
Hi. My dog was recently diagnosed with severe arthritis in his vertebrae. He is only 5 but he is part daschund part pit bull and has a long body. He stopped using his back legs but has improved greatly and is walking again and he’s happy. He has been on prednisone for over a month, now down to one 20 mg pill every other day. The vet seems to think he will be on this forever. I would like to get him off of the steroid. Should he be on a NSAID like previcox daily instead?
Thank you,
Natalie
Hi Natalie,
I understand your concern for your pup and this long-term steroid use. I usually try to eventually switch my patients to other medications (such as NSAIDs) but in some cases this isn’t possible. Without examining your boy, myself, I can’t say if this is the best course of treatment. Have you talked to your vet about other treatment options? Is there a specific reason they want to continue the steroids? You can bring up the topic of trying an NSAID and adding gabapentin or amantadine if needed. Here are articles with more information:
1. What is Gabapentin for Dogs?
2. Amantadine for Dogs: Everything You Need To Know About This Pain Medication
3. How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
Hoping this will help guide your conversation. Your boy is lucky to have you advocating for his health and well-being. Wishing you the best and keep up the good work!
I just wanted to thank you for putting the time in to write not only a very informative article but thoughtful loving responses as well. My dog’s first dose of prednisone for allergy treatment was Friday evening and by noon Saturday there were 2 “accidents” by the back door.. By Saturday night I was questioning my vets decision to prescrbe this medication, or at least the dosage. You’ve helped me have more faith in my vet and to keep at this at least until I talk to my vet on Monday. Many thanks and blessings from Alberta Canada!
Hi Marje,
I am glad the article was helpful and offered some peace of mind. Thank you for the kind words and positive feedback. Hoping your dog has adjusted to the medication and the symptoms will not continue to be so severe. Wishing you all the best!
thank you for your article, seeing so many
y comments one can see how important it was. i want to write about the experience of using prednisone long term for my 13 years old husky. she was diagnosed respiratory allergy from one year old. suffered a lot, her nose was constantly running and she was caughing up mucus, coulnd properly sleep until i found out about prednisone and the treatmeant with high dosage and then slowly giving her less and less until we came to the smallest but still effective dosage. in that time i have read about the long term usage of prednisone efects. i thought a lot – am i risking to ruin her organs and is it worth? i have read about giving her prednisone every third day so that in that way her organs are safe. i decided it should be better for her to have normal life of a dog that loves to hike and run, life without depression and with the joy of life. she exactly had such life. she had 7,5 mg prednisone every third day for 10 years already i guess, her organs are still ok, yes, she drinks more water (this year she had bloating and surgery that she survived), her wounds heal very slowly, she has renal food but her life was full with sniffing and free running and hiking almost everyday. so – my experience is – i am happy i decided to use the prednisone and to provide my dog normal life! thank you
Hi Iskra,
I am so glad you decided to share you experience with our readers. This is exactly the type of information others need to know about. It offers such great hope to read success stories. What a blessing prednisone was able to offer your senior girl a good quality and quantity of life. Wishing you both the best for many more happy days ahead!
I just wanted to thank you for putting the time in to write not only a very informative article but thoughtful loving responses as well.I have English bulldog who got face swollen and red I take to the vet and they gave her steroid shot and prednisone she have to take every 12 hours for 3 days and 24 hours for 3 days then take every 3 days . Her face swollen down and back to normal but then stop giving her medicine after 3 days because she develop a scabs on her face that she doesn’t have before the prednisone she only have swollen face. Now she look terrible because her face look dry and scabs. Do you think it is cause from the medicine it is ok to stop the prednisone? TIA
Hi Lynn,
I understand why you are concerned about these scabs on your Bulldog’s face. I really am not sure what the cause could be. Is your vet aware of this situation? I would talk to your vet about this strange issue and see if they want to discontinue the prednisone or do some more investigation. Hoping you can get some answers soon and praying for complete resolution.
Thank you so much for this comment and thank you, Dr. Buzby for this article. After 12 months of horrible nasal discharge, many rounds of antibiotics, dental, etc…My sweet Banjo was diagnosed with Chronic Rhinitis. I tried like heck to avoid prednisone but after so many alternative treatments, I realized a long-term low dose every other day was his only chance of having a normal life. He still gets a bit stuffy sometimes but he can now sleep without constant congestion and enjoy his fun loving senior life again. Thrilled to see him happy again ♡
Hi Susan,
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I am so glad the prednisone has restored your sweet boy’s quality of life and allowed him to get the rest he needs. I know using steroids long term can be a bit scary but what a blessing this has been for Banjo. Wishing you both many happy days to come. Give your pup a hug for me. ♥
My 7 year old mongrel was recently given Prednisolone 5mg tab to treat his skin condition. He was doing fine with the 1 tab a day with increased in water and food intake. However, when he was reduced to 1/2 tab a day after 4 days, he became aggressive and I was bitten on both hands. After which he became very wary of me. I couldn’t get near him to feed or bring him out to relief himself. He has to be leashed.
He is even growling and barring teeth at my husband whom he sees as Alpha to him. Our vet told us to stop the course.
I am concerned that will this aggression be permanent or how long does the Med take to be out of his system? I have a young toddler and I myself is scared of him now.
Hi Karyn,
I agree with your vet you need to stop this medication immediately. Safety for you family is of the utmost importance. The behavior changes and other side effects of prednisone should go away fairly quickly once the medication is discontinued. How are things today? Hoping you have noticed a change for the better. Wishing you the best.
Hello,
We have a dog who has just stopped steroids for suspected immune mediated Polyarthritis. You mentioned above you were in the process of transitioning your client to something long term and I’m wondering if you could tell me what you are using. Our girl is having some difficulty, second week into withdrawal and we are concerned about her long term.
Thank you! Jen
Hi Jen,
I understand your concern for your girl and think it is great you are searching for information. She is a lucky pup to have you advocating for her health and well-being. I wish I could give you specifics but unfortunately this article (in original form) is several years old, and I am not sure what medication was used in this particular case. The most commonly used immunosuppressive medication, other than prednisone, is cyclosporine. If I had to guess I would say this is probably what this patient was transitioned to for long term use. I hope you and your vet can find what works best for your sweet girl. Praying for a positive outcome and wishing you many happy days ahead.
Thank you for this article. Our sweet 2 yr old Springerdoodle has been diagnosed with Eosinophillic Bronchopneumopathy (EBP). She’s now on prednisone and we’ve been told she will need to be on it for the rest of her life. Right now, she’s on 30mg/day. Next week her dose will change to 20mg/day. She’s extremely lethargic all day until she takes her prednisone at 12:30pm. Two hours later she is panting like crazy, ravenous. She has eaten a cloth toy (first time ever!)…vet said to wait to see if it will pass on its own. She has urinated all over herself in her sleep. I really am concerned she will be on the prednisone for life. Do you know of any other treatment for EBP besides this? Does EBP affect life expectancy? Our vet says we’ll try an inhaled steroid in addition to the oral prednisone in hopes that we can give her the lowest possible oral dose so that our pup will have less systemic side effects. I’ve read everything I can find but there’s not a lot of good info out there. Any reference material/articles you can provide would be greatly appreciated. [FYI: she had X-rays, a bronchial wash showing 68% eos, and a CBC showing 56% eos. She was hospitalized in critical care and required an O2 chamber].
Hi R.W.
So sorry to hear of your pups diagnosis of EBP. I will admit that I had to go back to my veterinary resources to find the answers to your questions since it is a pretty uncommon condition. One journal article I came across (link to article:Clinical features and long-term follow-up of 70 cases of canine idiopathic eosinophilic lung disease) looked at 70 dogs with EBP and reported that the average length of treatment with steroids was 4 months. Remission (lack of signs after stopping steroids) for at least one month was achieved in 60% of dogs and remission of 6 or more months was achieved in 51% of dogs. However, 26% of dogs had relapses of their EBP (but relapses were rare if a dog was in remission for over 6 months). Essentially this means that it is possible that your pup could go into remission, but she could have a relapse and need to go back on steroids again, or she may end up on life-long steroids if she doesn’t go into remission. Only time will tell unfortunately. It takes fairly high doses of steroids to treat EBP, especially initially, so that also means that many dogs may develop pretty severe steroid side effects. I think that your vet’s plan of trying to add inhaled steroids to be able to get down to a lower dose of oral steroids definitely makes sense, and I hope it ended up working for her! Based on what I read, it didn’t seem like the other immunosuppressive medications were very effective for EBP, so steroids still give her the best shot of managing the disease. I know those steroid side effects can be brutal though!
I couldn’t find any particular data on the changes in life expectancy with EBP, but the paper I referenced earlier did report that 91% of patients were still alive at 4 years after diagnosis.
I hope this helped answer some of your questions and that your dog was able to get down to a lower dose of steroids and have fewer steroid side effects! Please feel free to give us an update on how she is doing now!
Hi Dr. Buzby, thank you so much for all this great information on prednisone for dogs. Over 20 years ago, I put my very best friend, Presley (Dalmatian), on prednisone for degenerative disc disease. He was only 8 when he was diagnosed because he was starting to lose the ability to use his back legs. I loved that dog like a child and wanted to do everything I could to give him the best quality of life for as long as possible which included keeping him out of pain. Well, long story short, I started him on prednisone as soon as my vet recommended it and it was a “magic pill” for him! It didn’t cure him but it kept him pretty happy and pain-free (I declined the spinal surgery) for several years. He did end up paralyzed in the back legs and eventually the front were being affected but the prednisone along with essential oil massage, accupuncture and some magnetic therapy really gave him quality of life. He died just short of his 12th birthday so I felt blessed to have him that long.
Fast forward to 2023…my 14-1/2 year-old black lab Raven, who I adopted as a “hospice” when she was 8 because she had breast cancer and the only treatment was removal of tumors. I already feel blessed to have her still with me but she’s hurting and cannot walk much anymore because she has inflammation and weakness in her hind legs. I started her on 1000mg CBD oil which has saved her life several times since February and recently put her on Rimadyl. It seemed to help her with the pain but her back legs are still giving out so I wanted to reach for that “magic pill” again. She’s been on prednisone for 5 days (and no longer on Rimadyl) but she’s gotten worse. So, I’m going to take her off prednisone ASAP and get her back on Rimadyl and pray for the best and probably give her lots of extra goodies while she’s on her way out.
Thank you for any advice you can offer. God bless you and thank you.
Dear Shari,
I am sorry Raven is struggling and the prednisone was not the magic cure you were hoping for. If the Rimadyl seems to help but is not providing enough relief, you could talk to your vet about adding on another pain medication. I have combined Rimadyl with many things such as gabapentin, amantadine, or even tramadol. I will attach links to other articles with more information. Also, if your girl is not taking any joint supplements, I would highly recommend you consider adding one to her regimen. I hope you can find the answers you need to navigate this difficult path. Wishing you and your sweet girl the best. Bless you both.
1. What is Gabapentin for Dogs?
2. Amantadine for Dogs: Everything You Need To Know About This Pain Medication
3. Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 13 Methods
4. How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
5. When to Euthanize a Dog With Arthritis: A Vet’s Heartfelt Advice
Hi Dr Buzby,
I hope this message finds you well.
I’m just wondering if you could give some general advice please. My 12 year old Akita had a cough for some months, also developed 2 tumours – suspected mammary gland tumours. we found out the cough was bronchitis & she had the 2 suspected tumours removed & once healed from surgery commenced on the p steroid which has been extremely effective in treating the bronchitis, her dose reduced to a half which was effective too & it was tried to reduce dose to a quarter but her cough came back almost immediately. The issue my dog is now having is weakness in her legs – a handful of times over the last 2 months her front paws have give way ( on a short walk 6 lamp posts apart) however today all her legs give way & she dropped onto her belly. I have read the side effects & would be confident that the weakness in her legs is a side effect of the steroids. I don’t want to stop the steroids – she was miserable with the contact cough before starting steroids. I’m just wondering in teams of prognosis/timeframes, normally or general how quickly it takes for the leg weakness to progress – weeks or months? Around the house she is fine & her legs have not give way inside the house or in the garden, so I decided that a walk around the garden is prob safest option for her, I think at present her legs will get weaker & she will have to be put to sleep but really just want a bit of an idea of how long it will take before she gets to that point please?
Kindest regards,
Lauren & Lady
Hi Lauren,
I am sorry Lady is struggling with side effects from the prednisone. I understand your concern and wish I had some great insight to offer. Unfortunately, there are no published statistics for this type of issue. There is really no way to know how fast this limb weakness will progress (or IF it will progress). Is your vet aware of this problem? They may be able to adjust her medications or offer other solutions to help maintain your girl’s quality of life for as long as possible. Praying for Lady’s comfort and wishing you both many happy days ahead.
My 10 yr old black lab was prescribed prednisone for inflammation for possible horner’s syndrome to see if it would help. After a week of being on it, he started to eat cardboard and other non food items which I understand is a side effect from an increase in hunger and we have adjusted his food intake a slight bit to help offset this some based on vet recommedation. We have never had this issue with him before and curious to know if this will stop once he comes off predisone or if this will continue as a new habit because of steroids. We had to start crateing him again because of it.
Hi Shauna,
I am sorry your senior guy is having such severe side effects from the prednisone. The increased hunger and drive to find food should stop once the steroids are discontinued. I am hopeful your boy will not continue to be destructive but unfortunately sometimes things like that become a learned behavior. I am glad you are utilizing a crate to keep him safe and under control. Hoping the Horner’s syndrome will resolve quickly and things around your house can get back to normal.
Thank you for the article.
My dog, a rescue mix jack russel/beagle 7 years old, was such a robust little guy but he became immensely sick since January. Because of previous indications I accuse the rabbis vaccine he got few months prior in order to travel. He was checked from 5 different vets in Greece and Denmark, plus from the Veterinarian University hospital in Cph.
Despite the tests and the expenses we never got a diagnosis and we were trying different medications to see what could be work. From the initial gastritis hypothesis we ended up that it is definitely an autoimmune, some kind of a rare myopathy that wanes away its muscles.
He was wobbling out of balance, being lethargic, he won’t eat or drink nothing, paralysing, screaming from pain. At that point I decided to gave him prednisolone and it saved his life.
He got back to be a dog again. He didn’t get back to his old self though, that happy robust little guy. He became old fast and he is slowly but certainly deteriorates.
He had a lot of indigestion and diarrhoea issues and after jumping from cooked meals to clinical dry food etc (according to vets suggestions) we ended up with home made carnivore and has helped a lot.
Our usual vet said that whatever that is, Oscar cannot live without prednisolone. Other people around me are saying that the pill is also killing him. We started when he was 11,9 kg (he should be 13 at least) now we have been on the treatment since the beginning of March. He gets a pill 2 times daily, 10mg in total. He is now 15,5 kg hungry all the time, with polyuria & polydipsia.
As a sick dog he is skinny almost without muscles on the head, totally empty around his neck and pot bellied looking both skinny and fat.
I am afraid to reduce prednisolone and I feel guilty every time I give the pills to him.
I feel guilty that I didn’t protect him in the first place.
I know he won’t get back where he was, but I want him to live as much as possible.
He is not suffering, he still enjoys life, food, walks and cuddling and we go through this ordeal with love, all of us!
Hi Georgia,
What a difficult few months you have had with your sweet pup. I’m so glad that he is enjoying life right now. In the end, that is what matters. If the prednisolone is helping his quality of life, and your vet agrees that he should stay on it, then you are making the right choice to continue giving it to him. I hope that you will be able to find some peace in knowing that you are doing everything you can to give him the best life possible (and that includes giving him prednisolone). Wishing you and him all the best!
Hi,
I have a 8 year old dog shepard-pitbull mix her name is maryjane, a few months ago out of nowhere she started walking against the wall all the time and a few weeks later the whole right side of her body was compromised and she would just constantly fall to the right side of her body. The right side of her head was tilted and She was circling around every-time she would go to the bathroom and again would just fall to the right side. She was not lethargic, eating and drinking fine. As well as no change in her personality. I .suspected signs of vestibular disease at first but since her symptoms were unchanged i took her to the vet. They ran routine labs cbc, organ function and the inflammatory test and were all normal. They did a us on her bladder because at times i noticed blood at the end of voiding but that test also came back normal. They suggested possibly a tumor but because she is acting fine its hard to say. Unfortunately i could not afford to get scans on her so she was put on Prednisone. At first the prednisone was a miracle drug she was able to walk straight and had no issues. But w/o the meds her symptoms came back. The vet said to keep her on low dose everyother day for 4 months. After being on it for 2 months she started developing muscle deterioration . she has a indent on the right side of the top of her head and the medicine was becoming ineffective. Her back legs are so weak and stiff. Its been 5 days she been of the medicine and she can no longer walk on her own without help. I am trying to regain her muscle strength by doing lil Physical therapy exercises which is a little helpful, But truthfully i am worried about her wellbeing since she has developed a lot of congestion and is febrile. I am asking for any advice because the vet has given up on my babygirl because she is a “complicated case”. She has so much life in her but I just want her to be able to walk again and be comfortable ! Any tips or advice is appreciated! Btw your article is amazing!
We live with off a beach in ny so i also have in the back of my head could this just be a parasite?
Hi Kristen,
This is such a strange case! I am so sorry your sweet girl is living with this severe issue. Without examining her myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. You could talk to your vet about prophylactic deworming or treating with doxycycline in case this is a tick-borne disease or other rare parasite. It is never a bad idea to think about a consultation with a specialist and your vet should be able to make a referral if needed. Also, have you considered trying Eastern/holistic medicine such as acupuncture, herbal therapy, or CBD products? I pray you can find a way to get your pup back health and happiness. Wishing you and Maryjane the best. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi, I have a somewhat of a similar issue with my 14 year old pointer pit mix, He was diagnosed with early stages of Lyme disease and was put on doxycycline which cleared everything up. Then months later he started getting disorientated and his back legs were getting very weak. I took him to 3 different vets and no one could tell me what exactly was going on with him. He was put on doxycycline again for a different issue. But what happened was it almost completely cleared up all his symptoms from the unknown illness. So I have kept him on it for a few months, but every time I stop the symptoms return. So I have kept him on it for about 9 months now. The vets still can’t figure out the cause of his symptoms, but the doxy seems to almost make them disappear. I would say try doxycycline. I hope this helps. And if any one has any advice about his condition please comment. Thank you!
Hi Julia,
What a puzzling situation with your pointer pit mix! Doxycycline does have some immunomodulatory effects (i.e. ability to modify the immune response) in addition to the more traditional antimicrobial effect, so perhaps that is also playing a role in your dog’s recovery? I’m a bit stumped otherwise too, but I’m thankful that you have found something that is working for him right now! If you haven’t already, you could consider a visit to a veterinary specialist (probably either orthopedics or internal medicine, but your vet could direct you to the right department) to get their opinion. Hope your pup continues to do well!
At 3 years of age my Tibetan Terrier developed severe autoimmune IBD including gastritis with severe weightloss due to anorexia, prednisone was critical to his recovery and for the past 10 years he has been drug free as we have maintained a robust microbiome with exceptional attention to his diet. It looks like he’s having a flare up as anorexia is his main symptom ( and eating grass/vomiting bile) and the go to treatment would normally be prednisone but this time around he is now 13years old and with a grade 2 heart murmur ( ultrasound check-ups show no heart enlargement and he is otherwise asymptomatic). Your thoughts please as we were unable to find any treatment that came close to the benefits of prednisone.
Hi Clare,
I understand your concern for your senior guy and the want to avoid prednisone if possible. Without examining your dog, myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations on treatments and drug choices. It might be worth it to schedule a phone consultation with a specialist and see if they have any information on new therapies for IBD. If you do end up having to start a course of prednisone, your vet may be able to keep it short and use a lower dose since the relapse has not progressed to extreme levels at this point. Unfortunately, when dealing with autoimmune diseases, the positive effects of prednisone often outweigh the risks of side effects. Wishing you both the best as you navigate this tricky path.
My 4 year old Jack Russell has been on prednisone for IMPA. He started prednisone with 2 pills twice a day for 2 weeks, then tapered to 2 pills in the morning and 1 in afternoon for 3 weeks. He did well on those dosages and now he’s on the next taper of 1 pill in the morning and one in afternoon. He was doing well on this dosage for the first couple of days but we are now noticing he’s a little wobbly. Just wondering if this is his body’s way home of adapting to the taper or he’s relapsing. Is this normal for a dog to feel wobbly and less active? And if so, how long before his body will adjust?
Cathryn,
I understand your concern for your pup and these new symptoms he is experiencing. Without examining him myself, I can’t say for sure if these are side effects of the taper or a relapse. It would be a good idea to reach out to your vet and let them know what is happening. I am sure they will want to do an exam and evaluate your dog. How are things today? Praying all is well and everything resolved on its own. Wishing you the best.
Thank you for your article. My 3 year old Australian Labradoodle was diagnosed with Little White Shakers, autoimmune brain disorder about 2 months ago.. He has been on Prednisone started with a high dosage 40 msg and then reduced over time to 20 msg for one month, and now 5 msg daily. Since he was first diagnosed he has lost 7 lbs. Normal weight has been 40lbs..Now 33 lbs.. He is now having runny stools and my Neurologist says the Prednisone would not produce the bowl issues. I’m thinking my dog should have a follow up blood panel which this vet /neurologist has not mentioned . My dog has lost significant muscle mass and no longer likes to chase balls. He was a fanatic ball chaser. I want to get him off the Prednisone but vet says it could take 6 months. I think this is excessive. I’d love. Your opinion. Thank you..
