Prednisone for dogs can be lifesaving…but also problematic. Integrative veterinarian, Dr. Julie Buzby, answers 10 FAQs on prednisone for dogs to help you understand the uses, pros, and cons of this commonly prescribed drug. Learn the pluses and perils of prednisone for your pup.
Prednisone isn’t a bad word, but sometimes my clients treat it as such and understandably so. Prednisone takes a toll on the body. As an integrative veterinarian, my official position on prednisone is this: I hate it, but I’ve seen it save lives—including potentially my own.
It was a hard pill for me to swallow (pun intended) to take prednisone. But, I was on a downward spiral with respiratory disease and needed a powerful drug like prednisone to stop the inflammation. My doctor literally said, “I see no path for your healing that doesn’t involve taking prednisone.”
I used the medication. I experienced side effects, but I got better. So perhaps it’s better said that I have a love-hate relationship with this drug.
I suspect that you might also have reservations about using this drug in your own canine companion. It’s important to take a balanced approach and look at the facts. That’s why I wanted to address these 10 FAQs about prednisone for dogs.
1. What is prednisone for dogs?
Prednisone is classified as a synthetic glucocorticoid. Essentially, it is a drug manufactured in a lab that will act like a naturally occurring hormone called cortisol.
Prednisone is converted into its active form, prednisolone, by the liver. It is also possible to synthesize prednisolone in a laboratory. In some cases. it may be prescribed instead of prednisone (and, incidentally, is the more commonly prescribed drug for cats.)
We will circle back to prednisone, but first we need to talk a bit about cortisol since it is the blueprint for prednisone. 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.
Ok, so what exactly is so life-sustaining about cortisol? If cortisol had a resumé, it would say:
- Regulates the immune response 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.
2. What is prednisone used for in dogs?
Using the functions of cortisol as a jumping off point, you may be able to figure out some of the reasons a vet might prescribe prednisone for your dog.
Prednisone as an anti-inflammatory drug
Prednisone can be a useful “rescue” drug for a dog that has severe inflammation. Skin inflammation from allergies is one example of this. In practice, we see patients who are 10 out of 10 itchy, on a scale of 1 to 10. Your vet may decide to use a short course of steroids to break that 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 be helpful. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are becoming the drug of choice for intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) in dogs, but prednisone still has its place in some cases.
Prednisone for dogs with cancer
In vet school, we were all 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 us that steroids such as prednisone sometime improve the quality of life—or even save the life—of our 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.
Additionally, prednisone is sometimes 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 appetite and energy for 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.
To learn more about cancer in dogs, listen to my podcast : The Myths and Misconceptions of Cancer in Dogs with Dr. Sue, Cancer Vet
Prednisone as an immunosuppressive drug
Vets also use prednisone for 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 were 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 in Addison’s disease
If a dog’s adrenal glands do not produce enough cortisol, he or she doesn’t have the ability to withstand stress like a normal dog. This is what happens in dogs with Addison’s disease. They may show vague symptoms like lethargy in dogs, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, or intermittent shaking.
Alternatively, some dogs suffer an acute crisis. They may vomit, have diarrhea, and sometimes collapse. Thus, dogs with Addison’s disease take a little bit 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.
Speaking of lifesaving, I was talking to a veterinary colleague about a case she had a couple of weeks ago. While she was in the middle of a routine spay, the dog started to do poorly under anesthesia. She administered fluids and all the drugs we usually give to help stabilize blood pressure under anesthesia. Nothing was working.
As a last ditch effort, she gave the dog intravenous steroids, and the dog turned around immediately. My colleague said she suspected after the fact that maybe the dog had undiagnosed Addison’s disease. But whether or not that was the case, the bottom line is the steroids 1000% saved that dog’s life.
All these sound like good things, right? So you might be wondering why prednisone gets such a bad rap. Well, it turns out prednisone has some really significant side effects—both in the short term and the long term.
3. What are the short-term side effects of prednisone?
People who take prednisone sometimes report feeling weird, so it is understandable that they might worry the same will happen for their dear dogs. We can’t take a poll to ask our dogs how they feel when they take prednisone. However, we don’t think that happens for most dogs. While behavior changes are possible, they are rare.