Hi Debbie,
I understand your concern for your pup and this chronic disease he is being treated for. I know it is not ideal to have him on prednisone long term, but sometimes that is the only option, and the benefits may outweigh the risks. Without examining your dog, myself, I can’t make assumptions or conclusions about his medications and treatments. I highly recommend you discuss your worries with your neurologist. You can always ask your regular vet to do some routine lab work just to make sure everything looks ok. I hope you can find the answers you need to ensure your pup is as happy and healthy as possible. Wishing you both the best of luck and feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Thank you so much for your article. My 6 and half year old lab mix was prescribed prednisone about 6 days ago because of a possible lymphoma diagnosis. I saw possible because we didn’t end up testing her lymph nodes or bumps she had because unfortunately we didn’t have the means to do so. Instead she got a blood test which came back normal with the exception of low anemia. Vet said that could be due to not eating. The reason we brought her into the bet was because she had very little to no appetite, developed around 8 random lumps on her back and was panting aggressively every night. She is on day 6 of prednisone and has seen amazing results. No bumps, they have all gone down, she is eating normally everyday, and her panting downer happen. Although I wrote this comment because I realized that after 2 hours of taking her second dose of prednisone for the day, her panting (breathing) increases. I am concerned because I don’t want her to over work her body. I am also worried that once she finishes her does of prednisone that things will come back. She was given a 10 day dosage. To be taken every 12 hours. So we had 20 pills altogether but as I mentioned she is on her 6 day. Do you recommended anything further? Her breathing is just of concern to me and I hope on the end she doesn’t have lymphoma but I guess we wouldn’t know unless we tested her and we didn’t,
I forgot to mention that she had hypothyroid. Her breathing increased when she started taking her pills for thyroid. We stopped giving the pills to her and that is when we noticed a few weeks that’s bumps came about and lack of appetite.
Hi Ashley,
I understand your concern for your girl and all these issues she is currently experiencing. Without examining her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. Her case sounds a bit complicated, and it might be a good idea to schedule a consultation with a specialist. I am glad the lumps have resolved. The panting you are noticing after the prednisone can be a normal side effect of this medication. I will attach links to other articles with more information just in case you decide to pursue further investigation. Hoping you find the answers you need to ensure your pup is feeling her best and thriving. Wishing you both the best!
1. All About Dog Lymph Nodes (Location Chart and Photos)
2. Lymphoma in Dogs: Types, Signs, Treatment, and Prognosis
3. What Causes Anemia in Dogs? Explore the Top 10 Reasons
My German Shepherd dog has an auto immune disease and predispose saved his life. It’s been a long process, he’s been on it for about 4 or 5 months now and he’s finally down to 10 mg a day, and in 2 weeks will be down to 5mg a day! He’s had a few accidents too, and when he pees man he pees for like 10 minutes straight. I’m thankful for veterinarians like you guys for all the knowledge you share with us to help give our babies the healthiest happiest lives!
Hi Amanda,
Thank you so much for the kind words. ❤️ I’m so thankful to hear that your dog is doing so well on Prednisone. It really can make a miraculous difference for dogs with autoimmune diseases! I hope that weaning him down on the prednisone has continued to go well and that you are able to enjoy many more happy years together!
My 14 yo beagle is being treated for what the vet thinks is a pituitary brain tumor. She has been put on prednisone and some of her symptoms are improving. My question is about the panting. Is Daisy panting because she is hot, or because the prednisone causes this reax no matter what the temperature? She’s not always panting, but breathing so hard it’s like she’s going to. We’re keeping the house cool for April in NJ, but we’ll keep it cooler and wear winter jackets if we have to so she is more comfortable.
Hi Linda,
I am sorry your Beagle has received such a difficult diagnosis. Without examining your dog, myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions as to the cause of her panting. You are correct that prednisone alone can cause this symptom regardless of the temperature. My best recommendation is to make sure your vet is aware of this change to your pup’s breathing. They may want to do some investigation just to rule out other more serious issues. Hoping Daisy will continue to do well with her treatment. Wishing you both the best.
My 7 year old shepherd had a brain lesion in the white matter (consistent with inflammation VS early glioma ☹️) manifesting in some one sided neglect, until, he was started on prednisone 20 mg. Bloodwork and CSF samples are negative for molds, bacteria’s (so antibiotics discontinued). Indeed, he has increased panting, thirst and hunger, as well as dark stools. He is so much better though! He is a weekend backcountry skier (runs with the skier master).
Is it safe for him to exercise while on the daily prednisone? Thank you!
Hi Barbara,
I am sorry your shepherd is dealing with this worrisome brain lesion. What a blessing it was diagnosed as inflammation and not cancer! I am not aware of any issues with exercising while taking prednisone. With that being said, it would be a good idea to check with your vet to make sure the exercise will not have any negative effects on the brain inflammation itself. Hoping your sweet boy will continue to feel great and keep living his best life. Best wishes to you both!
My vet thinks my 14 year old cockapoo has a cancerous tumor on her pancreas due to some low blood sugar lab results. The vet prescribed prednisone. My dog seems to be handling it well, but the constant panting is stressful-better than the alternative though.
The problem is that her nose is REALLY dry since starting the meds. Any advice to help with that. She’s drinking lots of water, so that’s not lack of water. Any thoughts?
Hi Tracie,
I am sorry you are in this difficult situation with your senior pup. What kind of tumor does your vet think is on the pancreas? I automatically assumed an insulinoma and if this is the case you may want to as your vet if surgery is an option. But to answer your question about your girl’s dry nose, yes this can be from the medication. There are several products on the market that may be able to help. You can look for “dog nose balm” and see all the results that pop up. Many of these products can be used on the nose and dry/cracked paw pads as well. I recommend only using products specifically formulated for dogs to make sure it is safe if your dog licks it. I hope this helps a bit. Wishing you both the best for a happy future.
Dear Dr Buzby,
I am thankful to find these open communication about the use of prednisone. Our dog Luna had surgery to remove a mass on her belly, unfortunately, the biopsy resulted in a very aggressive mamary cancer. within 3 months, the mass has grown back exponentially. We understand there is no surgery or chemo that can help her at this time. I was recomended this drug, however, only on the second day, she is not herself, doesn’t want to eat, and has difficulty moving around. I don’t want to think is the medication and still want to keep on trying with the treatment. but knowing the severity of her illness, I’m fearing her final days may have come….
I wanted to ask you regarding the PEMF mats I saw you recommended. would this treatment be beneficial for her when she is having cancerous cells that are multiplying day by day?
TIA
Adriana
Dear Adriana,
I am so sorry you are facing this difficult situation with Luna. The PEMF mats may help with pain and inflammation, but they could also increase blood flow to the cancerous area. While PEMF does not cause cancer itself, it may increase processes that would contribute to a cancer that is already present. Here is a link to another article with more information: PEMF Therapy for Dogs: 7 FAQs Answered by a PEMF Expert
I am praying for your strength as you navigate this emotional road ahead. Bless you and your sweet girl. ♥
15lb poodle : Our vet prescribed prednisolone 5mg per day for about 17 days for a cough. He didnt instruct us to taper off the steroid and just told us to stop giving it. When asked if tapering was needed he said it wasnt.
We stopped but our dog is lethargic and has diarrhea
Is stopping so suddenly ok, or is tapering still recommended for a short 17 day course?
Hi Natalia,
The advice from your vet seems fine and does not conflict with the current standard of care. With that being said, please make sure your vet is aware your dog is experiencing diarrhea and lethargy. These are not typical symptoms I would expect after discontinuing a course of prednisolone. I hope all is well and your pup is feeling better. Best wishes to you both.
Thank you SO much for this! I’m having a hard time trusting vets these days, and would love some input. Our pittie got an ear hematoma, had surgery, then the ear was fine. He got a hematoma in the other ear, and healing from surgery didn’t go well — the ear didn’t drain and heal, so the fluid moved into his middle ear – its been 8 months now, and the vet won’t admit it’s from his surgery not healing properly. To avoid another surgery, we’ve tried prednisone and antibiotics — the swelling always subsides for about a week, then fills up again. We’re at a loss because the vet wants another $800, but I don’t trust they’ll do it right, and won’t concede this is a result of the initial surgery/ healing. Should I try higher doses of prednisone? There’s no smell or funk, just fluid build up… Why do the effects seem to subside after a week even though the dog is still on the prednisone? just exasperated right now… 😞
Hi Steve,
I am sorry your dog is having so many issues with his ears. Without examining him myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. Are you saying the fluid from the hematoma has moved to the middle ear (inside his ear) and is no longer on the outside or under the skin? Aural hematomas occur when a small blood vessel ruptures between the two cartilage layers of the ear pinna. The ear then fills up like a balloon. But the blood between the cartilage layers has no contact with the inside of the ear. Many times, hematomas happen due to excessive ear shaking or scratching, usually due to an ear infection or other itchy condition. If there is fluid buildup inside the middle ear canal, I would be suspicious of an infection that is resistant to the medications that have been used. You probably see an improvement while on the medications because the infection is minimized. But because the infection is never completely cleared, it just comes right back. You may need to look into having your dog evaluated by a veterinary dermatologist. They can rule out the possibility of an abscess causing the swelling and there could be underlying allergies that need to be addressed as well. The dermatologist will be your best bet to get to the root of this problem and find an appropriate treatment or combination of therapies to help restore your sweet boy’s quality of life. Hoping you find some answers and can get your pup back to living his best life very soon. Best wishes to you both.
I have a 12 and a half year old dog who has a growth in his nose and our vet prescribed him Prednisone 10mg daily and now tapered down to once every other day. He responds well to it though during the time he’s been taking it, he is restless and is not able to sleep properly. Is there anything I can give him to help him sleep? I know one of the side effects is restlessness and insomnia but what can I do to help him with this when he needs to be take prednisone for his condition? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Sherry,
I am sorry your senior dog is having issues with the prednisone side effects. Since I haven’t examined him myself, it is hard to make specific recommendations. You could talk to your vet and see if a melatonin supplement is an option. I am not sure if calming treats will be enough to counteract the prednisone, but they could be worth a try. Hopefully you will be able to discontinue the steroids at some point and your sweet boy will get some relief. Best wishes and take care.
I have two Cocker Spaniels that are on Prednisone. My 7 year old girl, Darcy was diagnosed with Addison’s a year ago and takes 1.5mg daily. My 9 year male, Jackson takes 5 mg everyday. He was diagnosed with chronic ear infections, basically it never gets completely better, so we try to keep his pain under control and clear it up the best we can. Both the vet and I tried to taper him off of 5mg, but every time we went lower, Jackson’s ear infection returned. I am concerned about having him on Prednisone for the rest of his life, but nothing else works. His ear canals are misshapen with extra tissue and he is in so much pain. Jackson is on three different types of ear drops, but when we take the prednisone out of the prescription he gets really bad. Is 5mg a big dose? My vet is taking bloodwork to check his triglycerides and other things because of the prednisone.
Hi Kim,
I am sorry both your dogs are experiencing some health issues that require prednisone. Without being personally involved in Jackson’s health care, I can’t really say if his dosage is high. Different doses are needed for different issues. It sounds like your vet is staying on top of the recommended testing while your pup is taking this medication long term. You might want to ask about a referral to a veterinary dermatology specialist. They have lots of experience with chronic ear conditions and may be able to offer a surgical solution or other treatment that may not be available in general practice. Here is a link to another article with more information: Otitis in Dogs: Understanding Ear Infections
I hope you can find the best way to keep fighting these problematic ear issues with Jackson. Wishing you, Jackson, and Darcy the best!
Hi, I have a 17 year old American bull terrier, who has been doing well, was on dose of rheumacam nightly for artheritus, but suddenly seemed unable to walk, stsggering on back legs, concerned I took him as emergency to vet where they diagnosed him with spondylitis and gave him a steroid 2 week injection and we are going to try libel injection also, since having steroid he has been thirsty, craving yet more food, but worse of all really unsettled and panting a lot, finding it hard to settle, up and down all night, I wish to not continue with steroid, happy to give other pain relief as do not want to see my once happy dog look so confused, and so unsettled, any advice would be welcome please. Thanks
Hi Lynne,
I am sorry your senior guy is having such severe side effects from the steroids. It would be a good idea to talk to your vet about alternative therapies so you can avoid steroids in the future if possible. Sometimes steroids are the best treatment, and the benefits may outweigh the risks. That is a decision you will have to make under the guidance of your veterinarian. I will attach links to other articles with more information on ways to treat arthritis pain and inflammation. I am hopeful you will find the best ways to keep your boy feeling good. Wishing you both many happy days ahead.
1. How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
2. Adequan for Dogs: Don’t Just Treat Arthritis, Slow it Down
3. Spondylosis in Dogs: What Your Senior Dog Wants You to Know
4. Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 13 Methods
5. Dog Arthritis Treatment: 8 Ways to Help a Senior Dog at Home
Hi, (my 13yrl frenchie 22lb) has a mass on his left lung and it’s currently on chemotherapy (Vinorelbine) and 5mg of prednisone daily, I told the doctor that he’s super restless, panting and fast breathing at night like he’s not able to regulate his temperature, and she said those are the side effects of prednisone and it won’t affect his heart, but worries me a lot so I’m thinking about taper down the dose on prednisone…will this be ok? Should I go only half , and the chemo day go back witj the whole dose ?
Thank you in advance
Hi Julia,
I am sorry your Frenchie has been diagnosed with a lung tumor and is having such severe side effects from the prednisone. I understand your concern, but I highly recommend you don’t make adjustments to your dog’s medication without instructions from your vet to do so. There is a high risk that lowering the prednisone dosage could affect the chemotherapy or cause lung inflammation to increase causing breathing difficulties for your pup. Please reach out to your vet and let them know you would like to decrease the prednisone if possible. They will let you know how to taper the medication properly if it can be done safely. Wishing you both the best and praying for a positive outcome.
I greatly appreciated this space you’ve created. Our 2.5 yr old GSD has struggled with diarrhea for 9 months. She’s had every blood test and no confirmed disease. We tried 6 different foods, pre and probiotics, immune support supplements with milk thistle, omega 3, etc to help her. Now she’s back on her original food bc it’s the one she’s done best one (the hydrolyzed ones and other special diets were a nightmare. Diarrhea turned into a waterfall). Despite this, she’s been happy and playful throughout. Nothing has worked so we finally took her to an internal med vet yesterday. I swore we wouldn’t go the pred route bc I truly feel there are other ways to get her gut biome back in order ( she has giardia 2X as a puppy, on metro, tyrosin. When first had diarrhea was on metro for extended period until we took her off). We contacted a holistic vet but the cost is prohibitive. We love our dogs but can’t afford the 1k’s holistic vet would cost (and our 7 yr old GSD was just diagnosed with arthritis last week, so know she’ll need intervention).
As expected the vet suggested a biopsy and pred. I asked about fecal transplant (which this practice does) and her opinion was it’s unlikely to make a difference. We decided to start her on pred bc there was no other option given. I’m upset we can’t give our girl a different intervention.
I’ve read a couple promising studies about fecal transplant and am wondering your thoughts on a course of pred and then trying the transplant? Will pred still allow her biome to recover? I’m so frustrated there are no integrative vets near us bc the allopathic vets feel completely predictable and uninterested in a holistic approach outside of pre/probiotics. If 9 months ago our vet had said to try getting her biome back in shape rather than more metro destroying it maybe she’d be in a different place. We didn’t know any better.
Would love to hear your thought on how long she should stay on pred and on idea of fecal transplant.
Thank you in advance for whatever advice you can offer.
Hi Diana,
I am sorry your young Shepherd has been through so much in her short life. I understand your want to pursue more natural and holistic therapies and I applaud you for that! With that being said, I think this course of prednisone is a good idea…. even if it’s just a short trial course. It sounds like you have already tried many of the usual treatments with no success and this is one thing that hasn’t been given a chance yet. I know prednisone comes with a stigma, but it can actually be a very helpful and sometimes necessary medication. I feel like the specialist is suspicious of an autoimmune disease. If this is the case, the prednisone may be a lifechanging answer to this problem. I don’t have much experience with fecal transplants, but it is worth a shot and definitely shouldn’t have negative side effects. If your dog does have an autoimmune disease and the immune system is actively attacking the GI tract, I am not sure a fecal transplant will be of much benefit. I would recommend moving forward with the biopsy and see what the pathology results can offer. Also, you may be able to find a holistic vet in another state that can offer telemedicine! Your sweet girl is very lucky to have you advocating for her health and wellbeing. Wishing you both the best and feel free to leave an update as your story unfolds.
Hello Doc,
Our dog was recently diagnosed with inflammatory mammary carcinoma. Three weeks ago, just after we discovered a lump, she had surgery. We got the diagnosis shortly thereafter. We just had an appointment with an oncologist and she is on her second day of prednisone, tolerating well.
We do realize this is terminal, but other than chemo, are you aware of any other treatments that might prolong her life? I am trying to find holistic or naturopathic treatments, but am coming up empty.
Again, I know that her condition is grave, but was hoping to find something that might help. We just can’t afford the $10k+ that chemo would cost for a few months of additional life.
Your input would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Brad,
I am sorry your girl has received this terrible diagnosis. I think it is a wise choice to focus on quality of life and comfort for her last days. I am glad to hear she is tolerating the prednisone well and seems to be feeling ok. I am not aware of any supplements that are specific to fighting cancer. Most of my knowledge relates to pain management. You may be able to find a holistic vet in your area that would be willing to offer some advice. I also think it would be of great benefit to contact a house call vet that specializes in hospice care. You could try acupuncture. There are also PEMF mats you can utilize at your home. Here is a link to another article with more information on these topics: Natural Pain Relief for Dogs: 13 Methods
How is your girl feeling today? Hoping she is stable and finding joy in each day. Wishing you strength and comfort to face this difficult road ahead. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
We are currently giving our pup prednisone as part of her intensive Heartworm treatment. She’s a 3 year old rescue from TX. I’m hoping as we taper down the prednisone her increased level of thirst and urination. decrease too and we don’t have to wait until course it complete,otherwise I’m going to be a zombie at the end of three weeks. Poor thing can’t go more than an hour during the day without the need to urinate. Thankfully at night she can go a few hours so we both get some sleep through disrupted.
Hi Jen,
I understand how difficult it is to have a dog that has to urinate frequently. The good news is the increased urination and thirst should decrease as you taper the prednisone. How is the heartworm treatment going? Praying things have eased up a bit and your pup is on the road to recovery. Wishing you all the best!
My golden retriever is nearly 4 years old . He was treated for immune mediated poly arthritis for which he was prescribed predisolone . He responded well to treatment and for the last 20 months he has been off all medication . Recently we noticed a relapse and our vet following test results has suggested predisolone again . Can you help us ? Firstly he is in a very early stage is there an alternative to this drug and after having been off them for 20 months will his system have returned to normal function ?
Thank you
Hi Chris,
I am sorry your Golden is having a relapse of his polyarthritis. Steroids are the treatment of choice for a situation like this and I would prescribe the same for a patient of my own. As long as your pup’s lab work has been normal since discontinuing the prednisolone the first time, then there is no evidence to suggest his body is not functioning normally. What a blessing your dog has gone almost 2 years before having a relapse. I am hopeful your vet will be able to get this flare up under control and give your sweet boy many happy years ahead. Wishing you both the best of luck!
My senior lab is taking 30mg of prednisone 1x/day for IBD. Our vet has him on a course of prednisone for 6 weeks. She said the last few days of his pills can be every other for the tapering process….. I’m concerned that this won’t be enough tapering and he will have adverse side effects. Thoughts?
Hi Kacee,
There are no specific guidelines for tapering prednisone in dogs. With that being said, what your vet has recommended sounds like standard practice. I would not have any concerns with using this dosing schedule and commonly prescribe something similar to my own patients.
Hi – thank you for this article. My dog has been diagnosed with Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia and has been on Prednisone for a few days. When do you usually start to taper the dose for IMT? If the platelet count is good, can the dose be tapered right away or do you have to wait a few weeks? How do you know when to taper and by how much each time?
Thanks!
Hi Andrea,
I am sorry your dog is dealing with ITP. Unfortunately, there are no set rules for how to adjust the medications. Each case is different and there is always a bit of trial and error. Most veterinarians go off of prior experience or get advice from specialists. Here is a link to an article with more information for this specific disease: ITP in Dogs: Through the Eyes of a Veterinarian and Dog Mom
Praying for remission for your pup!
our jack russell HEIDI was put on prednisone after being told she had chronic bronchitis 2x5mg daily since march 2022 we were told that she have increased thirst/appetite /potbellied /not wanting to go walking etc. WE WERE told this as if it was something natural. when her tablets needed replacing every 8weeks we asked if they needed to see her we were told no if she was okay.well she was okay still eating and drinking.but had become less active potbellied .and then on 5th jan she was sick/panting and before we could get her to the vet she passed away it is only now looking for answers online i read about cushing disease that what we thought was natural symptoms we were killing her.may god forgive me
Dear Trevor,
My heart aches for you and your loss of Heidi. There are no words to describe how sorry I am about how things progressed for her and your family. Since I was not involved in her medical care, I can’t say for sure why certain decisions were made. I do know I have treated patients with steroids long term, knowing they would develop negative side effects, because there was no other treatment option, and the benefits of the steroids were greater than the side effects. Maybe the prednisone extended her life longer than what she would have had without them? I really don’t know. It is clear that Heidi was dearly loved, and I have no doubt she knew. I hope with time your heart will heal and you can let go of the burden of guilt you are carrying. May her memory live on and be a blessing in your life.
My 14yo Havanese was recently diagnosed with epithelial-tropic lymphoma, a devastating diagnosis. It started with ulceration of his lips, which was believed to be a skin issue/allergy. A skin culture was performed, and 2 months of antibiotics showed little to no improvement. A large and angry looking lesion appeared on his face. Under anesthesia, the lesion was removed, biopsied, and epithelial-tropic T-cell lymphoma was diagnosed. Prednisone has been given BID for the last week, and we are already seeing a great improvement in appetite, energy level, and overall comfort. My question is, on average, how long can this lymphoma be managed with pred? At what point does it stop working? He seems to be doing so well now, that it’s hard to imagine the decline. Any and all insight is appreciated.
Hi Nicloe,
I am so sorry your senior guy has received such a devastating diagnosis. I am glad he is responding well to the prednisone and is feeling better. Unfortunately, the lymphoma usually develops resistance to the prednisone after a couple months. Here is a link to another article with more information: Lymphoma in Dogs: Types, Signs, Treatment, and Prognosis
I hope your sweet boy can keep fighting and you will be one of the lucky ones to be blessed with extra quality time. How is he feeling today? Praying for your strength and comfort as you face the difficult road ahead. ♥
My five year old Greyhound has been on prednisone three times related to inflammation in her eyeballs, with granulomas, detached retinas and blindness. The first time, two years ago, the prednisone seemed to really help. The retinas reattached, inflammation cleared, vision returned and she seemed fine. No particular side effects.
This summer, she had a recurrence of granuloma and inflammation. A course of prednisone helped reduce inflammation. Toward the end of the three weeks, she had a couple of accidents indoors. This from a dog who had Never had an accident inside.
A week or so later her vision was worse and she went back on an even more aggressive and longer run of prednisone. She immediately began leaking urine indoors in all her favorite sleeping spots, and dribbling when she walked. Despite frequent trips outdoors where she would urinate normally. With help from tarps on key items of furniture and her pillows we got through this horrible month but we were both miserable. When we got to 1/2 tablet every other day, she did not leak on the off days. Quantity of leaking remained copious on the Pred days.
During this time, August – September, I noticed she was growing a dark brown overcoat over her light fawn fur. Her coat appears to continue darkening. Her back legs and head are much darker and the new darker hairs that were a light sprinkling are now abundant all over. I am curious to see if this will go away in time.
She has lost vision in her right eye but sees with the left. Thankfully, at least we were able to preserve vision in one eye. I love our Opthamologist and am grateful for his help. I pray we never have to use Prednisone again.
Hi Ilenya,
I am sorry your Greyhound girl has had so many issues with her eyesight. I understand the prednisone has caused some severe unwanted side effects but still think the benefits have outweighed the risks. What a blessing she still has vision in her left eye. Thank you for sharing your story with our readers. Praying there will be smooth sailing for the foreseeable future. Wishing you both the best!
My 3 year old dog unfortunately has heartworm. Yesterday she was started on the injection phase: She received her first dose of IM melarsomine. She was then started on oral prednisone later that night with dinner. She was in so much pain, I decided to give her a rimadyl tablet… not knowing that you cannot combine prednisone and nsaids. So she received 1 dose of prednisone and 1 dose of rimadyl about 1 hour apart last night. She is supposed to continue to take the prednisone for a month. Should I skip her morning dose? What should I watch her? She needs to be on the prednisone but unsure what to do. Thank you
Hi Olivia,
I am glad you are reaching out about this potential adverse drug interaction. I highly recommend you contact your vet and let them know about the Rimadyl. Generally, the signs you would want to watch for would be GI related such as vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Also, please let your vet know your dog is painful. They may be able to prescribe a different medication to help with the pain that would not cause issues when being combined with prednisone. I hope the rest of this heartworm treatment process goes smoothly and is uneventful. Best wishes for a full recovery for your pup.
My vet practice is one of several in the county owned by a large company. They act as a hub training young interns.
2 weeks ago I made an appointment to see a vet to examine my female dog Lyra a 14 month old Carpathian collie.She had been having trouble settling down in her comfy basket at night time as she was repeatedly scratching herself. She was treated with her scheduled flea treatment which is administered with a pipette by parting her fur at the back of her neck.
I began to wonder if something else was irritating her. The vet couldn’t see any sight of fleas but she commented upon some scabby areas on her flanks.
She suggested a short course of PREDNISOLONE which she opined might ease this discomfort. She said that be aware that Lyra may drink more water and subsequently pee more. The dose was 2.5 mg for 3 days wiith a reducing dose of
O.5img every other day until finished 5 tablets in total. – Yes she has been more thirsty and peeing more but 3 days after completing the course her scratching has almost stopped but she seems to be getting no warning to empty her bladder and it suddenly comes away from her – In the bed – in the carpets. I’m worried that she has become incontinent ???
I have been reading your blog and if I had been given more comprehensive advise from the intern vet I would have not agreed
Please let me have your thoughts
Dr Trevor Colluney UK
Hi Dr. Colluney,
I understand your concern with these new urinary issues with Lyra. Since I haven’t examined her myself, it is difficult to make specific conclusions. I am suspicious that the prednisolone may have made your dog a bit more susceptible to a urinary tract infection. I am not aware of any instances where a short course of steroids has made a dog incontinent once the medication has been discontinued. While a UTI would be an unfortunate side effect, it is a rather uncommon occurrence. It sounds like the prednisolone did its job, but you may need to avoid this medication in the future. My best advice is to make sure your vet is aware of these new urinary issues and see if they can schedule a follow up exam. I hope you can find an answer for Lyra’s struggles and find an easy treatment. Best wishes for a quick resolution.
I was desperately searching the web for info on prednisone for dogs and found your article. Great information! My 18 mo old Giant Schnauzer got kennel cough (she goes to doggie daycare) even though she’s fully vaccinated. The vet has put her on 20 days of steroids along with antibiotics. The steroids are driving her and me and my husband mad! She has the typical thirst and is drinking excessively. She is eating 4 cups more food per day than usual and given she’s not running and playing all day at daycare she’s gaining weight at a rapid pace. The biggest issue is her irritability. She is keeping us up almost all night every night! She sleeps in a kennel in our room (well, did sleep prior to the steroids) and she bangs on the door and barks and huffs wanting out all night long. We let her out and sometimes she does need to go out to potty – that’s fine but most of the time she just paces around the house like she doesn’t know what to do with herself. She started at 3 per day twice a day for 4 days then 1 1/2 per day twice then 1 1/2 once a day for 4 days and now we are at 1 1/2 every other day. I want to stop them now. We will finish her antibiotics of course. She hasn’t had a cough in 6 days now so she’s daycare eligible come Monday.
I’m on a feeding tube and have serious health issues. My husband has a dangerous job that requires focus. We are both so sleep deprived it’s affecting us negatively. I don’t want to do anything that would hurt our fur baby. I did notify the vet and they told me finishing the steroids was as important as finishing the antibiotics but I can’t find anything that backs that up for a case of kennel cough that we took her into the vet for the 2nd day we heard her cough. The 1st day she only coughed once and it was after a walk so we thought she might have pulled a little too hard while walking because my husband didn’t walk her on her training leash. My “Mom” instinct is telling me for the benefit of all of us to stop this horrible medication but am I wrong? Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
I am sorry your pup is struggling with all these side effects of prednisone. I know she feels like she is starving and has a ravenous appetite, but this doesn’t mean you have to feed her more. Her body still requires the same number of daily calories as it did before the start of this medication. Also, it is important to decrease the dosage of prednisone slowly over a period of days. I understand how stressful this must be for you and your husband and you need your quality of life back as quickly as possible. The reason we taper steroids slowly is to give the body time to adjust. The body makes its own steroids in small doses, but when taking prednisone, the body stops producing its own steroids and relies on the medication. So, the taper allows the body to get the signal it needs to start making its own steroids again and gives it enough time to ramp up production back to a normal level. I hope this helps with your decision making. Praying for a quick and complete recovery!
I have a little 12lb white dog mixed breed rescue that went blind 6 months ago and recently began circling compulsively. My primary vet sent us to neurologist. He believes she most likely has a mid brain lesion effecting her vestibular system. Because we were about to go on a trip in lieu of MRI for the time he prescribed prednisone 2xs a day for 7 days, Cerenia. and Prilosec. On day 5 of prednisone, there was no positive change only negative…panting, peeing, and excessive anxiety. She couldn’t calm down and got us up at 3 am every morning to begin her circle dance. After being on prednisone for 5 days they gave me a quick taper off. 1x a day for 5, every other day for 5, then done. Day 1 and 2 of taper were frightening. She refused food and water and was very lethargic. Day 3 to now day 6, she is more ‘normal’ than ever. We begin every other day now. Not sure why while tapered off she’s even better than she was before starting it. She’ll have her MRI when we return from our travels then we’ll have to figure out how to manage a brain lesion. We tried cbd previously for her anxiety but at prescribed dose it didn’t help. Maybe that’s worth another try and just titering up to see if any dose helps.
Hi Pauline,
I am sorry your little pup initially had some severe side effects form the prednisone. I am not sure why her neurological status seemed to improve after tapering the dosage, but glad you are noticing some progress toward a better quality of life. Hoping your vacation is enjoyable and the MRI will help guide treatment recommendations. Praying your girl has many happy days ahead. Best wishes to you both.
My dog has been on prednisolone since mid August. Still unsure of the reason- thinking autoimmune. Her platelets were super low- 26,000. Ticks (Lyme)were ruled unlikely since she tested negative. WhichWe were told Only tests the 3 main ticks. We did put her on Doxycycline because she had nasal discharge mucus and we figured if she had an infection that would help with that and if there was a different tick. Although, we were told it only tests for the: main ticks. She still has the discharge at times? Her other blood count levels have been in the normal range. We started with 20mg/2X per day. Her levels have gone up and today are at 278,000! We’ve been decreasing every 2 weeks for a little over a month. We’re now at 15mg(10 in the morning & 5 mg at night). Her food stealing and eating other random things seems worse than when she was taking 40mg daily.. Is this common still? She’s never been like this. We even had a decorative starfish that she grabbed and ate! We’re hoping she goes back to her good habits!! We can’t leave anything out! And- we really hope her platelet count stays in the normal range.
Hi Cali,
I am glad your dog has responded to the prednisolone and her platelets have increased. Yes, I do think the ravenous appetite is still a side effect of the medication even though it has been decreased. It may be related to the duration of treatment and not necessarily the current dosage. I hope your pup will continue to improve and can maintain once the prednisolone has been discontinued. Wishing you the best of luck! Feel free to leave an update with any new developments.
My one year old pup was diagnosed with Idiopathic non erosive immune mediated polyarthritis after thousands of dollars and every test possible to rule out cause. He is now on prednisone which I am thankful helped his pain and limping. But the side effects of the medications are now almost as bad as the disease. He is a one year old pup and acts more like a 15 year old dog. He is a shadow of the dog he was just a few weeks ago. He was always full of energy and the goofiest most affectionate dog I have owned. Now he is either tired and sleeping all the time or so wired panting and anxious he can’t get comfortable. Now he is having severe diarrhea and his hair is coming out in clumps. I feel so bad for him. He weighs 68 pounds and has been on 20mg 2xday for over two weeks. I have follow up appointment with vet today I don’t know how much is little body can take of this med. I don’t want him to relapse but want to start tapering his med asap before like I said earlier the treatment becomes worse or is just as bad as the disease. I’m hoping if and when I can get him off these meds he will get his joy and personality back.
Hi Micki,
I am so sorry your young pup is suffering from an immune mediated disease. The side effects of prednisone can be unbearable for some dogs, but I am glad it has reduced the pain and limping. What did you find out from the recheck with your vet? Hopefully once the prednisone has accomplished its goal, your vet can switch your dog over to a different immunosuppressive drug with less side effects. Make sure to keep your vet updated on your pup’s progress and any setbacks. Wishing you both the best. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Thanks for your reply. We started tapering his prednisone and placed him on Leflunomide the goal being to eventually dc Prednisilone and continue with Leflunomide for a few months and maybe eventually try to dc altogether and monitor for any relapse. Well after being on the Leflunomide for two weeks he started having severe diarrhea and eventually started have large amount of bleeding and bright red blood in his stools. He even had some echomoytic areas on his stomach that looked like bruises. I was unable to get another appointment with his IM for a couple weeks and his regular vet states they were not comfortable treating IMPA so I discontinued his Leflunomide until I could get him in do see his IM. On the third day his stools had no visible blood and the diarrhea improved. Also added to his struggles with prednisone he has a really bad case of oral Papillomas that I am assuming can’t clear up or get better as long as he is on the Prednisilone. His experience with Prednisone has been so horrific I have decided even though it saved his life I would never allow him to go back on it for more than a few days again. He is a one year old pup that has had minimal dog quality life. Not sure what other medication if any he might be able to substitute to help regulate his immune system given the side effects of two he has tried. Also just a thought and may mean nothing but when I think back to when all this started he had a runny nose and tested negative for all the normal puppy diseases but they placed him on Doxycycline that We had to stop due to diarrhea. I remember the day before he went is to the vets for this he had his heart worm worm and flea and thick medication. Maybe all at his was too much at once for his young body.
Dear Micki,
My heart aches for you with all the difficulties you and your pup have endured over the past few months. I am sorry the side effects from the medications continue to decrease your dog’s quality of life. I am still praying for a resolution to these issues and hoping your sweet boy can live a normal happy life. Thank you for the update. Keep us posted on how things are progressing. Bless you. ♥
Our 9 month old lab puppy was diagnosed with Idiopathic non erosive immune mediated polyarthritis after several vet appointments. He was very lethargic and limping for about a week. Before we went in for the joint taps he was put on an antibiotic and a pain medication. Because they wanted the pain medication out of his system we were told to wait to put him on the prednisone for one week.. In the past week he got 100 percent better, no limping or pain, he is back to his crazy self and full of energy. The vet still recommends he goes on the prednisone, we are so confused if this is the right thing to do based on the side affects of this medication. It just seems wrong when right now he is perfect or am I crazy to have another joint tap done to see if the numbers have changed. Anyone have any thoughts.
Hi Angela,
I am so glad your puppy is feeling better and able to run and play again. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is hard to make specific conclusions and recommendations. If I had to guess, I would think your vet is just being cautious and wanting to make sure a relapse doesn’t occur. While you are correct that prednisone can have significant side effect, they usually resolve quickly once the medication is discontinued. It would be a good idea to talk to your vet about your concerns. Make sure you have clear advice on the risks and benefits with this course of treatment. I hope everything will continue to resolve and your Lab can make a full recovery. Best wishes to you both!
Thank you for your informational post.
As a pharmacist, you think through every side effect, understanding and trying to outweigh benefits and risks- so when the time came where my 7 month old husky was finally diagnosed with IBD, treatment with steroids, I will say I was crushed for him. But I was happy we finally had an understanding. Now it was time to start figuring out what was causing the inflammatory trigger.
This is where the prednisone difficulties come in. Because the IBD decreases the appetite, the prednisone returns it to normal. He naturally has low cortisol (negative to Addisons), and lack of energy. He has a feeding tube because he doesn’t eat, and has started muscle atrophy, but continuing on that prednisone so we don’t have to switch to cyclesporin.
His biggest problem with prednisone, frequent urination.
As a pup, milo had giardia. We treated with two rounds of high dose antifungals and antibiotics. Come to find out, he will always test positive but remain asymptomatic. As long as he’s asymptomatic, he doesn’t get treated. Anyway, milo would have accidents on the meds and started to run to the potty pad. He taught himself that. Now he does it with the prednisone. However, even if you take Milo out for hours, he won’t pee until he’s back home and on the pad. After all, he’s a husky lol.
Hi Zee,
I am sorry your young pup has struggled with so many issues in his short life. It sounds like the treatment is helping and he is on the path to recovery. If at any point you feel like you need some additional input, don’t forget you can always ask for a consult with an internal medicine specialist. I hope Milo has many happy years ahead. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Hi our pup on prednisone for back issue now. When got had Giardia. Vet lab not always see but outside lab found high concentration. On 4th round of fenbendazole(1x day)& metronidazole (2x day). Per supply shorted from vet hospital ended up giving 2nd dose Panacur. But I could see improvement. Our vet said ok break normal dose 2x day & figured with puppy fast metabolism might help&was able to cure!
Hi Cynthia,
I am glad you were able to clear the Giardia infection after a few rounds of medications. Hoping the prednisone will help resolve your pup’s back issue. Good luck!
We have a very healthy, active, approximately 11 year old rescued mixed breed dog. Today, after a couple minutes playing with the dog next door, she cried out. I came over and she showed me her right ear. Turned out to be an aural hematoma, caused by trauma. We ran her to the emergency vet and they tried to aspirate but said it was too painful for her. So, they told us to go on Gabesperin for pain relief and 10 mg of Prednisone every 24 hours for seven days, then tapering for another week, assuming the hematoma has resolved. She said this is resolved the problem 75 percent of the time. I hate steroids and have avoided for my whole life., for myself and her. But I want to know if this is considered a short course and whether it’s causing damage. I just don’t know what to trust anymore bc and our old vet can’t see her for awhile.
Hi Andrea,
I am glad you are reaching out for support and advice about your dog’s aural hematoma. I know steroids can have unwanted side effects and come with a bad reputation. But for this condition, prednisone is the treatment of choice. In most cases it works very well and can prevent surgery and other complications. Two weeks is a very short course for prednisone and if the hematoma isn’t completely resolved by then, it may need to be continued for another few weeks. Try not to worry about the “what ifs”. Make sure you are keeping your vet updated on the healing progress. I am hopeful everything will completely resolve, and this will all be behind you before you know it.
Thank you for your thoughts. It is resolving. and our last day is tomorrow before tapering. The tapering
schedule has varied between our two vets. one says the full pill every other day for two more doses while the other says drop to half a dose every day for three days and then another three days every other day. it’s all very confusing and nerve wracking!
Thank you so much for such a great read.
My 3 years old female pup is suspected to have Steroid Responsive Meningitis – despite going to so many (8) vets/ER and spending over $8k in diagnostics.
Here is a bit of her backstory:
My girl was diagnosed with IVDD and had MRI/spinal surgery done in June 2022, she was recovering beautifully. A month ago, I took her to get a cytopoint injection (routine) but the same day, she felt ill. A week-2 weeks after so many ER visits, X-rays, testing panels, she still displayed these symptoms: fever, lethargy, shaking/tremors, diarrhea, vomitting, loss of appetite, stiff neck, and extreme ataxia.
Initially she was being treated for GI issues, but antibiotics were not helping- suspected IBD so a vet prescribed a low-dose short course of prednisone and she recovered within 3 days- then got worse after I started to taper the prednisone. Followed the tapering, was admitted to the ER and stayed there multiple times with uncontrollable fever, not able to walk or stand, and major GI issues- I thought I lost her at that point due to not having a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
Finally, a vet suspected SRMA and suggested that we had no time to waste (she was in such bad shape) and to put her on high dose prednisone. I was desperate so I approved treatment plan without further testing. 1-2 days later, she is back to her old self!
I’ve had a neurologist (the same one that did her spinal surgery) consult yesterday and she agreed to keep my pup on prednisone course (tapering off rather quickly though- 2 month course) as her diagnosis is not confirmed. She suggested that if we do have a relapse, then we can do further testing such as a spinal tap, or Addison, or potentially internal medicine for IBD.
My pup weighs 30lbs and treatment plan for prednisone 10mg:
– 2 tablets every 12 hours for 2 weeks
– 1 tablet every 12 hours for 2 weeks
– 1/2 tablet every 12 hours for 2 weeks
– 1/2 tablet once a day for 2 weeks
Neuro recheck in 2 months.
I Still don’t know what’s the best thing to do except for wait and see. If you have any insights or suggestions, I’d greatly appreciate it
Hi Fiona,
I am amazed at your strength and resolve to stay the course while trying to advocate for your pup’s health and wellbeing. You have been through so much these past few months! I am glad the prednisone has made such a drastic improvement in your girl’s quality of life. I agree with the wait and see approach. The tapering course of prednisone sounds like the best idea at this point. I hope your dog will remain stable and you can get some answers at her two month recheck. Feel free to leave an update and let us know how things are going along the way. Praying for a complete recovery and wishing you both the best!
Fiona, my 6 year old mixed breed rescue was diagnosed with auto-immune meningitis in early June. This was confirmed by MRI, spinal tap, and several infectious disease panels. It is a very devastating disease. My girl was on extremely high doses of pred initially (50mg daily) and then when we got down to 10mg daily, she had a relapsed. Her relapse meant a steroid shot that day, then the next day we started tapering all over but the starting dose was now 60mgs daily!!! We were informed that with each relapse it gets more and more difficult to get under control. All I can say is, don’t rush the tapering because it will set you further back. I love my girl dearly and its been a difficult summer. I wish you and yours the best with recovery!!!
Hi Kristina,
I am sorry Fiona is fighting such a difficult diagnosis. I am glad you were able to catch the relapse early enough to increase the steroids again. I hope your sweet girl will be able to stabilize and live a long a happy life. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Best wishes!