The most common side effects of prednisone for dogs include:
- Increased thirst
- Panting
- Increased appetite
- Energy changes
- Increased urination
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea or dark stool
4. Can prednisone and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs 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. As a side note, the answer to the question “Can I give my dog Advil?” is also a resounding “no.”
Dogs who have a stomach ulcer may vomit. Sometimes the vomit contains red, fresh blood. Bleeding can also happen further down the GI tract in the intestines. As the blood gets digested and passed through the intestines, it turns into a black, sticky, tarry substance that shows up in the stool. The term for this is melena. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your vet immediately.
5. What are the side effects seen with long-term use of prednisone?
I think we can all agree that prednisone does have its place in veterinary medicine. Vets certainly use it, and for some dogs, it is quite literally a life saver. There are situations in which long-term use of prednisone is unavoidable. But for the most part, we try to avoid a “pred for life” prescription plan because it is risky.
Essentially, by giving prednisone long term, we can cause a form of Cushing’s disease in dogs. It’s 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 common side effects
The immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects of prednisone, while helpful in managing some conditions, can also be problematic.
It is thought that up to 30% of dogs who are on long-term prednisone have an occult (undetected) urinary tract infection in dogs. Wound healing may also be decreased. Dogs taking long-term prednisone are more prone to fungal infections. They may also develop conditions like demodectic mange that we don’t expect to see in adult dogs. Taking a course of steroids may also throw off a dog’s thyroid function and cause liver enzyme elevations.
More seriously, prednisone can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for a pre-diabetic dog. These dogs are already barely keeping their blood glucose under control. Cortisol, and by extension prednisone, function to create more glucose, which may be enough to nudge a dog into full-blown diabetes. (Incidentally, the same is true in people.)
6. How long should a dog be on prednisone?
As we have established, long-term use of prednisone carries some pretty weighty risks. When I make the call to put a dog on prednisone, my goal is to get them off of it again ASAP. However, sometimes long-term use can’t be avoided. Without it, the dog would die. For the most part though, there are other drugs or protocols veterinarians can use that let us decrease to the lowest effective prednisone dose.
7. Is it true that you have to taper the prednisone for dogs dosage rather than stopping cold turkey?
Sometimes we do a very short course of prednisone—maybe three to five days. Then a taper is probably not needed. Otherwise, and more classically, the prednisone dose starts out high, drops to a mid-range dose, 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 stop producing as much of the natural form. They says to themselves, “Oh, there’s plenty of this hormone in the bloodstream. I don’t need to be making any. Time to shut down.” 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 tells the adrenal glands, “Hey, wake up! Soon you are going to have to make all the cortisol for the body again. Time to kick up production!” That is really critical. Otherwise, you can induce an Addisonian crisis where the body’s cortisol levels become dangerously low.
8. How are dogs on prednisone monitored?
Anytime I have a dog on a 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 the prednisone through recheck exams. This lets me taper as quickly as possible to that lowest effective dose. That way side effects are minimized and the adrenal glands stay functional, active, and happy.
9. How can I help my dog while he or she is taking prednisone?
Remember how I said that dogs on prednisone drink a lot of water and therefore need to urinate frequently? I remember when I had to put my own dog, Jacobean, on a short, three-day course of prednisone for a very painful condition called limber tail syndrome. It was the only time he every had an accident in the house. He looked mortified.
The moral of the story? Dogs on prednisone may need to go outside more often. Otherwise they—much to their chagrin—might accidentally urinate in the house. And even though this may be the case, 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 (Without Losing Your Mind), may help prevent your dog from packing on the prednisone pounds.
10. 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 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 questions as needed.
- Find out how long your vet expects your dog to be on the prednisone and discuss the plan for tapering.
- Review the side effects to monitor
Watch your pet for any 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. That’s what we do.
Prednisone can have some really significant side effects. The body has to pay a price to take it. But sometimes it is necessary and even miraculous. That counts for something too. Therefore, I’m convinced that prednisone, when used judiciously, can actually be a part of our mission of helping dogs live happier, healthier lives.
If your dog has taken prednisone, what advice about it would you give to others?
Please comment below. We can all benefit from the experiences of others.
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.
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. ❤