My boxer has lymphoma and prednisone reduced all the glandular swelling for about 6 weeks, as expected, but the lumps are back and growing. Again, as expected. My question – when I started the prednisone it was a triple dose for a week, then a single until all are used. Since the lumps are back, should I try to knock them back with the triple dose for a week, like when I started the prednisone, or is that useless now? Thanks for any insights. I understand this is a common cancer in golden retrievers and boxers, so maybe other owners of these beautiful animals can learn from my experience.
Hi Eric,
My heart goes out to you as you navigate this difficult situation with your Boxer. I am not sure if you increased the dosage again that there would be any benefit. But since your pup is receiving hospice/palliative care, it might be worth a try. At this point, the potential benefits would outweigh any possible risks from the steroids. I recommend you talk to your vet and discuss your ideas and concerns. They may decide to refill the prednisone and see if it improves your sweet boy’s quality of life. Wishing you both comfort and peace. Bless you.
My 13 year old Tibetan Spaniel was on2.5 mg. Of Prednisone for a about 8 days. The vet did not taper the dose and because he wasn’t feeling well I skipped a day or 2 and brought him to the vet. The vet remarked that he should have been prescribed a taper dose and suggested I continue doing every other day until meds were gone (3 days remaining). He had a rabies shot at the vet and we went home. I also gave him a dose of the Prednisone. The next day he began having weird symptoms- pacing all over, walking into corners and staring, weakness and a general “stupor” . She gave me the option of stopping the med and said this was the steroid and it could take days to weeks to leave his system completely! We are on day 5 now of these bizarre symptoms, and I am worried if he’ll recover from this. He is drinking and eating but I have to coax him to eat . He is a senior and has health problems. I am frusturated and worried. Any information regarding this would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi Margie,
I am sorry your senior guy is struggling with these new strange behavioral symptoms. While I suppose it is possible the steroids could cause these issues, I am worried there could be something else going on. What was the prednisone originally prescribed for? It might be a good idea to look into a consult with a veterinary neurologist or internal medicine specialist. My best advice is to push for further testing and make sure there are no other issues that need to be addressed. I hope your pup can make a full recovery. Praying for a positive outcome.
Hello Dr. Buzby,
I have a 14 year old Dachshund who was prescribed Prednisolone to reduce inflammation after a light surgery to remove a grade 2 mast cell tumor on his shoulder. It has a mitotic score of less than 3. Unfortunately the margins were not totally clear. He healed well but Prednisolone was prescribed to help suppress any cancer cells. The medicine has not been good for his quality of life and we have opted to take him off. Panting, muscle loss, thirst, sleeplessness, mood changes.
My doctor has recommended transitioning him off the medicine over 2 weeks. He has been on it for a month total. They recommended 1st week going twice a day, to once. 2nd week going from once a day to once every other. then just quitting after the second week. Full dose each time.
I would feel more comfortable reducing the dose each week until the dose is 1/10 of start and then discontinuing. So .8ml then to .4ml then to 2 then 1, then 0. My questions is, is there a preferred method for phasing the medicine out that is best for the patient?
Thank you so much for your knowledge.
Hi Alex,
I am sorry the prednisone has caused so many unwanted side effects for your Dachshund. The plan your vet has recommended to wean your pup off of the prednisone sounds like a very standard protocol. Since your dog has only been taking the prednisone for a month, there should not be a need to prolong the weaning process. I hope your sweet boy will start to feel better once the medication has been discontinued. Best wishes to you both for a long a happy future.
Thank you Julie for such an informative article.
My 19 month old coton doodle was diagnosed with IMT and is currently on prednisolone to suppress her immune system from attacking her platelets. She has some side effects (increased thirst and appetite, seriously lack of energy and dark stools) but hoping the next blood test shows more improvement and we can start weaning her off. I can’t wait to get my lively pup back, she is so sad at the moment. But thanks to the steroids she is still alive
Your article gave me some of the answers I was looking for. Thank you so much.
Hi Samantha,
I am glad the article was helpful and gave you come comfort in this difficult process. Thank you for sharing your story with our readers. Here is another article that may offer additional information: ITP in Dogs: Through the Eyes of a Veterinarian and Dog Mom
Praying your pup will stabilize quickly and make a full recovery. Best wishes and bless you both!
Hi,
Thanks for the article!
My poor boy Milo has been really poorly, initially some pain and problem with the ‘stomach’. Scans and x-rays to check but nothing came up, so had exploratory surgery. Didn’t open anything once in but took a biopsy of the bowels. During recovery, this then caused him to have sepsis and had to have another operation to remove the fluid build up. During this time his intestines had stopped, so went on medication to get them moving.
Eventually recovered from the infection and bowels started moving again.
Biopsy shows inflammation so think IBD. Now on special diet, only allowed this food (hypoallergenic) and nothing else. Not eating enough (stubborn Poodle x Bedlington breed!) and has lost more weight (originally lost some before/ after surgery). So now been prescribed Prednidale 5/25mg for 2 weeks, if this helps with appetite.
Will potentially use another immunosuppressant if this doesn’t work.
Still so very worried for his health and future, he’s only 5 years old.
Hi Sharon,
I am sorry Milo has suffered so many setbacks recently. I hope the prednisone will help increase his appetite and allow his IBD to stabilize. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Praying your sweet boy will feel better quickly and get back to living his best life. May you have many happy years ahead.
My 5 year old German Shepherd was diagnosed with Lymphoma Carcinoma and prescribed 20 MG of Prednisone twice daily. His response over 6 days so far has been miraculous, from not interested in food and no energy to about 80% of his old self. Still pants slightly but nothing compared to prior pred. Considering his favorable responsiveness to prednisone would it be wise to drop his morning does to 10 MGs and keep his night dose to 20 MG? I am guessing that he has no more than 30 to 60 days based on my reading but this morning I was playing ball with him in the field and see this hard to believe :(.
Hi Ed,
I am sorry your Shepherd has received such a poor diagnosis but glad to hear the prednisone has improved his quality of life in such a dramatic way. Since you are seeing positive results, I am curious to know why you are wanting to decrease the dosage? If your pup is doing well on the recommended treatment regimen your vet prescribed, then I would not try to change it unless you start to see unwanted side effects. Generally, if I am using prednisone as palliative care, I do not worry with tapering the dose. I hope you can make the most of these last weeks together. Praying your sweet boy can stay comfortable and happy till the last goodbye.
Our 2yr old Aussie male was just diagnosed with IMHA on Monday 9/5/22. He’s been on Prednisone and Mycophenolate also on a couple probiotics since. He’s had two blood transfusions and his fighting hard. We are doing our best to encourage small frequent meals with easy to digest food(steamed salmon, beef liver, chicken) also supplementing with baby food. He’s been eating better and more consistently but his RBC count was back down to 12% post second transfusion were he was at 13%.
Do you have any further suggestions to help our sweet boy, while he is fighting and we are waiting for his medications to suppress his immune system enough to help him recover, so he can return to being one of the happiest souls I’ve ever met?
Hi Sean,
I am sorry your Aussie has received such a difficult diagnosis. It sounds like he is fighting and putting forth great effort to overcome this tricky condition. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, I can’t make specific recommendations. The treatments you mentioned seem like the standard of care for IMHA. Here is a link to an article on this exact topic which might offer additional information: IMHA in Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide
I hope your sweet boy will be able to continue on the path to a complete recovery. Praying he will stabilize soon, and the abnormal blood values will start to resolve. Wishing you the best.
Very informative article, Yesterday, my dog was diagnose by having a Heart Murmur. The doctor would like to put her on prednisone (due to her very sever allergies) , but warned us it could cause Heart Failure. The other option is to put her on Atopica to treat her allergies, but that could attack her tumor/cancer/mold on her belly (which we are still unsure if it is that) no test were done. We have to give an answer to solve her allergy problem soon. Any advice?? Thanks.
Hi Nicole,
I understand your concern for your pup and the potential side effects of much needed medication. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific recommendations about which treatments would be best to try. There are many different treatment/medication options for dogs suffering with allergies. Here is a link to another article with more information: Allergy Medicine for Dogs: 9 Solutions to Calm Your Dog’s Itch
Since your girl seems like a more complicated case, I recommend you look into scheduling a consult with a veterinary dermatologist. They can let you know what treatments can help without causing additional side effects or if there are different therapies to try. Your dog is lucky to have you advocating for her health and wellbeing. Keep up the good work!
Hi Dr. Buzby, my Shih tzu has been given prednisone for deep hacking cough due to what seems to be allergic bronchitis (she tried antibiotics and theophylline when her cough was not as aggressive in the beginning and that didn’t help it only got worse). They did x-ray again (with this worsen cough) and blood work, and it didn’t show tracheal collapse, heart issues, fluid, infection. Are there some natural supplements (probiotics, milk thistle, medicinal mushroom, etc) that I can give her during this 3 week treatment to lower the side effects of steroids? I would really appreciate any feedback you may have. Thank you!
Hi Sanja,
I understand your concern for your pup and the issues with treating allergic bronchitis. I am not aware of any supplements or medications that can lessen the side effects of prednisone. Hopefully this treatment with prednisone will be short and the side effects will resolve as soon as the medicine is discontinued. Keeping my fingers crossed that your pup will not have to take steroids long term. Here is a link to another article about chronic bronchitis that may offer additional information: Chronic Bronchitis in Dogs: The Mysterious Cough That Won’t Quit
I hope your sweet girl will get some relief from her coughing. Praying for a positive outcome and wishing you both the best.
I have a pom with tracheal collapse stage 2 he has been on prednisone for 2 weeks because the coughing wont stop after taking prednisone it got better. the last day of taking it is every other day. He stopped taking it on aug 27 but today he’s back on prednisone again because he is coughing again but not like last time he coughed so hard. Is it okay to continue the prednisone even after just 1 week rest on it? Pls help
Hi Max,
I understand your concern about keeping your dog on prednisone. Although it is not ideal, many dogs have to stay on prednisone long term for various reasons. Since your pup has taken this medication for less than a month, I would not be worried about starting another round of treatment. If the coughing becomes severe once the steroids are discontinued again, you will have to discuss options with your vet. They may recommend surgery or trying a combination of different medications. Here is a link to another article with more information: Collapsed Trachea in Dogs As Seen Through the Eyes of a Veterinarian
Ultimately, it may come down to a choice between the benefits verses the risks of long-term prednisone administration. I hope this second course of treatment is able to get your little guy stabilized. Wishing you both the best of luck.
Thank you ms. Julie
Hi,
My dog is scheduled for TPLO surgery and he is on a low dosage prednisone (5mg every 24 hours) for allergies. I have weaned him off to 1/2 a 5 mg every 24 hours. His surgery is scheduled in 2 days. Will they cancel his surgery because of this?
Thanks
Hi Kathy,
While the use of prednisone can change what medications are used for pain control after surgery, I would not think this would be a reason to completely cancel the procedure. Hopefully the surgeon is aware of your dog’s current medications and has studied his case details. Just to be on the safe side, I recommend you call the vet that will be performing the surgery and ask if the prednisone is an issue.
We have a 16 and a half year old shepherd mix that has been a great dog. She was slowing down quite a bit and losing weight, so we took her in for a check-up in April. She weighed 53 pounds (down from 65-70 in her prime) and the vet said she had osteo-arthritis and would benefit from some pain meds for relief. They put her on Gabapenten which, long story short, did not work for her. (She had several episodes of what was almost like a stroke throughout the few months we tried it- she would wander, spin, stare off into space, and stumble around for hours before it would subside- adjusting dosage did little to help.) We went in again at the end of July after giving up on that, and were told there was a muffled heartbeat on one side indicating fluid build up. She has also lost more weight- now 44 pounds. After a general examination (no labs), the vet said she was basically close to being ready to go. She felt like there could be some cancer or a brain lesion, and likely some organs slowing/shutting down- she said we had a little time- maybe a few weeks to a month- to enjoy her for a little longer, and said we could put her on a conservative dose of prednisone (10mg) to give her some comfort and a little spring in her step- essentially a hospice/palliative situation. We noticed it helped her right away, though she did suffer from all the expected side-effects (panting and restlessness being an understatement), and ultimately, we weaned her down to 7.5mg. It has now been almost a month, and she is doing overall okay. She is very lazy in the morning and takes some coaxing to get up and out for that first pee/poop- and is usually a little unsteady on her feet at first as well- she lists. She sleeps a lot during the afternoon with an occasional trip outside to journey around and even gives me a few runs to the door after doing her business- like her old self. She seems comfortable as evening approaches, eats great, then launches into the expected panting and general restlessness for several hours before finally settling down for bed. I’m convinced, given the arthritis, that she wears herself out at night and her morning sluggishness is a result of the steroid wearing off and the previous nights pacing around. Anyways, I know, as the vet said, this is just a band-aid, and eventually the steroid will stop working for her. I guess my questions are, will that be an obvious change or more gradual? And what exactly might those signs be? Does increasing back to 10mg when those signs occur help any? I obviously know we’re on borrowed time and don’t want her to suffer, but also don’t want to put her down too soon. According to the way the vet spoke, the prednisone might buy us an additional few weeks to a month beyond the original diagnosis- which we’re almost at now. So, I’m guessing I should be watching for whatever these changes are in the next 2-4 weeks.
Thank you so much for this article and for taking the time to address all the concerns us canine lovers have! It is appreciated more than you know.
Hi Natalie,
I am sorry your senior girl’s health is declining and she is nearing the end of her days. What a blessing she has responded so well to the prednisone and gained some extra quality time with the ones who love her most. Unfortunately, there is no way to know for sure what the next decline will look like when she stops responding to the prednisone. If you had a definitive diagnosis, it would be easier to possibly predict how things might progress. My best advice is to stay in close contact with your vet so they can intervene quickly when things start to change. You might also want to consider having a house call vet that does hospice care and in-home euthanasia lined up just in case. Try not to dwell on how much time is left, but on the quality of time. Make these last days count. Enjoy every moment and spoil your girl rotten. Let her go out in style and full of joy. My thoughts are with you. Give your sweet girl a hug for me. ♥
Thank you for this article, so helpful. Our 6 year old dog was just put on prednisone for seasonal allergies where he licked and chewed his paws and legs so much the fur started to come off. Now he’s on the prednisone and the itching has stopped, but he’s so miserable. He’s lethargic, nervous and really stressed out, and just peed in the house which he has never done. I feel so bad and wish we’d just left things alone and stayed with the probiotics and salmon oil. We are tapering off the dose now and can’t wait to get him off it altogether. Itchy feet or not, we won’t be going down that route again. And luckily winter’s coming! Thanks again for the great info 🙂
Hi Susan,
Thank you for the kind words about the article. I am sorry your dog is suffering from seasonal allergies and the prednisone side effects are causing stress. You might want to consider talking to a veterinary dermatologist. They can let you know about other medications and therapies that may could be of great benefit for your pup. Here is a link to an article with additional information: Allergy Medicine for Dogs: 9 Solutions to Calm Your Dog’s Itch
I hope you can find the right combination of treatments to give your sweet boy some relief. And yes…I too am ready for winter!
Fantastic, I’ll check it out. Thanks so much! He’s also much calmer and more energetic now we’re tapering off the dose. Such a stressful time for both him and us!
We had the same issues of terrible allergies with our dog Andrew. He was a Wirehaired Jack and always had his nose to the ground. His skin had scabs and his ear infections almost never cleared up. I did alot of reading and decided to change his diet…..no more dog food. I would only suppliment with the grain free food from Pet Land that was 69$ a medium size bag. Whatever I cooked for dinner/breakfast before I seasoned the meat or veggies, rice, potato egg’s ect, the unseasoned food was platted for him and our Rat Terrier. To my surprise
Andrews skin started clearing, his ears got well (along with solution to help fight the germs). My terrier also had seizures frequently….they stopped! For the rest of they’re lives ( and they lived a long life….Andrew lived to be 17 and the terrier, Cupcake to 19! Also they need bone meal. I ordered that by the large bag. Now we have a rescued Parsons Jack and he eats the same way……..dog food sparingly. It is no good. There is some good food out there but very expensive.
Andrew was on prednisone too on and off….it worked wonders but he started having adrenal problems so we had to take him off of them.
Hi June,
I am glad you have found what works best for your little pup. What a blessing to have had so many years with Andrew and Cupcake! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Bless you.
Hi Dr Buzby. My dog was recently diagnosed with heartworm, and he was given prednisone and an antibiotic. He was on it for about 5 days when his poop started to become black. There is brown in the middle of the poop so the black is just on the outside. The consistency is normal, he is behaving normal aside from the increased urination. I tried to call our vet but they are closed. Should I be concerned if he is acting normal?
Thanks! Just worried about my boy
Hi Kelsey,
You are right to be concerned about this color change to your dog’s feces. Usually, a black color in feces indicates the presence of digested blood. This is not always the case, and certain medications can cause a color change as well. But I would highly recommend you contact your vet as soon as they reopen to discuss this new symptom. I am glad your pup seems to feel ok, and he is acting normal. Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery!
My dog was diagnosed as well with the same thing. I haven’t noticed a color change in his poop but I did notice him pooping in his crate and his appetite changing. He’s on prednisone and Doxycycline but I’m giving him the prednisone first for 30 days. Did you chose the “fast kill” option?
I just read your article on Prednisone usage in dogs. My Zacky is an 18 1/2 year old Lhasa Apso; he went 18 years without needling medication. Last year he was diagnosed with a primary lung tumor. He really has not had complications and was given 2 months to live but here we are 1 1/2 years later; only using CBD transdermal; which also helped cognitive times issues. In February, he had blood work, that showed anemic & low red blood cells; the vet said it was from the cancer and he would only have few months to live. Mid April, he was eating fine and even going for walks. Then the next day his life changed for the worse. I was told to euthanize but I refused and asked to treat him. He had severe stomach pain and was treated for an ulcer and infection; which now I feel was the problem back in February and not treated. He also was put on Gabapentin and Prednisone; with an ulcer. The doctor just fills the prescriptions, answers my emails and phone calls but never wanted an examination or blood test to monitor the Prednisone or follow up on the infection/ulcer. Just told me he is in hospice. Since then he eats very well but losing his hair on his body. I asked if we should discontinue the Prednisone in the very beginning of June but was told to reduce the dosage in half. My dog has lost a lot of hair and it is very thin that you can see his bones. Again, I called the Vets and said I want an examination and blood work on him; he has severe stomach pain again plus I felt Prednisone induced Cushings Syndrome. She told me that we can try to reduce it but felt he should stay on it. I was right about the Cushings. I saw another doctor, she took blood tests and now he has kidney issues close to failure and elevated liver. In April, his blood work on the kidney and liver were normal; as always. It is August and he has been taking Prednisone since May; with cancer and an ulcer. His ulcer has returned or never healed and worsened and this doctor wants him off Prednisone quickly and that scares me too. She prescribed ulcer medicine and felt using Milk Thistle could help his liver but not his kidneys; they are permanently damaged from a few months on Prednisone and not monitoring him.. Is there anything that can help him with his kidneys and liver functions? He has never stood or walked again since the event in Mid-April. So heartbroken.😪💔
Dear Patty,
I understand your concern for Zacky, and it is clear from your words just how much you love him. He is lucky to have someone like you to advocate for his health and wellbeing. I am sorry that the last year has been so difficult and confusing with the information you have been given about your dog’s medical conditions. Since I have not personally examined your pup, I can’t make specific conclusions about why certain treatments were pursued or not. I do know that veterinarians as a whole, would not intentionally do anything to put a dog in harm’s way. We make the best decisions we can with the information we have at the current time. I am glad you have found a vet with which you feel more comfortable. I too would be mildly concerned about stopping the prednisone as it may have helped to shrink the lung tumor and slowed the progression of the cancer. But with side effects such as Cushing’s and an ulcer you may not have another option. The Milk Thistle is a liver protectant and should help lower the high liver enzymes you are seeing on Zacky’s lab work. Denamarin is another liver supplement that I love which contains Milk Thistle. I do not usually see kidney damage with prednisone and often see kidney issues that seem to pop up quickly out of nowhere. I am not sure there is a way to know for sure if the prednisone caused the kidney problems or if it just coincidentally started around the same time. I have used Enalapril for dogs with early kidney dysfunction with good success. It is intended to be a heart medication but works to help increase blood flow to the kidneys which improves their function. You may want to talk to your vet about Enalapril and see if it is right for your dog. There are prescription kidney diets as well that may be of some benefit. The one thing that I can’t seem to wrap my head around is you mentioned he can’t walk or stand and has been this way since mid-April. Based on how complicated Zacky’s case is and the number of issues he is currently dealing with, I highly recommend you talk to a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They may be able to offer additional options for treatments or testing that are not readily available in general practice. I hope you can find the right combination of things to improve your sweet boy’s quality of life and give him as much time as possible to continue making memories. I wish you both the best.
My 9 year old toy poodle was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma 3 weeks ago and was put on prednisone a week after because he was having some neurological symptoms. He’s done pretty well paired with holistic treatment (we decided against chemo due to cost), the only thing that’s been concerning is the the amount of breaths per minute (around 45-50). We saw the vet on Friday and he said the lungs sound clear and they did an ultrasound on his belly to check for fluid. He just gets so restless at night and I’m worried he’s uncomfortable. We’re just praying for at least a few more weeks with him. The heartbreak is immeasurable.
Hi Krissy,
I am so sorry your senior boy is battling cancer. I understand your heartbreak and the worry you must have over his condition. Prednisone is known for causing panting in dogs, so I am wondering if his increased respiratory rate could be a side effect of the medication. Also, prednisone is well known to cause restlessness and trouble sleeping in humans, so it is quite possible that it is contributing to your dog’s nighttime issues. It might be a good idea to talk to your vet about the possibility of using a melatonin supplement to help your little guy settle down at night. Despite the side effects, I hope the prednisone will give you some extra quality time with your pup. Make the most of these last days and give your sweet boy a hug for me.
After a UTI turned out to be Pyometra, it was followed by a spleenic-mass which turned out to be non-malignant. Both required immediate surgeries, 9 days apart, as soon as discovered. Then she was presumed to have IMHA when the cancer results came back neg.
My dog was taking prednisone (and atopica(cyclosporin)) for the presumable IMHA.
Are there any circumstances where a vet would choose not to give an anti-bloodclot medicine as well as a stomach-barrier medicine for ulcers?
Would there have been a needle for these they would have gave her during surgery instead?
I brought her in for laboured breathing. My dog had to be put down 1 week into it due to both clots and ulcers, and also shrinking of organs.
Dear PR,
I am so sorry for the tragic loss of your dog. It sounds like you did everything you could to fight all these compounding issues that appeared around the same time. Since I did not personally examine your pup, it is hard to make specific conclusions about why certain treatments were not performed. There are always exceptions to the rule. There may have been complicating circumstances that would have made an anticoagulant or other treatments contraindicated. Ultimately, you made the difficult and unselfish choice to say goodbye and give your sweet girl peace and rest. I know this came from a place of love and I have no doubt she knew how much you loved her. I hope with time your heart will heal and her memory will be a blessing.
Hi, our 10 year old Staffy Lurcher was recently at the vet having a haematoma drained from her ear she was given a short term course of preidone 5mg. She has been fine in herself but have noticed excessive urinating and drinking which the vet did mention but she’s also panting quite a lot, she should have finished her course by Thursday. Is the panting something to be concerned about or should we just let her run the course of treatment? Thanks
Hi Olivia,
I am glad you reached out with your concerns about these side effects. The panting is a normal side effect of Prednisone and shouldn’t be a sign of anything serious. I would continue with your course of medication just as prescribed for your pup. After the medication is finished you should see these symptoms resolve on their own rather quickly (within a few days). I hope Lurcher’s ear is healing well, and she is feeling good otherwise. Best wishes!
My 11 1/2-year-old golden retriever was first diagnosis with arthritis in his knees. About a month and a half ago he quit going upstairs, getting in the car by himself. I took him to the vet and and they did an x-ray and he does not have arthritis they found an enlarged spleen and a tumor on the spleen. The doctor prescribed prednisone and OxyContin. He’s been on it for a week and a half and now he has black diarrhea he’s vomiting and there’s fried fresh blood from his rear. I read your article and it says to not give a steroid and NSAID. Is there anything I can do to help his stomach. I called the vet and they told me if conditions get worse take him to the emergency room. He is not eating
Hi Kathy,
I am very concerned about the symptoms you are describing in your Golden. Splenic tumors are notorious for rupturing and causing internal bleeding. Also, with the black feces and bleeding from his ear I am worried about a clotting issue which could be an emergency situation. I would highly recommend you take your dog to your vet or the ER right away!
Good Morning Dr. Buzby. My American Bully, Diesel has been diagnosed with heartworm. He’s only 2yrs old & 60lbs and my first pet dog. I was told by the vet I had 2 options to get him better. One is the fast kill, a shot called Melarsamine (4 month process) and slow kill which takes up to a year to kill the heartworms. Of course I chose the fast kill ($1600) because there’s a chance the heartworms can get worse do to the slow kill process and he may not make it. The vet put him on prednisone 20mg (1 and 1/2 tablet q12h the first week) and tapering him down for 30 days. I noticed on day 6 & 7 he pooped in his crate. He looked so scared, but i wasn’t upset. I figured it was a side affect. Is 30 days too long for him to be on that drug due to heartworms?
Hi Sakenia,
I am sorry your Bully has heartworms but glad to hear you are having them treated. 30 days of prednisone is exactly what your big guy needs. As the adult worms die, they can cause quite a bit of lung inflammation which leads to breathing difficulties. The prednisone is trying to minimize the lung inflammation during the treatment process and prevent unwanted allergic reactions. I hope Diesel will continue to tolerate the treatment well and be heartworm free in a few months. Best wishes to you both and good luck!
You spoke about your 9 year old dog who couldn’t use his back legs and you tapered him off the prednisone to another long term drug. What was it? My Poor boxer at seven years old has been on prednisone since March and what we’re tape bring them off to right now is not working he barely can move. Went three days ago he was out running around fine on the prednisone.
Hi Erik,
I am sorry you are not seeing the results you had hoped since tapering the prednisone. The most common medication used in place of prednisone for suppressing the immune system is cyclosporine. I am not sure if immune suppression is the goal with your pup or if you are trying to control inflammation/pain. Since I have not personally been involved with your dog’s case, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. What issue or disease process are you treating with the prednisone? In some instances, the benefits of the prednisone outweigh the possible side effects and risks associated with long term administration. This may be the case with your senior guy. My best advice is to talk to your vet and make sure they are aware of your concerns and keep them updated on the current issues your pup is facing. I hope you can find the right treatment to restore your sweet boy’s quality of life. Praying for a full recovery and many happy days ahead.
I just found your article on long term prednisone and I’d love to comment and ask a question. My NSDTR, Echo was diagnosed with Masticatory muscle Myositis when he was 8 months old. He’s now 8 years young and currently on a daily 10mg dose of prednisone. During the years he has taking a couple of pred breaks but the MMM has returned and treating with a high dose has caused Steroid Induced Cushing’s. He is on thyroid meds daily as well. For the last month he has been vomiting almost daily. Usually at “hungry tummy” and has just started with what I think is reverse sneezing. His lifetime diet was whole prey raw and is now on Purina for sensitive stomachs. I would really like to hear what you think.
Thank you!
Hi Cherie,
I understand your concern for your boy and these new GI issues. It took me forever to figure out what NSDTR stood for! They are a rare breed in my area. Have you talked to your vet about the vomiting? Trying to track down the cause can be tricky as it is a symptom of just about everything. If you have not discussed these concerns with your vet, I highly recommend it. They may need to do some lab work or take x-rays/ultrasound the abdomen. I like the Purina sensitive stomach formulation since it has pre and probiotics. I hope you can find the cause of the vomiting and start the right treatment for your dog’s specific situation. Best wishes and feel free to leave an update if you get a chance.
Hi there
My 7 year old boxer Jagger has an ultrasound done recently where it showed mass in her intestines
She had stopped eating and drinking at this point
Our vet put her on 20mg of prednisone daily and now she eats drinks plays around but does pant more and seems little more restless and tired
Is that normal
We don’t think we will do anything like chemo but our vet said prednisone would be long term for our girl
I assume she would need routine blood work and urinalysis if this were to occur
We are just so happy she’s eating and drinking again
Hi Brett,
You are correct that the prednisone can cause restlessness and panting! These side effects should not be a cause for worry. I am so glad Jagger is eating again and feeling better. What a blessing to have your happy girl back so quickly after starting treatment. It is a good idea to have routine blood work done for dogs that are taking steroids long term (usually every 3 to 6 months depending on the condition). Everything really depends on how long the prednisone continues to improve Jagger’s quality of life. Most dogs that are diagnosed with cancer, and improve with prednisone alone, reach a point when the prednisone stops being as effective. There is no way to know for sure when this will occur. It could be months away or only days. The type of cancer and how aggressive it is makes a big difference. I highly recommend you go ahead and discuss what the next steps will be if the prednisone stops working. You can ask your vet about other treatment options or even talk about hospice and palliative care. It will be much less stressful if you have the tough conversations ahead of time rather than waiting till something happens and emotions are high. I pray Jagger will continue to respond favorably to her medication. Best wishes to you both for many happy days ahead.
Hi,
Our dog was diagnosed with a tumor on his brain after having four seizures. He is now on Keppra 750 mg four times a day and 25 mg of prednisone. The vets at UT Emergency Animal Hospital found the tumor after doing an MRI. I’m assuming that they put him on prednisone for the inflammation that is surrounding the tumor. Surgery with radiation was an option but no place in TN does radiation. We choose to do palliative care since traveling out of state for 6 weeks wasn’t an option we could do. I’ll take quality of life over anything else. How do we know when and if we should lower the dosage of prednisone? He hasn’t had any seizures since starting the Keppra. His appetite though has gone through the roof, he already weighs in at 117 and I’m afraid if he gains more weight that will be what hurts him verses the tumor. I’m looking for ways to decrease the prednisone and also to satisfy his hunger. He basically is also training our other 3 Great Pyrenees to have a snack when he takes his pills. What can I give him with his kibble that will fill him up? I know I’m rambling on and I’m sorry, just trying to do right for my Dallas. Thank you.
Dear Karin,
I am so sorry your big guy has received such a poor diagnosis. I am sure it is somewhat comforting to have an answer for his seizures and know exactly what you are facing for the future. I am not sure that decreasing the prednisone would be a good idea. When using steroids for palliative care for cancer, they usually only work for a short while. At some point, the benefits of the steroids will be lost and the cancerous process will advance. I know how frustrating the side effects of the prednisone can be, but in his case the benefits may outweigh these issues. Also, the steroids trick the brain into thinking that more food is needed but there is no actual need for increased calorie intake. It would be a good idea to talk to your vet and let them know about these appetite concerns. They may be able to make some medication changes or offer more insight on how to keep your sweet boy happy and satisfied. I hope Dallas’ last days are full of love and joy. Give him a hug for me. ♥
Our 5yr old cockatoo was diagnosed with MUO and encephalitis 18 months ago. The veterinary care has been superb. He’s been Treated with cyclosporine, leviteracetam and prednisone over 18 months in a tapered form. He’s had two relapses characterised by seizures. Each time he’s been admitted, responded well to low dose chemo and high doses of these drugs followed by a period of of tapering and close monitoring.
He’s reduced from 15mg prednisone twice a day to 10mg comfortably and enjoys great quality. However when he gets to 5mg either once per day or split and administered twice he’s relapsed.
We’re of the opinion that he now has a baseline level for life in order to deliver quality.
The recent relapse resulted in phenobarbitals being added in alongside the other two combined with regular bloods. We know the phenobarbitone dose is maintaining a therapeutic level, the leviteracetam is working well alongside it
.
I’m worried that if as we taper he prednisone,l again should we see any of the characteristics we have seen prior to seizures start to return, should we immediately return to the prior level where no symptoms were seen.
Specifically we’re about to from 10mg daily to 5mg (the level at which he quickly relapsed twice, if the early signs return (circling, bit of leg weakness and lack of balance). Should we immediately ho back to the previous tapered level. ???
We would of course work with our vet but our gut feel is that the 10mg daily is the right Level and should be his maintenance dose. As he hits 5mg again should we see early signs of relapse should we immediately return to the 10mg level where he was stable before. ??
Advice and opinion much appreciated. Our vet is fabulous though I simply want to avoid another relapse and detrimental impact. Does this make sense??
Many thanks
Cockapoo not cockatoo!!
Hi Neil,
I am sorry your little guy has been so difficult to regulate his medications. I am glad you have such a wonderful partnership with your vet and have received amazing care. Your concerns about tapering the prednisone are valid and you may be correct about needing to keep your dog on a low dose for life. Since I haven’t personally examined your pup, I can’t make specific recommendations. I would talk to your vet about your concerns and see if they would like you to increase the prednisone dose back to 10mg if early signs of relapse are noted. Go ahead and make a plan with your vet about what to do for early intervention at home. It is possible a higher dose would be needed to get your guy stable again if symptoms have started to return. I hope you are eventually able to wean off the prednisone but if not, I definitely think the benefits outweigh the risks. I wish you both the best. Please feel free to leave an update if you get a chance!
Thank you so much for this article! My 8 year old boxer mix was diagnosed with Addison’s disease earlier this year and has been on a very low dose of prednisone (+ monthly percorten) since March. I’ve noticed that her coat has changed drastically – she has really dry, brittle hair that I believe to be a side effect of long term usage. Is there anything that can help her fur regrow and rehydrate?
Hi Hannah,
I am glad you were able to get a definite diagnosis of Addison’s disease. It is known as “the great pretender” and can sometimes take lots of trial and error to figure out. It’s great to hear that your girl is stable and responding well to her medications. You are correct that the changes to her hair coat may be due to the steroids. I am not sure there is a fix, but a good supplement that has fatty acids to replenish the skin would be a good start. Also, shampoos can help protect the skin and hair. I like dog shampoos that have oatmeal and especially certain formulas that contain ceramides. Ceramides help protect the skin and maintain the lipid layer that is responsible for holding in moisture and preventing damage. It is always a good idea to talk to your vet about your concerns. They may have additional ideas about how to keep your pup’s coat looking healthy or products they prefer. I wish you the best and good luck!
my 8 year old yorkie was hurt by a passing car and may have hit his head, x-ray shows damaged vertebrae at neck. he can not walk a straight line. Dr. put him on prednisone for short time. he won’t eat but drinks water. all i have read is that this drug increases appetite but nowhere dose it say anything about loss of appetite. I am attempting syringe feeding him with little success
Hi Micki,
You are right to be concerned about your Yorkie. Since I haven’t personally examined him, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. It does make me suspicious that his appetite is decreased due to pain or feeling wobbly. Please make sure your vet is aware of these issues and changes at home. They may want to try additional medications or schedule a consult with a veterinary neurology specialist. I hope your little guy is feeling better and resting comfortably today. Feel free to leave an update if you have a chance.
Hi Dr Buzby, my 14 yr old lhasa also poodle cross , 6kg. Girlie had been having problems for over 5 years – no appetite, diarrhoea and excessive mucus and vomiting up foam. All lab tests done, and also ultrasound. All normal except for a slight thickening of stomach lining. Vet suspects IBS. Given pred to trial 2 tabs a day. Poo still mucus wrapped and coughing and retching the same but no foam. Her appetite has increased tremendously. No incontinence. After this week pred is reduced to once a day. Why is Girlie still having the same poo and retching symptoms? Her increased appetite makes her easier to feed. She has been on chicken and rice or potatoe diet for over 5 years according to vet instructions and all her food are made mushy.
Hi Imm,
I understand your concern for Girlie and these worrisome symptoms. Since I haven’t examined her myself, I can’t make specific conclusions or recommendations. It sounds like the prednisone is helping some and restored her appetite. Make sure you stay in contact with your vet and update them on the progress of the treatment. It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They have experience with regulating complicated cases and may have additional ideas for treatments or therapies to try. I hope you find the answers you need to restore your girl’s quality of life. Best wishes and good luck!
Thank you for this article.
My Jack Russell cross is nearly 6 and was diagnosed with an insulinoma tumor in March of this year. She started showing symptoms in February and was collapsing, after trips to out of hours vets and her own vets we discovered she had dangerously low glucose and high insulin levels, a ct scan confirmed the tumor on her pancreas and spread to lymph nodes. The prednisone has stopped the collapsing but she is hungry all the time due to both prednisone and glucose levels.
She is very lethargic, has very little energy. She is panting a lot, has terrible gas issues, drinking & toilets more. I think she is starting to struggle and the time is coming for us to make the heartbreaking decision. I don’t want her to suffer and be in pain. She is so loving and this is just so unfair.
Dear Vicki,
I am sorry you are facing this most difficult decision with your sweet girl. It does sound like she is struggling and letting go may be the most loving option. I am glad you were able to get a diagnosis and try treatment for the last few months. I know how badly you would like to be able to restore her quality of life. It sounds like you have done everything within your power to make her happy and comfortable. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional guidance for the upcoming future. Praying for peace and strength for you. Bless you both.
1. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
2. In-Home Dog Euthanasia: Heartfelt Answers to 12 FAQs
We found out 6 days ago our 12 year old Beagle has multiple nodules throughout his lungs ( this was after being told for over a year it was most likely reversed sneezing, and we were there for what was trouble swallowing) which they told us was advanced neoplasia. The staff was pretty torn up too, they know how much we have done for a sweet boy.
The one – two week survival rate that came next was too much. They offered us prednisone – it’s basically a 30 day supply, and we were sent home with clear instructions to call them so they can come to our home.
He has been doing pretty good, and we don’t expect it to be life saving, it’s definitely palliative care, but my concern is after 5 days of 40 mg going to once a day is going to speed up saying goodbye.. we would really like to get one more week ( to get past a certain joyous date)
Is there really any harm in breaking up a couple of 20mg for my 48LB boy ( he’s a Beagle/Hound mix) and give him 30 mg ( 20MG AM- 10 MG PM) for a couple of days?
They gave us 40 pills with that 5X twice a day and then once a day….
We know it’s sooner than we could have imagined, but will the 30MG for a couple days help us all out?
More importantly, it’s a scored tablet, is it ok to break in half?
Hi JC,
I am so sorry you are facing such a devastating diagnosis in your senior boy. I am glad your vet has offered some medication to help improve his quality of life during these last days. Scored tablets are definitely ok to break in half. With that being said, there really is no way to know if the 30mg per day verses 20mg per day will have any beneficial effect. I always recommend you talk to your vet and at least let them know if you are making changes to the medications, that way they can follow up and try and prevent any additional unwanted side effects. I will post a link to another article that may be helpful with the difficult decision you will be facing soon. My heart goes out to you and your sweet boy. Bless you both.
Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
This article and the comments were super helpful! Our 12 year old beagle baby girl started prednisone last week for probable neck and joint pain due to arthritis. Before that she was on Novox so we took a break from that as directed by our vet and then started the prednisone. We are doing a 7-10 day 5mg twice a day stint then going down to once a day. Not sure if we are headed back to a non-steroidal option at some point (I hope so) because the side effects are definitely affecting her (two accidents today and she never ever has accidents). I think we need something stronger on the non-steroidal side if we do go back down that road because the Novox was not extremely helpful. I will definitely be discussing next steps with our vet. I appreciate all of the helpful information in this article!
Hi Reida,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It sounds like you have a good partnership with your vet and have a solid treatment plan moving forward. I hope your beagle girl will continue to heal and get back to feeling her best in no time. Best wishes to you both!
Enjoyed your article. Dry much. My Westie has been on prednisone for 5 years as well as Cyclosporine. She has GME. She is taking 2.5 mg of prednisone now every other day. We had her in for her annual checkup and tests and she has issues with her gums and a possible tooth. Her breath has been a little smelly. Her gums in the front bottom teeth are growing high up on her teeth and the gums in the back didn’t appear normal. The vet suggest a teeth cleaning. I am nervous about this as I have a relative that lost their dog fromteeth cleaning. Is it safe for her at 10 years old and GME? What do you think?
Hi Sherry,
Thank you for the nice comments about the article. I am glad to hear that your Westie has been stable and doing well the past few years with the help of her medications. Since I haven’t examined your pup myself, it is difficult to make specific recommendations. Anytime you put a dog under anesthesia there are risks, but we try to minimize those risks with pre-anesthetic testing. So, as long as your vet has done the necessary routine testing and thinks your dog is a good anesthesia candidate, it may be in your dog’s best interest to go forward with the procedure. Dental disease, if left untreated, can cause a myriad of problems for your girl. Also, you mentioned you have noticed her gums are growing up high on her teeth. Gingival overgrowth can be a side effect of cyclosporine. I know that your vet may not be able to discontinue this medication due to its role in treating the GME, but it might be worth a conversation just to get their opinion. I hope you can get the answers you need to make the best choice for you and your senior girl. Best wishes and feel free to leave an update if you get a chance!
My 13 year old Welsh Springer Spaniel has been prescribed Prednisolone (3 x 5md per day) after a couple of months of severe diarrhoea, intermittent at first and then occuring most of the time. He didn’t vomit at all. Blood tests and an ultra-sound scan showed up nothing other than a slight increase in white blood cells. His temperature is normal. After a couple of days on the Prednisolone he improved immensely and the plan is to start to reduce the dosage next week. I have however noticed that his back legs are becoming a bit weak. He had an FCE nearly 3 years ago, but after hydrotherapy and physiotherapy he recovered about 80% of the use of his back end. Might the present weakness be related to the steroids causing a resumption of the previous weakness – without the blood clot of course. If so will Gethin’s strength return once he is weaned partially or even fully off the Prednisolone?
Hi Molly,
I am glad your Spaniel boy has responded so well to the prednisone and the diarrhea is resolving. You are right that prednisone can cause some limb weakness, but I wouldn’t think it had anything to do with his previous FCE episode. If the weakness is caused by the prednisone, then his strength should return once the medication is discontinued. I highly recommend you let your vet know about this possible side effect that way they can closely monitor his condition as the prednisone is weaned. They may need to do some additional testing just to make sure no other issues are contributing to his decline in strength. I hope he is feeling better soon and makes a full recovery. Best wishes to you both and good luck!
Our 12 year old rescue mix of beagle, rat terrier, Lab & pit bull has been prescribed prednisone for a large nasal tumor to extend his life. After 3 weeks we have noticed a significant decrease in the size of his tumor. He is able to breathe better and sleep better. He has stopped sneezing out blood clots. Unfortunately he is suffering from the side effects of the medication. His heart was already “weak”. I’m worried about how long his heart can hang on, but I have to believe that this is better than what the tumor would have continued to do. He has so far experienced increased hunger, thirst and urinating. He is always panting and on edge. He feels funny, I can just tell. But he is overall happier. We are loving him extra.
Dear Hanna,
I am sorry your senior guy is dealing with such an aggressive cancer. Unfortunately, it does sound like the prednisone side effects may be better than allowing the tumor to rapidly increase in size. At some point the medication will probably become less effective and you may be faced with the difficult decision of when to say goodbye. My heart goes out to you while you are navigating this uncertain path. Enjoy all these extra good days you have been blessed with and make the most of them. Give your sweet boy a hug for me. Bless you!
HannaG – our 12yo beagle also has a nasal tumor (undifferentiated sarcoma) which was treated twice with radiation over the course of 13 months. She’s now having problems with inflammation and infections we are having trouble clearing up, and she’s having some bloody snot as well.
A culture of tissue found one bacteria that can be treated with Baytril, but the other one is MRSP. In addition to the Baytril, she started prednisone to help with breathing (gasping and congestion).
How long did it take for you to see an improvement in the breathing for your dog on the prednisone? Our dog has been on it now for six days (15mg per day) and I would say we have not yet seen an improvement.
I’ve been thinking a lot about putting our 10-year-old English Cocker spaniel on prednisone long-term. She has reoccurring ear infections that we treat with drops and occasional prednisone when it really flares up. She is like a different dog when she takes the prednisone. Happy, playful, full of life. Like it knocks 5 years off and she is a puppy again. It makes it very tempting to keep her on it. But after reading this article I will speak to my vet about what other options we could do for her long term. I currently have her on CBD, which worked amazingly well in the beginning, but now hardly compares to the prednisone.
Thank you for this article. It was very insightful!
Hi Ashley,
Thank you for the kind words about the article. I am sorry your spaniel girl is suffering from chronic ear issues. I agree it would be good to talk to your vet about all of the available options for her specific condition. You may also want to have a consult with a veterinary specialist at a referral center that could discuss the most recent surgical and non-surgical treatment options. I have heard that laser therapy can be of great benefit for chronic otitis. I will attach a link to another article that may offer additional information. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and your sweet girl. Best wishes!
Otitis in Dogs: Understanding Ear Infections
Hi there,
This article has been very helpful, thank you. Our 15 year old jack Russell terrier was admitted to the hospital early last week. She was losing red blood cells at an alarming rate. After many tests, they could still not find what was causing her anemia and by Thursday morning it had dropped to 18%. They sent her home for hospice care with one last ditch effort, a prescription for prednisone. Fast forward to tonight and she’s a different dog. Still very tired but eating, drinking, alert, barking, and almost walking on her own. We had her RBC checked yesterday and it’s at 32%. So because the steroids are working we know that her immune system was attacking her RBC’s. . Question is (and we are planning in seeing her vet after the weekend) will the steroids keep her RBC stable? And after she’s off the prednisone will they immediately fall again? Typically how long do see dogs on prednisone for her condition? Feeling very nervous and watching her every move. Any light you can shed on her situation would be appreciated. Thank you so much, Nina
Hi Nina,
I am so glad your girl has stabilized and seems to be recovering from her scary anemia episode. I have another article that is specific to this disease (IMHA) and answers every one of your questions. I’ll post the link below. Praying your pup has many happy days ahead. Bless you both.
IMHA in Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide
Our almost 13yr old rescue Welsh Terrier was prescribed oral Prednisone for his eyelid problem. He had this condition when we rescued him in 2019.
Condition did not respond after trying numerous eye solutions and oral meds. The oral meds worked for a short duration and the topical meds would exacerbate the problem. After a year of care under an Ophthalmologist Vet, we returned to our Integrated Med Vet who felt this could be an autoimmune problem and suggested a course of Prednisone..
He responded well but side effects are a huge challenge. He’s now being tapered off the Prednisone while starting on a course of Cyclosporine. On day three of this routine, the eye lids look the best they ever have.
Once he’s completely off the Prednisone we are hoping the biggest side effect challenge, urination at night, will subside. Taking him out every couple of hours during the day and before bed has not helped the frequent night time accidents. We know that restricting his water is NOT and option.
Our advice about Prednisone: it has it’s place and is a welcome solution for many issues but needs monitoring by owners with ongoing communication to the vet and must be given as directed.
Appreciate your informative article.
Hi Mary,
Thank you so much for sharing your story with our readers. This is great advice and may help someone else in a similar situation. I am glad your senior boy seems to be doing better now that he is weaning off the prednisone and starting cyclosporine. It sounds like you have a great partnership with your integrative veterinarian, and they are doing a wonderful job navigating a complicated case. I hope your sweet boy continues to thrive and live a happy life. Best wishes to you!
My 16 year old 40lb short legged Lab mix (his dad was a really small dog) started licking and chewing all his feet about 5 months ago. Other then that he seemed great for his age with no issues other then maybe favoring one rear leg when standing. Long story and many vet visits ago. I was told at first it’s most likely arthritis and aches and pain causing it. He was given a 5mg shot of vetalog steroid and an NSAID to take daily. This may have helped some first day (steroid shot) then after that no change of not worse. Licking and chewing all the time to the point of him breaking skin and pulling hair. Back to the vet and another shot of vetalog and prescription for Prednisone 20mg once a day in the morning. After a few weeks with no change in the licking and chewing it and he was getting worse and going down hill. He has had blood work and only showed some elevated liver enzymes most likely from the Prednisone, and low normal thyroid T4. We weaned off the Prednisone and we’re given Gabapentin for his pain 200mg every 8 – 12 hours. Since all this time his skin and hair look awful and he has dry flaky scabby looking places all over starting from his feet and now up his legs, sides and now his ears and neck. Vet have him another shot of vetalog since that seemed to help for about a day and put him back on Prednisone 20mg once a day (as needed?). He seems to not be getting any better as far as his skin issues go and concern me that we could be making it worse. Should he be on something else for his skin? Antibiotics maybe or did Prednisone lower his immune system some how and cause some type of mange? Or is it possible that mange mites could have been the issue all along starting at his feet and spreading? 6 months of back and forth and $1000.00 later the only way I can get this poor guy not to self mutilate is a life of wearing a cone and drugged to sleep with the Gabapentin and Benadryl. I’m just afraid that the steroids could be hurting more then helping. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Alton,
I am so sorry your senior guy has been struggling with these severe skin issues for months. I understand your concern and the need to find a treatment that works for your boy. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. I am highly suspicious about allergies. Many dogs that are suffering from severe allergies (either environmental or food) start by chewing their feet. I will attach a link to another article that may offer additional information. I also recommend you schedule your pup a consult with a veterinary dermatologist. They can help answer your questions and walk you through the process of diagnosis and treatment of your dog’s specific skin condition. I hope you can find the answers you need to get your sweet boy comfortable and back to living his best life.
Allergy Medicine for Dogs: 9 Solutions to Calm Your Dog’s Itch
Thank you for your article. Our 10 year old mini dachshund was diagnosed with Pinial Vasculitis. The vet prescribed an antibiotic and prednisone. After the course of antibiotics were completed, our dog remained on the Prednisone at a decreased dose. She has been on it now for 8 weeks. Her ears are healing well and we aren’t seeing any more necrosis. She is tolerating the drug well and she is back to her old self again. She must have been experiencing the Vasculitis longer then we were aware. We had just chalked her low energy and increase in sleep to her advancing age. She may have to continue to take the Prednisone for the rest of her life but we feel fortunate that she is living a much better life because of drug.
Hi Joyce,
I am happy to hear your dachshund girl is recovering and feeling much better. I am glad she is tolerating the prednisone well and agree that the benefits she is receiving from this medication outweigh the possible side effects from long term administration. I hope she continues to improve and live her best life. Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers. Bless you both!
Can someone PLEASE tell me what would be considered the best type of dog food/diet & treats to give a dog on Prednisolone? He is probably going to be on it for the rest of his life given the fact that he is over 12 and well, frankly steroids saved his life. I really want to provide him with the best possible type of nutrition/diet plan that would help him out with some of the negative side effects such as digestive and gas issues, that feeling hungry all the time and bone loss/weakness that seem to go along with long-term use of steroids. Actually, steroids have saved my life and I am going to be on them also for the rest of my life so I DO know pretty much how he feels (that is IF the steroids have the same/similar effects as to humans anyway). Thank you!!
Hi Tricia,
There are many different dog food options out there and several that would probably be a good fit for your pup. Each veterinarian has a brand they are familiar with and have good personal experience and positive results. I recommend you talk to your vet about your concerns and see which food they think would be the best for your pup’s specific situation. There are several great prescription foods that help with GI issues, and some provide a full feeling (satiety) but maintain a healthy weight.
Hi, Thank you for such an informative article. My almost 7 year old 100 lb Bernese Mountain Dog Clementine was diagnosed with B cell multicentric lymphoma in September 2021, and is currently doing chemotherapy along with 30 mg of prednisone per day. The only side effects she’s experiencing is muscle wasting/weakening primarily in her back legs and head. For a while she was taking Myos supplement (recommended by oncologist RN) regularly which made a big difference. She grew tired of it, though, and I can’t get her to take it anymore. As soon as she stopped, the muscle wasting happened pretty quickly. Are there any other methods to prevent/slow muscle wasting besides taking her off the prednisone?
Many thanks,
Heather
Hi Heather,
I am sorry your big girl is battling cancer. I am glad she seems to be tolerating her medications well other than the muscle wasting. Since I haven’t examined her myself, it is difficult to make specific recommendations. I do think you might benefit from talking with a veterinary rehabilitation specialist in your area. They may have some therapies and exercises that could help slow down the muscle wasting or even promote muscle gain without interfering with your dog’s current medications. Also, make sure your vet is aware of your concerns and any changes in your pup’s health so they can act quickly and try to prevent unwanted complications. I hope you can find a solution that works best for you and Clementine. Wishing you both many happy days ahead. ♥
Great article touching on many questions I have about my nine year old standard poodle who is taking prednisone for Addison’s Disease. He was diagnosed with Addison’s when he got extremely sick and I took him to the emergency vet. While checking him out they did a scan and said they couldn’t even see his adrenal glands on the scan. The first night at the vet he also contracted pneumonia and I almost lost him. After five days he was released with instructions to give him 4 pills of 20 ml prednisone per day and eventually she would taper him off. After spending $15,000 at the emergency vet I thought my regular vet could treat him. However, he seems to have a hard time getting the proper dosage. He lowers the dosage and my dog gets worse and when the dosage is higher he gets bloated, lethargic and still doesn’t feel well and his hair is thinning with bald spots. I don’t know whether to take him back to the emergency vet to see if she can get his dosage adjusted or keep going to my regular vet., He also has to have a monthly cortisol shot along with the prednisone and was wondering if an increase of cortisol would help.
Hi Theresa,
I am sorry your Poodle boy is struggling with Addison’s Disease. It can be very tricky to get the medications balanced correctly. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, it is difficult to make specific recommendations. Sometimes with complicated cases, I recommend scheduling a consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. Your pup sounds like he might benefit from seeing one of these specialists. I hope you can find the answers you need to get your sweet boy’s medications adjusted to a dosage that is ideal for him and his quality of life. Wishing you the best of luck going forward.
Hi, my Malamute Neela was diagnosed with Addison’s in July 2021.
At that time she had a small cebashous cyst on her tail, and in the last 10 months it has grown so big that the only option my vet gave us was tail amputation….but in the same sentence she said that for Neela it’s probably not a good idea and that kind of surgery is extremely risky for a 10 year old dog🥺…. I don’t know what to do…. We clean and wrap the growth every other day.
Hi Nancy,
I understand your concern for Neela. It does sound like she has a complicated case and trying to make decisions on how to proceed can be tricky. It might be a good idea to have her evaluated by a veterinary surgery specialist. They may have access to treatments or surgical techniques that are not common in general practice. The surgeon will also let you know if the mass is inoperable. While Addison’s Disease does complicate matters, I generally do not consider old age as a reason to avoid anesthesia and surgery. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information. I hope you can find the answers you need to make the best decision for you and Neela. Praying for a positive outcome and a good quality of life for your sweet girl.
1. Is My Dog Too Old for Surgery?
2. Is My Dog Too Old For Anesthesia?
Our Bichon had surgery a few years ago around age 10 for a Lymphoma which was very large and entangled in the leg muscle, but he recovered very well from the surgery and was back to his “jumping and running” self in a week. MaryLou – pet owner
Thank you so much for your help and prayers 🙏🏻🙂
This article was very informative, thank you! My dog was diagnosed with struvite crystals & has been on a special diet for over a year. During a vet visit her urine analysis showed no crystals, but rather a high blood cell count. When she went to urinate a few drops of blood came out (this was in December 2021). My vet put her on 5 mg of prednisone. She started taking it daily for 5 days and then was on it every other day up until February. Then she was weened down to 2x a week and was doing great until yesterday. She was supposed to stop the prednisone all together because she was doing good. So yesterday was the first day she didn’t have it in the morning. Then on our walk A few drops of blood came out ( it was near the end of our walk and she peed normally the majority of the walk). So we are back to taking the 5 mg prednisone 5 days in a row, then every other day for 5 doses and then back to 2x a week. He says she may have to be on it indefinitely for 2x a week. I wanted to know if she is on it indefinitely 2x a week, will that cause minimal side affects? This is what I gathered after reading your article, but I just wanted to clarify. Thank you in advance
Hi Maria,
Thank you for the kind words about the article. I am sorry your girl is having so many issues with her urinary tract. It does sound like your vet is trying to use the lowest dosing schedule possible to prevent unwanted side effects. There is really no way to know if this will eventually cause an issue or not. The best you can do is keep up with routine lab work for monitoring so if any changes do occur, you can hopefully catch them early and intervene. You may also want to think about a referral to a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They may have additional testing or treatment options to explore that might not be available in general practice. I hope you can find the best treatment for your girl that allows her to continue living her best life. I wish you both the best as you continue on life’s journey.
Hi, what a great article. I live in Brazil and I have a 5kg and 10 month old Lhasa Apso. He had chronic gum inflammation and had to have 18 teeth removed. After that, the vet prescribed 4mg/kg of prednisolone for 1 week, then 2mg/kg for one more week and then 1mg/kg for one more week, as he believes that this inflammation in the gingiva is immune-mediated. I’m very worried, isn’t this dose too high?
Hi Rafael,
Thank you for the kind words about the article! I am sorry your little guy is having so much trouble with his mouth. Since I haven’t examined him myself, I can’t make specific conclusions about medication dosages. I can say that when dealing with an immune mediated condition the dose of prednisone must be much higher than what would typically be used for other types of inflammation. You have to make sure the dose is high enough to suppress the immune system and prevent it from attacking the gingiva. If you have concerns about the prednisone dosage, I recommend you talk to you vet. They can discuss side effects and alternative medication options if one is available. I hope your sweet boy is feeling better soon and I wish you both the best.
Thank you for such an informative article! I particularly liked the way you talk about ‘the price the body pays’ for whatever treatment is prescribed.
My little Boston has IVDD and can’t take NSAIDs. Prednisone has been the solution. While it’s not for every pup or pup owner, prednisone has been the right choice for us. I manage her flare ups conservatively, drugs + rest are giving her what she needs. Surgery isn’t an option, so faced with those choices…… as long as the pup remains happy and recovers well, we’ll take potential side effects. They are much better than any alternative on offer right now.
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you for the kind words about the article and for sharing your experience with our readers. I am glad your Boston girl has been doing well with the prednisone as needed for her IVDD symptoms. I hope she continues to thrive and live a long happy life. Best wishes!
My dog was given a steroid injection instead of pills to hopefully make the urination a little easier for her. She was diagnosed with some sort of paw tumor that has now spread as a mass to her shoulder. I searched for steroids because I noticed her belly potted out. I wasn’t told that was a side effect. Thank you for your article
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for the kind words about the article. I am glad you found it to be helpful with your current situation. I hope your pup will respond favorably to the steroids and continue living a long a happy life. Best wishes.
my little max have ivdd too and he has been on prednisone for a week on dose of 10 mg daily after that, starting the sixth day after halving the dose, the symptoms and pain started to appear again gradually. should i go back to the 10 mg dose for longer period?
Hi Jean,
I recommend you talk to you vet and let them know your concerns about the pain not being well managed since decreasing the prednisone dosage. They may want to increase the dose again or add on another medication. Any changes to dosages should be made under the supervision of your veterinarian to avoid possible complications and side effects. I wish you and little Max the best!
Our 12 year old Chihuahua Oliver has been on prednisone for nine months after being diagnosed with Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. He had his spleen removed in October and hopefully will be off of the Perdnisone the dust week of March. The drug saved his life but it is a battle with his weight and he was so anxious when the vet had him in 10mg. 2X day. He is doing great now on 1/2 pill every other day, is starting to lose weight, and all blood work is normal!
Hi Lex,
That is such great news! I am so glad Oliver is doing well and that his lab work is normal. Thank you for sharing your experience with our readers. Wishing you and Oliver many happy days together in the future.
Hello!
My 13 year old Shih-tzu, Charlie, has been on prednisolone for a little over 2 years now because he has a collapsed trachea and the steroid reduces swelling so it keeps him from having fits where he can breathe.
In the last year alone, he went from weighing 17 lbs to 6.7 lbs. He’s been to the vet and his blood work is fine. His organs are working fine. He has clear lungs. No tumors in x-rays…. Basically, the vet can not find anything wrong with him but he’s dropping weight so fast! His hair is rapidly thinning out too.
I asked the vet to check if the amount of steroid I’m giving Charlie is too much now that he’s dropped to about 1/3 of his weight and the vet said no. Does that make sense? A 17 lbs dog gets 5 mg of prednisolone a day and so does a dog who weighs 6.7 lbs???
I’m afraid I’m giving my dog too much steroid.
Has anyone out there dealt with a similar situation? Any thoughts?
Thank you!
Hi Ellen,
I understand your concern for the wellbeing of your senior pup. I am sorry Charlie has continued to lose weight despite all his testing being normal. It sounds like your vet has been practicing the standard of care and has been very thorough with the lab work and x-rays. It might be a good idea to ask for a referral to a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They have a great deal of experience with complicated cases like Charlie. I hope you can find the answers you are looking. I wish you and your sweet boy the best!
I wonder If some dogs just ant tolerate prednisone? My dog has lymphoma and I have decided to try prednisone alongside with holistic approach. She also suffers from dogninive dysfunction and has hard time sleeping. We started her on 15mg of pred yesterday, shes 50lbs, and she had the hardest time after taking it, the panting was out of the roof and she was unable to sleep all night. Next morning she was still panting hard, vet recommended to lower the dose and try 5mg once daily and up it after few days. But she has been panting really hard and unable to sleep again, the dose seem to do no change at all. Should I just assume she can’t tolerate it?
Hi Marta,
It does sound like your girl is very sensitive to prednisone and has exaggerated side effects. Yes, some dogs just cannot tolerate certain medications. I am not sure if she will need to discontinue the medication or if her body will adjust after some time. Since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I can’t make specific recommendations. I would keep in close contact with your vet and make sure they are aware of all the side effects and changes. They can let you know if you should give the prednisone some more time before making a decision or if a new medicine should be used instead. I hope you can find a solution that works for you and your sweet girl. Best wishes to you both.
Hello Marta,
I don’t know if you will receive this, but my dog has also been diagnosed with Lymphoma. I am doing the same – prednisone and other therapies. I had to reduce as well, and I also have been giving him a very small dose of Tramadol. This seems to be making a big difference at night. I would keep reducing the pred until she can handle it (if she can.) Diesel cannot handle Tramadol, for example. He’s 115 pounds and he can take 20mg and be out till morning. I also completely changed his diet to cooked and raw foods, lots of Vitamin C. Absolutely no more kibble.. We also just started on Artemisia Annu (Sweet Wormwood). There is some evidence that it does work for cancer in dogs. Diesel’s tumors have shrunk and continue to. He’s not totally ok on the prednisone. Hunger is constant. But, no more peeing or intense panting. So, it is clearly a short term response, but it did save his life and give us some time to hopefully find some longer term ways to hold the cancer in remission. Any alternatives to Prednisone would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Susie, can you tell me where you get the supplement “Artemisia Annu (Sweet Wormwood” that helps with cancer. My 14yr old shih tzu has nodules in his lungs and a tumor in his spleen and 1 kidney. He is also on prednisone and I want to find out what other supplements/meds can help him while we wait for Oncologist appt and treatment plan.
My small (8pound) mixed breed 12 year old dog was diagnosed with Immune mediated neutropenia. He presented with a very high persistent fever, no infection found. His neutrophils initially responded and came back to a normal level at a high dose of prednisone but as we are tapering off his numbers are dropping again. So the dose was raised again. Now we are seeing the signs of the side effects from these last couple months on Prednisone- thinning hair, belly expanding. Worried about developing Iatrogenic Cushings. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of alternatives and are concerned we are now creating another disease for him to overcome. Any suggestions are so appreciated.
Hi Kristine,
This is such a tough situation and I understand your concern for your senior guy. Immune mediated diseases can be so difficult to treat. It sounds like you are doing all the right things and your vet is closely monitoring these changes. My best recommendation is to talk to your vet about a possible referral to a veterinary internal medicine specialist. They may not have anything different to recommend, but it doesn’t hurt to ask and make sure you know all your options. I hope you can find the answers you need and allow your sweet boy to have the best quality of life possible. Good luck and best wishes!
My 10 year old male pit bull had what I call an episode. He shook his head a couple of times & just crumbled at my feet. I panicked, I called his name & his ears moved but when I looked in his eyes, no one was there. I immediately called my vet at 4:30 A.M. He said to make an appt. & bring him in. I made an appt. , but my dog had another eposode three days later
I googled his symptoms & it told me to rub honey on his gums. I did so & he came right out of it. So that told me he had low blood sugar. When I took him to my Vet, he ran all kinds of blood work & found nothing. He did x rays & an ultra sound & found nothing. He did one more blood test that had something to do with his pancreas?? He said that test told him that even though no tumors showed up on any of the other tests, my dog more then likely has a mass or tumor (cancerous) on his pancreas
So he has been put on Prednisone for long term. The only side effects I see are he sleeps alot & constantly is begging for food. He has always been a big consumer of water. He also is getting cone shaped wart like things on his skin. I was told I might have 6 months with him. I love hom so much. This breaks my heart. It is so hard not to keep it together. I hate keeping him on a diet. He has always had a full bowl. He was not a constant eater. Now he only eats 3/4 of a cup of food 4 times a day.
I worry if he really does have a tumor or not. Is he on this med for no reason?? I wonder if it is not just diabetes.
It seems his diet is keeping his sugar levels where they need to be. Any advice or opinions are welcome.
Thank you.
Hi Beverly,
I am sorry your senior boy is having so much trouble. I understand your concern and the need to better understand what you are dealing with. Your dog is lucky to have you in his life and that you are such a great advocate for his care and wellbeing. Since I have not examined him myself, it is difficult to make recommendations and try to piece together the whole picture. It sounds like your vet may have diagnosed your boy with an insulinoma. An insulinoma is a tumor that forms in the pancreas and secretes insulin which lowers the blood sugar. Insulin is usually only produced when we eat, and it helps to return our blood sugar levels back to normal as in an unfed state. With an insulinoma, insulin is being secreted constantly even if our sugar levels are already low. This can cause an emergency situation and even seizures. Some insulinomas can be surgically removed but this is not always an option. It sounds like your veterinarian has done all the appropriate testing for this condition and your dog is receiving the standard of care with the treatment that has been prescribed. If you want to know more or find out if there are other treatment options available, it might be a good idea to schedule a consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for and allow your sweet boy to have the best quality of life possible. My heart goes out to you, and I wish you the best. Keep us updated!
Hi just going through the same with my 5yr old boarder collie .. it’s scary . I was holding back on giving him steroids.. but after watching him having a seizure it’s frightening.
My 85 pound (should be 110-120) 9 year old blood hound survived bloat with an emergency gastroplexy 4 months ago….. right before she was about to start prophylactic IV chemo for recurrent mast cell tumors. After recovery from surgery… the vet put her on a 30 day pred taper to help with fluid retention, lack of appetite, and all around inflammation. She also takes 100mg Benadryl twice daily and x2 prilosec twice daily. The prednisone was a LIFE SAVER. It took 5 years off her age. She’s been off prednisone for 2+ months now. She’ll take benadryl and prilosec for life as histamine blockers for any micro mast cell tumors left or yet to develop. I’ve noticed today fluid retention, inflammation, lack of energy, lack of appetite. Is it reasonable for me to request another pred taper? Is this part of her disease process? What should I expect? I’m calling the vet tomorrow, but she may not get an appointment for awhile.
Hi Amanda,
I am glad your girl has made it through so many challenges in the past few months. She sounds like one tough cookie! Since I haven’t examined her myself, it is hard to make recommendations and truly understand the disease process she is dealing with. You are right to be concerned about the return of these worrisome symptoms. Another course of prednisone may help, or your dog may need some additional testing. I hope you were able to get in touch with your vet. Please update us if you have the chance! I hope your sweet girl is ok and I wish you both the best.
I have been giving my 7 year old sheltie 10 mg of prednisone a day since June after he went suddenly blind due to optic neuritis. I tried to transition him to cyclosporine and he went blind again when I switched to giving him the prednisone every other day so ever since then I have been terrified to try to lower the dose. He’s had many blood tests that show his liver enzymes are elevated but they are stable so as long as that is the case I’m not going to touch his medication. I did start him on mycophenalate after the cyclosporine failed but I am starting to wonder if I should stop since I know prednisone alone is maintaining his vision, or if I should keep him on it incase I’m ever told I need to try to reduce the prednisone again. Other than having a ravenous appetite and he does seem to pant more, he seems like a happy healthy dog.
Hi Stefanie,
I am glad the prednisone seems to be keeping your senior guy’s neuritis under control. Balancing medications and side effects can be such a tricky job. If you are curious about discontinuing the mycophenolate, I highly recommend you talk to your vet and get their opinion. Medication changes should always be made under the supervision of your current veterinarian to make sure any adverse reactions are handled quickly and to prevent unwanted side effects. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and allowing other readers to learn from your situation. I wish you and your sweet boy the best and hope you have many more happy years together!
Stefanie: Your comment truly gave us hope. Our 10-year-old Shih Tzu went blind in a matter of days & it has been very hard to watch her terrified bumping into walls & doors. I would do anything to fix her. Today we visited an optometrist. After some tests, we were told that all looks well but she can’t see anything out of both eyes. She prescribed 5mg twice a day for 5 days & then once and then half. We are so hoping that this will help her. Could you please tell us how long did she have the symptoms until you started her on this medication?
Sorry… I meant “ophthalmologist”
Hi Matt,
I am glad your senior girl received positive results about her eyes and there is hope that the prednisone can restore her vision. Hopefully Stefanie will see your comment and be able to respond. Praying for quick results and a complete recovery for your pup.
Hello! I have a 3 yr old Chinese Crested and noticed bruising coming up on his skin, we took him to vet about year and half ago, and they ran blood test and his blood platelets came back low, and vet told us from maybe auto immune disease. They put him on prednisone for about 5 days. And he got better but didn’t have the bruising that time, we took him to the vet this morning and they ran blood test and his blood platelets came back at 0. And said he wasnt in anemic state yet, due to me feeding him rich iron food. They put him on prednisone, biomox, and mycophenolate and told me to administer to him as soon as we got home. I noticed after about hour and half his skin around eye is starting to swell. Called vet but they are out on large animal run. They want him on this medication for 2 weeks to come back into do a blood test, and was talking about being long term medicine but will eventually wean it down to where he only takes meds twice a week or so. They wanted to keep him do to he bruising tht was hemorrhage. And said to NOT let him jump from bed’s couch’s, that he needed to be created and babied for atleast a week- two weeks. But I knew if I left him he would be super stressed and wouldn’t eat or drink because the last time he had to stay over night at vets, because he has a severe separation anxiety away from me. With his platelets being at 0 they said it’s very dangerous for him! But just worried over the swelling in his face over eye! He’s very lethargic right now but I assume tht is from low platelets! Just worried sick over him! But this vet we took him to this morning did confirm auto immune disease and great vets!
Hi Baylee,
I am sorry your little guy has had so much trouble with his immune mediated thrombocytopenia. IMTP can be difficult to treat and keep in remission. I am glad you have partnered with a great vet that seems to be staying on top of your dog’s challenging case. I hope the treatment will work and allow his platelet count to return to normal. I wish you both the best as you navigate this difficult road ahead. If you have time, keep us updated!
My whippet was diagnosed with SRMA in October 21. She was then only 8 months old. She didn’t manage very well on the high immunosuppressive doses of prednisone, not eating, diarrhoea and thus losing weight. As the pred was tapered she improved, drinking and eating a lot. Unfortunately, she started displaying SRMA symptoms again at the end of December. Her CRP results were normal but she was put back on an immunosuppressive dose of steroids again. She is coping better but we are in for the long haul with the taper. She seems to have some muscle weakness now.
Hi Erica,
My heart goes out to you with all the difficulties you have endured with your young pup. I am sorry she has relapsed and isn’t tolerating the prednisone well. I pray she can make it through treatment and get back to feeling like a normal puppy again soon. I wish you both the best and keep us updated!
Thank you. It’s a tough condition to deal with.
I have a 20lbs manchester terrier mix and she is 12 years old. About a month ago I discovered an injury in her back leg and thought I had it under control. A week later it got really inflamed and started bleeding. The vet sent her clavamox for 7 days but it didnt heal and got inflamed again. The vet then prescribed 7 days of rymadil and 15 days of baytril. When the rymadil run out, her leg started to get inflamed again where the wound was. It has been “healing,” getting inflamed and then draining blood on and off. The doctor suspected vasculitis and prescribed her prendisone for 30 days. The first 15 days he sent her 20mg a day and told me to reduce it to 10mg a day for the other 15 days. My concern with the medicine is how high her dose is and for how long. I’ve read how scary prendisone side effects can be. She is very thirsty, seems to pant faster when walking and has been peeing a lot. Also, is dropping from 20mg to 10mg to big of a change? should the winning of the medicine be less drastic?
Hi Valeria,
I am sorry your senior girl has been struggling so much lately. Since I haven’t examined her myself, I can’t make specific recommendations about her medications and dosages. I will say, the plan to taper the prednisone dosage which was prescribed by your vet is used quite commonly and is a standard practice. If you have any concerns about side effects don’t hesitate to discuss them with your vet. If the wound is still an issue and not healing well, it may be time to have a consult with a veterinary surgeon or wound specialist. Your sweet girl is lucky to have you in her life to keep advocating for her. I hope you can find the help she needs to restore her quality of life. Best wishes to you both!
My 12 year old chihuahua was diagnosed with heart worms disease December 2020. He started receiving treatment for it and was tolerating well until he started coughing frequently during summer of 2021. I took him to see a cardiologist and he prescribed sildenafil 1/2 tablet every 12 hours and prednisone 1 tablet daily for 2 weeks then half a tablet once daily. There were 60 capsules. I started noticing slight changes such as excessive panting while walking and increased thirst/urination which I believed at the time were side effects. I called the vet and asked how would I know if he needed to continue the prednisone since it had been about 3 months since he has taken it. They said the doctor would determine whether or not he could continue the medication and he did approve a new prescription for another 3 months. I made an appointment to follow up for his treatment however there was none available for another 2 months or so (February 2022) about a week before his follow up appointment he had a seizure and could barely breathe. The vet said that he needed to be on an oxygen cage to be able to breathe and needed to administer furosemide for the fluid accumulation. Besides the chest x ray and blood work there was still more exams and diagnostics to be done. They suspected liver disease (his liver was very enlarged) and Cushing’s syndrome, alkaline levels were over 2000. She mentioned that even if they found out what it was she could not guarantee he would be stable again. I had to make the heartbreaking decision to let my baby go that night but I can’t help but to feel guilty that the long term use of prednisone he had been taking everyday for 6 months ultimately lead to his deterioration in health.. I wish I knew more about the medication. I didn’t even know about the long-term effects 🙁 and now he’s gone ..
Hi Lizevelyn,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your little guy on such short notice. Making the decision to let go is always so difficult but comes from a loving place. I am glad you were able to end his suffering and give him peace and rest. Since I did not examine your boy myself, I can’t make specific conclusions. I do know that sometimes trying to find the balance of risks verses reward when dealing with medications can be tricky. There is no way to know if avoiding the prednisone would have extended your dog’s life. Without the prednisone the breathing difficulties may have become unmanageable. Please know that you and your veterinarian made the best decisions you could for your senior guy and had his best interests in mind. I have no doubt you did everything you could to maintain his quality of life and extend his time here with you. Try not to dwell on the “what ifs” and let go of the burden of guilt you are carrying. I am sure your little guy knew how much you loved him, and I hope his memory will be a blessing.
My 13 year old mixed breed was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis and has been having episodes of respiratory distress. Last week he had a scary attack and ended up at the vet. He was given intravenous steriods and prescribed prednisone. His dose was 20mg for 2 days and then reduced to 10mg a day. We have since done a ton of research and we are not convinced that my poor boys issue is not GI related and caused by acid reflux. Our vet agrees that we may be on to something, so we want to stop the prednisone, as the side effects are sometimes scary (excessive panting with a dog who goes in respiratory distress is terrifying)
The vet has reduced the dose to 5mg per day until the pills are gone which is another 13 days. I know the weaning precess should be slow, but i was hoping for a few days of 5mg and then maybe 2.5mg. 2 weeks of 5mg then going to 0mg seems like not too much of taper.
Hi Rhonda,
The plan to decrease the prednisone dosage recommended by your veterinarian seems very reasonable and is quite common. I am sorry your senior guy is struggling with episodes of respiratory distress from an unknown cause. I hope you and your vet can continue to work together as a team to get a diagnosis. You may also want to have your dog examined by a veterinary internal medicine specialist as they have a wealth of experience dealing with complicated cases such as your boy seems to be. I know the road ahead will be difficult and may take some time. I wish you both the best!
My 7 year old 13 lb (should be 16 lbs) tiny bernedoodle has been struggling with internal issues (pancreatitis, gastritis, abdominal ulcers and heart murmur). Her recent blood work shows low blood protien levels and low red blood cell count. She is on enalapril for the heart murmur and was just recently prescribed prednisone for a 3 week period in the hopes to correct the PLE and red blood cell issues.
I am completely freaking out as she is still young and it seems like so much medication for a little dog. There is talk of prednisone being a life long prescription …..which has me panicking even more.
I started the prednisone at 1/4 of the dosage the vet gave me, she is definitely starving and drinking and peeing more. She is also now getting up at 2 am to poop, which she has never done in the entire 7 years of her life. She is also now involuntarily shaking/shivering
Anywho ……. Did I make a mistake by reducing the prescribed dosage ? What is the proper dosage and why ? And do I really need her on it so long ? Or for life ? Again so much medication for a small previously totally healthy dog ….. I think it all started with the pancreatitis …. Never a health issue before.
Hi Andrea,
I am sorry your girl is having so much trouble. I understand your concern with these new symptoms that have started recently. Since I have not personally examined your dog, I can’t make specific recommendations or treatment suggestions. It does seem like your vet might have been concerned about a possible immune mediated cause for the anemia and may have prescribed the prednisone to help suppress the immune system to allow the RBC count to return to normal. I am concerned that since you decreased the dosage, it may not be a therapeutic level and could cause some serious issues. Any time you have concerns about a medication or the dosage I recommend you talk to you vet. They may be able to adjust the dosage or choose a different medicine to treat the problem. Any adjustments to medicine dosages should be made under the direction of your veterinarian in order to prevent causing unwanted side effects. Also, most veterinarians will try to avoid keeping a dog on steroids long term if at all possible. So, if your vet is recommending long term steroid administration, I would think they have weighed the risks and have determined that the benefits (keeping your girl alive and feeling good) outweigh the possible side effects. It may be a good idea to consult with a veterinary internal medicine specialist since it sounds like your girl is a more complicated case with multiple issues happening at the same time. I hope you find the answers you are looking for and can help your pup get back to living her best life. I wish you both the best.
In September 2021 my 5 yr old Shipoo started to not eat, diarrhea and lethargic. I took her to emergency as it was the weekend and my vet wasn’t available. Her blood count was 32 and she was diagnosed with IMHA. She was given prednisone and her numbers started to come up. Over the next 3 months the vet continued the prednisone and then started to wean her off of it. I was told to bring her back in February 2022. Unfortunately beginning of January she started again to be lethargic and her gums were very light pink. I rushed her to emergency, her numbers were 21 and dropping quickly. They started intravenous meds but dropped to 11. We decided to give her a blood transfusion, numbers went up to 21 but started to drop again. I was given 2 options for another blood transfusion or euthanasia. It was a horrible decision but we decided on euthanasia for the sake of our beloved pet. My question is have you ever seen a relapse such as this? She was still eating and drinking which I thought was due to the prednisone and that made the decision even harder.
Hi Rose,
I am sorry you had to say goodbye to your sweet girl in such a tragic way. IMHA can be very tricky and unfortunately relapses are not uncommon. I will attach a link to an article about IMHA that might offer additional information to help ease your mind. I feel like you made the right choice for your girl to allow her to have peace and end her suffering. I know the decision was difficult but came from a place of love. Try to let go of the “what ifs” and let the memory of your sweet pup be a blessing.
IMHA in Dogs: A Comprehensive Guide
My Samoyed is 15 months. His PCT & PLT are below normal. The vet subscribed him Prednisone & Doxycycline tablets. He ate more, drink more water, He is also very tired, not want to play much. Is that part of the side effects? 🙁
Hi Pamela,
I am sorry your young pup is having so much trouble. Increased appetite and thirst are side effects of prednisone, but the lethargy sounds more like a side effect of his platelets being low. I highly recommend you talk to you vet and let them know how your dog is acting. They may need to recheck blood work or make changes to his medications. I wish you both the best and hope your sweet boy is feeling better soon.
Hi, I have a 14-month-old German King
The patient developed parasitism and his veterinarian prescribed prednisolone tablets
But in my country, veterinarians and doctors cannot be trusted. Please help me
The doctor said that every 5 days and every 12 hours, 3 tablets of prednisolone 5 mg (6 tablets per day) and every 24 hours for the next five days – after four days, 1.5 tablets every 24 hours and for the last four days, 1.5 Tablets every 48 hours
But I’m afraid my dog’s liver will get in trouble
Hi Ali,
Since I have not examined your dog myself, I can’t really make any specific recommendations. It is very common to prescribe prednisone and start at a higher dose and slowly taper it to a lower dose before discontinuing the mediation. I am usually not concerned about liver issues with prednisone until a patient has been taking it for several months, as long as there were no elevations in liver enzymes prior to starting the medication. If you have any concerns about liver side effects, you could request some blood work to see if the liver values are within normal limits. I know you mentioned there were some trust issues between you and your veterinarian, but I still think the best way to resolve these issues is to have an honest conversation with your vet about your concerns. I wish you and your dog the best!
My rescue Cocker was diagnosed with Insulinoma the end of August 2021. I have found that the prednisone had incredible side effects but was the only thing that helped manage the symptoms of the disease. She has gained weight and has a difficult time going up the stairs.
I have also noticed that since the start if the cold weather she has been doing better, no seizures. I am worried about spring coming and the start of seizures again.
Her nose is very dry and she is getting that foul smell and discharge in her ears. I keep her cut and washed but what else can I do diet wise.
This has been such a roller coaster with timing her meals to keep her sugar level but she has gained 10 pounds and that is alot when she was only 24 pounds to start with. I can see it is awkward for her to jump up on the bed, so she waits for me to lift her up.
We see the Oncologist every 8 weeks and they say she is doing well, but what else can I do for her to help counteract the side effects to the prednisone?
This is a horrible disease!
Hi Rebecca,
I am sorry your girl is dealing with an Insulinoma diagnosis. That is such a tough disease, but it sounds like you are staying on top of things. I know you mentioned you see the oncologist every 8 weeks. I am not sure when your next appointment is scheduled but I do think you should reach out to your vet about the smell and ear discharge. Prednisone can suppress the immune system and make your dog more prone to other infections and Cocker Spaniels are notorious for having chronic ear problems. I am not sure if there are any dietary changes that will help alleviate medication side effects. Make sure you discuss your concerns with your vet so you can decide how to proceed as a team. I hope you can find the answers you are looking for and I wish you and your sweet girl the best.
Hi.
My Lab x has been diagnosed with primary anemia.
She is on prednisone tabs and things went well for 6 months.
She started getting pale and week and colapsing again.
Should i increase her ddose again. As we started on 8 a day and went down to 3 a day for the last 3 months
Hi Leeann,
If you haven’t updated your veterinarian about these symptoms coming back, I highly recommend you call them as soon as possible. It is very likely they may want to increase the prednisone dose, but since I haven’t examined your dog myself, I really can’t say for sure. Your vet may want to add on another medication instead or have your girl seen by an internal medicine specialist. Ultimately, any changes in medication dosages should be made by your veterinarian that is currently managing your pup’s illness. I hope you find the answers you are looking for and can get your girl back to feeling great again. I wish you the best!
Hi there
My 4 year old yorkie had an addisonian crisis on New Year’s Eve it was the scariest 24 hrs seeing her shake was awful and it happened so suddenly!
She is on prednisone regimen and will have the acth test in two weeks.
We have noticed she does shake little bit now and then especially about hour before her next dose. Will the shaking eventually stop? Also does prednisone constipate? Thank you for any info never heard of Addison disease before!
Carleen
Hi Carleen,
I am sorry you experienced such a traumatic event with your girl. I am glad things seem to be going better and the prednisone is helping. Prednisone does not usually cause issues with constipation, but actually diarrhea can be an unwanted side effect. And as for the shaking, without knowing the exact cause, I am really unsure if it will resolve or not. I hope the ACTH stimulation test will provide the results you need to make the right treatment choices. I wish you both the best and keep us updated!
I have an 8 month-old Golden Retriever puppy that developed polymyositis, also called extraocular myositis (bulging eyes from inflammation from a rare autoimmune condition) on 10/31/2021. He was initially on 30mg per day of prednisone, then reduced to 20mg per day a week later when his eyes had returned to normal. Unfortunately, his eyes popped again 4 days later, so the vet increased the dosage back to 30mg per day again, but this time it did not get his eyes back to normal. Instead they stayed around 70% normal, but clearly not normal. So after a couple of weeks, the vet increased the dosage to 40mg per day. His eyes may have slightly improved maybe to within 20% of normal but made no further progress after that, even though he was on 40mg per day for several weeks. Then all hell broke loose, the poor dog was peeing every few minutes and continued to try to pee for 20 times or more, even after he had nothing left in his bladder. Of course this had to happen on Christmas Eve, so I had to make a call on what to do so I reduced his dosage all the way back down to 20mg per day, and that did the trick, his peeing returned to normal within a couple of days, and oddly enough, his eyes stayed the same. Still, we did blood work and a urinalysis on Tuesday and it came back with no urinary tract infection but elevated liver enzymes, as would be expected after 2 months on prednisone. The vet said I did the right thing in reducing the dosage to 20mg per day and both this vet and another vet that specializes in eye conditions, said keep him on the 20mg per day for one week then taper down to 10mg per day. Well on the 7th day of 20mg per day, all hell broke loose again, this time the poor dog threw up everything in his stomach and had diarrhea with what was in his intestines. It’s been over 24 hours, and he’s still struggling to keep anything down. He’s panting heavily and does not look good, but a little better today than yesterday. Needless to say, he’s completely off prednisone right now, though I’m not sure that’s the right thing to do, but apparently it has become toxic to this dog after being on it over 2 months now. If he’s not better, by morning, back to the vet we go. When I called her yesterday, she said to monitor and see if he continues to throw up, which he did earlier tonight. Oh, I also went into the vet’s office and picked up a tube of the probiotic paste that you give a dog with they have upset stomach and diarrhea. I’ve been giving him that every 8 hours as prescribed.
Here’s the experience of another dog owner with this condition: https://www.thatmutt.com/why-are-my-dogs-eyes-swollen/
Hi Richard,
I am sorry you have been through so much in the past few months with your puppy. Some dogs have more issues than others with prednisone and figuring out the right dosage can be tricky. It sounds like you have a good team with your vet and the eye specialist. I hope you can figure out how to treat the extraocular myositis and prevent the nasty side effects. I wish you luck as you navigate this difficult road ahead.
My dog has been diagnosed with lymphoma (13 year old border terrier) he stopped eating and got so low, I thought it was the end. then the vet prescribed prednisone. It’s changed him! He is active again, appetite is back, he is like the dog I had pre cancer, and these effects started taking place a few hours after his first dose. He is thirstier than usual but so far no other side effects.
But how long (in theory) can dogs stay on this medication for? I understand each case is different. But could we maintain this perhaps for another year? They said it was not a cure, but can it be prescribed until the lymphoma decides to show up again?
I’d call my vets but they’re closed over Christmas! I’m desperate to know as it’s like my old boy is back to his usual bouncy self. I’m over the moon, I really am.
Hi Francesca,
I am glad to hear the prednisone has helped give your sweet boy his spunk back. When dealing with a cancerous process, like lymphoma, prednisone can be used as long as it is still producing the desired effect. Unfortunately, the remission that prednisone helps to achieve is usually very temporary and only lasts a few weeks to months. I will attach a link to another article that may give you more helpful information. My best advice is to use this time while your guy is feeling good to make some wonderful memories. Maybe you could create him a bucket list and go on some awesome adventures together. I hope you are able to make the most of this extra time he has been gifted. ♥
Lymphoma in Dogs: Types, Signs, Treatment, and Prognosis
My dog has prostate cancer and is 12. Amazingly he has lasted over a year and only recently has really been suffering with the pain. NSAIDSWere not very effective so the vet said try steroids. Problem is the 2 tabs twice a day the vet is suggesting for the first week is making him vomit. What’s your view on cutting the dose back to 1 tab twice a day?
Hi Jenny,
I am sorry your senior guy has been living with cancer. I know it is difficult to watch him suffer when you love him so much. I recommend you call your vet and let them know about the vomiting. They may want to reduce the dosage of the prednisone to see if the vomiting resolves or add on another medication to help with the nausea. Any changes to your dog’s medication should be made under the guidance of your vet to make sure you don’t unintentionally cause other side effects. I hope you can find a way to get your boy comfortable and get back to enjoying life together for as long as he may have. Best wishes.
Jenny my sweet Bear who has lymphoma was given carafe to help with vomiting and upset stomach now he takes prilosect too. I hate the heavy panting at night for my boy. He just looks at so confused. But they have him something to help with the vomiting.
I hope your dog has already improved by this point. My dog was diagnosed with prostate cancer in mid-November and I just have so many questions for you. We’ve had quite a medical journey.
Regarding steroid use:
My dog has been on varying levels of steroids since mid-November, we’ve tried decreasing the doses twice. He’s had digestion issues (no vomiting though) during the first round and each time we’ve increased doses. His digestion slowly improves but it takes about a week to get better. The dosage that seems to work the best for us is one pill, twice a day (10mg total for a 20 pound dog).
Hello,
My 15 year old dog had a mini stroke on November 11th, was found to be anemic and had blood in his urine, as well as some clotting days before the stroke occurred. With the help of compunded prednisone he seemed better, then we switched to pill form for a few days and he didn’t want to eat much, became more lethargic and unfortunately passed away on December 4th. I am devastated wondering if switching his to the pill form may have done something to him, or if it was just the anemia and whatever underlying disease he had just took over. I even asked the pet pharmacy who made the compunded one for him and they said the switch shouldn’t have caused an issue but I don’t know. I am thankful I had the time I did with him, as he was weaker and not able to get around as well after the stroke, but I am just feeling like it all happened so fast. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Stacy,
I am sorry you lost your sweet guy in such a tragic way. It does sound like he ultimately succumbed to his unknown underlying disease. Many times, especially when dealing with a cancerous process, steroids can make a dog feel better for a short time but then a relapse occurs. I am thinking that his relapse coincidentally occurred at the same time you switched to the pill form of his medication. I truly don’t believe the two are related. Please don’t carry around any unnecessary blame for how his last days ended. You did what was best and it came from a place of love. With time I hope your heart will heal. May his memory be a blessing.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful articles. I’m facing the heartbreaking decision of euthanizing my 14 y/o Shepherd mix due to chronic, absolutely foul-smelling diarrhea over the past 4 months. His GI panel initially showed an overgrowth of clostridium perfringens, but two courses of metranidazole and tylan powder did nothing, so maybe there’s another cause. His bloodwork looks normal. Probiotics, prebiotics, etc haven’t helped.
Finally our vet tried him on a course of prednisone, starting with 20mg, tapering to 15, then 10. It worked great and I was hopeful it could be the answer. Days before the end of the 10mg taper period his diarrhea has returned, and as such I’m afraid to taper him further.
He’s fully incontinent and has mild-moderate CCD mostly just at night, but otherwise he’s still happy, energetic, playful, eating and drinking well, and still going on 2-3 mile hikes with no signs of lameness or pain afterwards. He wears male diapers for the urinary incontinence, and the fecal incontinence is easy to clean up if it isn’t diarrhea. But now the diarrhea is back.
It breaks my heart to euthanize him because of diarrhea, but I’m not sure what else to do. He obviously isn’t well, and it seems like everything has been tried. At 14 I don’t want to subject him to any more painful testing as he hates being dragged to the vet. Do you have any other suggestions, or does euthanasia seem like the kindest thing for him at this point? I’m having such a hard time with the decision as the diarrhea and CCD are his only end-of-life symptoms. Is 15mg of prednisone too much to have him on long(ish) term? He’s ~70 lbs, and at 14 it’s not like he has years left, but I don’t want to give him other problems.
Dear Beth,
I am sorry your senior boy is struggling with chronic diarrhea. I understand your hesitancy to consider euthanasia while he still seems so happy otherwise. I know you don’t want to add extra stress by putting your dog through a bunch of testing, but it may be a good idea to consult with a vet that specializes in internal medicine. While using steroids long term can cause side effects, if you are facing the decision of euthanasia, the benefits of the steroids may outweigh the risks of causing additional issues. Ultimately, I think you should talk to your vet and express your concerns and together you can make a decision about how to change your guy’s medications to maximize his quality of life. I will add some links to other articles that may be of some help when you do have to start thinking about saying goodbye. I hope you can figure out how to get your sweet boy comfortable and allow you to continue making memories for many days to come. Keep us updated!
1. Signs Your Dog is Dying: A Caring Message to Bring You Peace
2. Dog Hospice Care Can Bring Peace and Dignity to Your Dog’s Final Days
3. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
4. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
Fantastic…thanks. My 55 lb Sharpei/Lab has brain meningioma, that radiation knocked down to 1/3 it’s original size. But I’m having trouble weaning her off prednisone. She gets lethargic and won’t eat. She’s been on it 1 year now, but current dose is only 1mg every other day, so I am hoping it won’t due to much damage from now on, since I cant seem to get her to 0.
Hi Philip,
I am glad to hear your girl is doing better since finishing her radiation therapy! It sounds like you have things under control and sometimes we can’t sweat the small stuff. Best wishes to you and your senior girl for continuing to make wonderful memories together.
My 3 year old Berner was diagnosed with MMM and prescribed prednisone 6 weeks ago. Since then the blood test for MMM came back negative and her symptoms subsided. We have been decreasing the prednisone gradually over the six weeks. She has now developed diarrhea and I’m wondering if it’s got something to do with the prednisone. At this point she’s on 5 mg per day.
Hi Jenny,
I am glad to hear your girl’s symptoms have resolved. Prednisone can definitely cause diarrhea, but it’s important to rule out other causes as well. I think it would be a good idea to let your vet know about this new symptom that has developed. They may want to do some follow up diagnostics or add on an additional medication to help control the diarrhea. My thoughts are with you as you navigate this tricky path. I hope you find the answers you are looking for.
Hi, my one year old schnoodle was recently put on a five day course of prednisone (1/2 tab morn and night) for skin allergies. He has definitely lost energy as we normally go for short runs and he now struggles to keep up, he also finds it hard to get comfortable. And the latest thing I have noticed is he has started shivering (it is summer here so hot). Could this be a side effect of the prednisone? Would you advise taking him to the vet? He seems ok otherwise. Thanks
Hi Nicole,
I commend you for taking notice of these changes in your dog. While these new symptoms may be related to the prednisone, they are not typical. I would recommend reaching out to your vet and let them know what you are observing. I hope your boy feels better soon. Best wishes!
My 7 year old lab, has been put on prednisone for swollen lymph nodes as the Vet suspect’s lymphoma, he is doing well on the meds but the vet advised to stop now and see what happens. I don’t want him to start regressing I would rather keep him feeling good. What is your opinion ?
Hi Teri,
I am glad to hear your boy is doing well on the prednisone. I understand your concern and know how hard it is to see your dog struggle. Since I have not personally examined your dog, I really cant make any specific recommendations. I do think it would be good to have an honest conversation with your vet. He/She may be able to explain the benefits and risks of the current treatment plan and address your concerns. Also, you may benefit from talking with a vet that specializes in oncology (cancer diagnosis and treatment). I hope you can find the answers you are looking for. Best wishes to you and your dog for more time together making memories.
My 11 year old Jack Russell mix was recently diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia…this happened so suddenly! She was prescribed 5mg of prednisone 2x a day for low platelets which she took for 2 weeks and we tapered the dose until finally being off for about a week when she suddenly relapsed and we needed to restart the 5mg 2x a day again she’s showing improvements again but this time they want to do the initial dose for 4 weeks! My concern is would this now be classified as long term use? I mean it’s definitely helping her so far and has seriously been a life saver.
Hi Gina,
Yes, it is crazy how fast some of these immune mediated issues can become a problem! I am glad you caught it in time to intervene for your sweet girl. I would not consider this to be a long term use of prednisone. Usually when I think of long term usage I am planning for a dog to take prednisone for months to years. With that being said, side effects can still be seen with short term usage. It sounds like your vet has a good plan and is staying on top of things. I would recommend you have a conversation with your vet to discuss your concerns and questions so they can help put your mind at ease. I hope your girl will continue to respond to the prednisone and that you can continue to make memories together for years to come.
Hi Dr. Buzby,
Last week my 10 years old chocolate Lab has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia or AML and has been giving weeks to live. Apollo has been a 36 kg healthy sporty dog for all his life until now. Suddenly upon regular check up he was found to have anemia. Subsequent examination through blood tests and bone marrow biopsies, the vet explained that he has progressive AML. His red blood cells count is now around 20% . The vet prescribed 1 and 1/2 50mg Prednisolone daily for a week and reduce to 1 tablet a day. So far the only side effects are increased thirst and frequent urination. He seems to do well which is no more panting and has more energy and not so lifeless anymore. He seems to be almost back to normal. But for how long? The vet said Prednisone is suppressing immune system and helps relieve inflammation. But it doesnt help fighting leukemia. I am so devastated. I dont want him to die so soon. This is so unexpected. It happened so fast. Apollo has always been very active. We hiked up the mountain just this summer. He also loves swimming. I cannot believe that he might be gone in a few weeks.
Is it nothing I can do to help him? Blood transfusion? Chemotherapy? are the way to go? He is my life. Please advise.
Hi Kalya,
I am sorry to hear your sweet boy has been diagnosed with AML. Dealing with cancer can be tricky and what works for one dog sometimes doesn’t work well for another. I know you are concerned about Apollo and just want to make sure you are doing what is in his best interest. Since I haven’t examined Apollo myself, I really cant advise you on the best course of action. I encourage you to have an honest conversation with your vet to discuss possible options. You may also want to consider talking with a veterinarian that specializes in oncology (cancer treatment). I hope you find the answers you are looking for. I am attaching some links to other articles. These may be of some help when you have to start thinking about saying goodbye should it come to that. Best wishes for you and Apollo.
1. The Myths and Misconceptions of Cancer in Dogs with Dr. Sue, Cancer Vet
2. Dog Euthanasia: Knowing When to Say Goodbye
3. Preparing for Your Dog’s Euthanasia: 10 Thoughts for Peace
My soon to be 7 year old dog was diagnosed with myositis after a muscle biopsy and has been on prednisone for about 4-6 weeks now. She made great signs of recovery after the first week of prednisone and now was prescribed 300mg of gabapetin 2x a day and 10 mg of prednisone 1x a day. She seems to have regressed into rough shape ever since gapetin was introduced. Does this make any sense? Waiting on blood work to be looked at and compared to before diagnosis and 4-6weeks after.
Dear Tony, I’m sorry to hear about your dog’s diagnosis. It sounds like you’re in great hands and were on the right track. Have you reached out to your veterinarian to share these concerns? I think that’s important to do in case they want to adjust the medications or see your dog sooner for a recheck. While it’s possible that your dog still needs to be on a higher dose of prednisone for more time (and that is why we’re seeing regression), it’s also possible that what you are describing are side effects from the gabapentin. And those side effects may or may not be an issue. They may be fairly “normal” side effects that will actually improve with time as your dog’s system gets used to the medication. Please check out this blog, which I think might be helpful: https://toegrips.com/gabapentin-side-effects-in-dogs/
Thank you, Doctor, for this article. I would like to report that Prednisone is a life-saver for my dog. He was diagnosed with prostatic carcinoma and had great difficulty defecating. In addition, the inflammation associated with the disease created breathing issues.
The Prednisone allows my boy to properly defecate and to breathe properly. We tried NSAID’s but his stomach couldn’t tolerate them.
He will likely be on Prednisone for the remainder of his life. I don’t like the long-term usage, but the drug is likely keeping him alive..
Thanks again for the great article and for letting me share my story.
Brad
Hi Brad,
Thank you for sharing your positive experience with prednisone for your pup. I am sorry he is living with such a difficult diagnosis. It sounds like your vet has a good plan and that things are stable for now. I wish you both many happy days together in the future!
Hi my dog has only been given a short dosage and we only now have 3 weeks left of half every other day for her itchy skin , I notice almost immediately her change in personality . She is a rescue dog and so does have anxiety and can be nervous but over the two years I’ve had her she had become much more relaxed and happy with life but she’s gone Back to the nervous dog I started with . She isn’t interested in playing anymore , she keeps herself to herself and I struggle to get her to go out and enjoy a walk where before she loved a walk and would have a run around , all she can think about is food and only looks truly happy when she’s eating ! I am just hoping that this change in her behavior goes once the tablets are finished and completely out of her system ?
Hi Jane,
Thank you for reaching out. That seems like a dramatic change in her personality and I am sorry to hear that she is experiencing this rather rare side effect of prednisone. What a lucky girl to have been rescued by you and then learned to relax and enjoy her life. I would recommend letting your vet know what is going on. It is possible that he or she may want you to wean your pup off the prednisone a bit sooner (but don’t stop it cold turkey unless they tell you to) rather than continuing it for the full 3 more weeks. There are some other medications that may potentially be helpful for her itchy skin, depending on what is going on with her. You can read more about some of them in my blog Allergy Medicine for Dogs: 9 Solutions to Calm Your Dog’s Itch. But again, please consult your veterinarian because I can’t examine your dog so I can’t say for sure what the best course of action would be or if some of the allergy medications in that blog would be the right choice for her or not. I hope you are able to find a solution for her and that she can get back to her normal self soon!
My dog has lymphoma and has been on prednisolone for 2 weeks. The panting was excessive and I reported to the vet who suggested reducing to alternate days. Dog is much better on this lower does, but is still panting on the days she has the prednisolone. It is very distressing to see him so distressed. Is he in pain? What can we do about it?
Hi Mrs. Gibbons,
So sorry to hear that your dog was diagnosed with lymphoma. Unfortunately, prednisone does sometimes cause excessive panting. The fact that the increased panting correlates with the days you give her the prednisone makes me fairly suspicious that it is related to the prednisone. However, I can’t say that for sure without being able to examine your dog as panting can also be a sign of pain. You can learn more about the signs of pain in this article: 7 Signs Your Dog Is in Pain [video and examples]. Ultimately, I would recommend a recheck with your veterinarian so he or she can examine your dog and give you a more definitive answer about what is going on and what you can do about it. I hope you are able to find some solutions.
Hi,
My 95 lb Female German Shepard was diagnosed with Addison’s almost 2 years ago ( at 3 years old) she is doing pretty well all things considered.
I have seen dog cranberry chew supplements, can these help prevent UTI’s caused from Prednisone?
Thank You
Hi Linda,
I’m glad to hear that your German Shephard is doing well after her Addison’s diagnosis! There are cranberry extract supplements (such as CranMate) that may help prevent UTIs caused by one specific bacteria, E Coli. A substance in cranberries makes it harder for E coli specifically to adhere to the bladder wall and cause a UTI. However, it is not effective against other bacteria that may cause a UTI, so isn’t right for every dog. I would recommend talking to your vet to see if he or she thinks that your dog could benefit from it since your vet knows what kind of UTIs your dog had in the past (if any). You could also check out my article UTI in Dogs: Know the Signs, Treatments, Prevention for some more in-depth info on UTIs and other prevention strategies.
Thank you for this informative article. It’s helpful to have more details like you share here.
My dog just started on Prednisolone this week as the vet and neurologist suspect a possible brain tumour. Given her age (16) they think it’s too risky to do the anaesthesia required for an MRI, so we don’t know for sure. She started turning in tight circles to the left (even though she is goes out on 2mile walks and walks straight for those).
They disagreed on whether to give prednisone or prednisolone but from what I understand in this article, it doesn’t really matter. They both said I should see improvement in a matter of a couple days, IF indeed she has a tumour. She’s been on it for 2 days now (first two days @40mg, now @20mg for 5 days) and the circling is much less but she is also less able to manouever her hind legs and is super droopy. I have to help her stand. She is still able to do her walks. It seems as long as she gets going on a stretch, she does fine.
Opposite of what they said and what you say here, she wants to eat a lot less. She is drinking a lot and so far has only piddled outside, no accidents in the house.
I’m concerned it’s the wrong thing for her. Is there a way to know? What should I look for? I’m grateful she has lived this long and i want to do everything to make her remaining time to be as joyful as possible. At this point, it seems the circling was much less hard on her than whatever effect the drug is having.
Since you seem very knowledgeable about this, I’d be grateful for any counsel you might have.
Thank you!
Hi Lily,
Sorry to hear that your sweet older gal was diagnosed with a possible brain tumor. That is always such devastating news. I think you are right to be concerned about her lack of appetite and especially the fact that it seems like she is having trouble getting her hind legs to work properly. Prednisone can cause muscle weakness but that typically takes longer than two days to show up (not all dogs read the book though). Another potential could be that the weakness is a progression of signs of the brain tumor. Or it could be neither of these. Unfortunately, without being able to examine her, it is hard to say why she is now showing these signs. I think that it would be a good idea to check in with your vet and the neurologist via phone or maybe even better, with a recheck examination.
I am in your camp of wanting to ensure that her quality of life is as good as possible for however long she may have. It is great that she had been able to take such nice walks with you. Hopefully the vet and the neurologist will be able to give you some guidance about what they think is going on and what you should do about the prednisone. I hope they are able to help strike a balance with the meds where she is feeling good and most able to do the things she enjoys.❤
My 14 year old Schipperke has been on Prednisolone for nearly 5 years for Addisons disease and has developed iatrogenic Cushings disease. It has been extremely difficult trying to get the dosage reduced due to his heart disease, IBD, hair loss, arthritis, spinal and cervical stenosis and thyroid disease. What was once a beautiful and energetic little dog is now a frightened(from so many vet visits without me, due to the Pandemic), overweight and mostly unfriendly shadow of the pet I used know. If there was any other treatment for Addison’s other than pred I would happily use it.
Hi BeLinda,
So sorry to hear of your Schipperke’s struggles. It can be quite a balancing act trying to control all the other conditions you listed plus Addison’s then iatrogenic Cushing’s. It is so hard to know that your dog needs the prednisone for Addison’s but also have him experience a lot of the associated side effects too. I don’t have any easy answers, but I would recommend speaking with your veterinarian about referral to see a board certified internist. These are doctors who specialize in complicated internal medicine cases, and may be able to help you and your dog in a unique way. Thank you for taking the time to share your dog’s story with us. He is a very lucky guy to have a loving and dedicated owner like you. ❤