Inflammation-related ailments are common in dogs, and they often lead to some relatively unpleasant symptoms, like pain, severe itching or even hair loss.
Other dogs may experience inflammation in their digestive tract, which can lead to intestinal dysfunction.
But fortunately, there are several medications that can help put an end to the inflammation and help your dog feel better. One of the most commonly prescribed medications in to help with dog inflammation is prednisone.
What Is Prednisone? And Can I Give Prednisone to My Dog?
Prednisone is a synthetic corticosteroid that functions like some of the hormones naturally present in your dog’s body. These hormones (cortisol is the most important naturally occurring one) help regulate a number of biological processes throughout the body.
For example, cortisol plays a part in the body’s stress response, helps to manage the blood’s electrolyte balance and ensures your dog’s metabolism functions properly. However, its primary role involves regulating the body’s inflammatory response.
Essentially, cortisol works as a break on the body’s allergic and inflammatory responses. It keeps your pup’s body from overreacting to harmless things (or sometimes, nothing at all). Some dogs suffer from out-of-control inflammatory responses, which lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms. In these cases, prednisone can be a life saver.
Prednisone helps your pup’s body yank the break hard enough on the inflammatory response to end the unpleasant symptoms.
Technically, prednisone doesn’t do anything for your pet until it passes through the liver via the bloodstream. At this point, the liver converts it to prednisolone, which the body can use. Accordingly, some pets with liver problems are given prednisolone, instead of the more common prednisone.
Note that veterinary practices differ a bit geographically. This means that vets in some locations (especially overseas) actually prescribe prednisolone instead of prednisone. Nevertheless, the information provided here is applicable for both medications.
Prednisone Is Available By Prescription Only
Unfortunately, prednisone is not available over the counter, and you’ll need a veterinarian’s prescription to purchase it. This is because while the drug has been studied extensively and used safely for years, it can cause important changes in the body.
For example, when a dog is given prednisone for a length of time (usually longer than 7 days), his body will stop producing enough of its own corticosteroids.
This can lead to serious medical problems, so it is often necessary to wean your dog off the medication gradually if he has been taking the drug for an extended period of time.
Additionally, some dogs may be suffering from other conditions that preclude the use of prednisone, such as infections, Cushing’s disease, high blood pressure, cataracts, or broken bones.
Conditions Prednisone Treats In Dogs:
Prednisone is useful for treating an array of different problems, ranging from the relatively minor to life-threateningly serious.
Some of the specific ailments prednisone is most commonly prescribed to treat include inflammatory-related conditions, such as:
- Allergies
- Hives
- Dry and itchy skin
- Anaphylactic reactions
- Shock
- Injuries, particularly those involving the spinal cord (to slow swelling)
- Inflammatory respiratory disease
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Asthma
Additionally, prednisone can be prescribed to treat dogs’ auto-immune diseases (which share a lot of similarities with inflammation-related disorders), such as:
- Hemolytic anemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Diseases of the central nervous system
Prednisone is also prescribed to treat a few very serious diseases and disorders, such as:
- Cancers and other types of abnormal tissue growth
- Endocrine disorders, such as Addison’s disease
When used to treat these conditions, prednisone is generally prescribed at much higher dosages.
Prednisone Dosage For Dogs: What’s Appropriate?
Prednisone is available as an injectable medication, but it is most commonly administered in the form of oral tablets.
Prednisone is often quite distasteful for dogs, so you may have to place it in a treat to get your dog to take it (or use one of our other hacks to make your dog take his meds).
It is generally recommended that prednisone be administered with food, to help reduce the chances of stomach upset. Most veterinarians recommend providing your dog with this medication in the morning.
Only your vet can determine the proper dosage for your pet, so be sure to follow your vet’s instructions to the letter when providing this drug to your pup. However, the following dosage regimens are fairly typical.
Dogs suffering from allergies and inflammatory conditions are typically prescribed 0.25mg/lb. per day, but the dose may be increased substantially (by a factor of 4 or more) if this doesn’t achieve the desired results.
Dogs with adrenal deficiencies (such as Addison’s disease) are typically prescribed 0.05 – 0.18 mg/lb.
This means that a 5-pound Chihuahua may be prescribed .25 to 1 milligram per day, while a 50-pound pit bull may be prescribed 2.5 to 10 milligrams per day. This dosage is often reduced gradually over time, until the lowest effective dose is determined.
Side Effects of Prednisone For Dogs
While prednisone is generally tolerated well by dogs, side effects can occur. Some of the most common and noteworthy side effects are detailed below.
Minor, Short-Term Side Effects
These types of side effects generally accompany short-term use of prednisone and often resolve after the treatment has concluded.
Increased thirst, water consumption and urination
Increased hunger
Lethargy and lack of energy
Excessive panting
Infections may worsen or fail to heal in a timely manner
Vomiting, nausea and drooling
Digestive difficulties (constipation, diarrhea)
Notify your vet if your dog exhibits any of these symptoms. Your vet will often instruct you to reduce the dosage slightly, as you try to find the correct amount of medication to treat the illness, without causing unpleasant side effects.
Serious, Long-Term Side Effects
These types of side effects normally accompany the long-term administration of prednisone for dogs, especially when it is prescribed in large doses, designed to restrict the body’s immune response.
- Obesity
- Demodectic mange
- Diabetes
- Weakness and loss of muscle mass
- Iatrogenic Cushing’s disease
- Poor coat condition
- Thin, easily broken skin
- Fungal infections
- Urinary tract infections
Some of these side effects can be eliminated through the use of a similar, but different drug (such as another corticosteroid). But at other times, your vet may prescribe additional medications to help treat the side effects, without stopping the prednisone treatment or opting for an alternative corticosteroid.
Additionally, prednisone is also known to cause abortions in pregnant dogs, so it is rarely prescribed for those carrying young or nursing.
In fact, prednisone can damage the immune systems of puppies under 6 months of age, so it is typically not prescribed to young dogs either.
General Safety Information For Prednisone and Canines
Prednisone is a relatively safe drug for dogs – at least in the short term.
According to Prednisolone Dr. Barbara Forney, “Short-term administration of even large doses is unlikely to cause serious harmful systemic effects due to adrenal suppression.”
However, long-term usage can lead to problems as your dog’s body may stop producing sufficient corticosteroids on its own. So, it is critical that you follow your vet’s instructions whenever providing this (or any other) medication to your pup.
Be sure to follow the same general safety precautions when using prednisone as you would any other medication, including:
- Always take the medication as prescribed.
- Do not stop administering the medication without your vet’s consent – even if your dog’s symptoms disappear.
- Don’t give the medication to dogs for which it was not prescribed.
- Never administer NSAIDs (such as meloxicam) to dogs taking prednisone, as it can cause fatal gastric ulcerations.
- Contact your vet immediately if your dog exhibits signs of an allergic reaction or intolerance to the medication.
- Dispose of unused medications properly (and only if directed to do so by your vet).
Note that prednisone can also represent a threat to human health, so it’s important to handle it carefully. In fact, it’s always wise to wear gloves when handling this medication, as contact with the drug can cause some other medications to stop working. It can also represent a hazard to pregnant women.
Alternatives to Prednisone for Dogs
A lot of pet owners are interested in over-the-counter alternatives to prednisone, but unfortunately, there just aren’t many.
There’s a little bit of evidence that omega-3 supplements may provide some relief for dogs suffering from skin inflammation, but more research is needed. Nevertheless, this is a safe, potentially helpful strategy you may want to discuss with your vet.
A handful of herbs and supplements claim to provide similar symptom relief, but in just about every case, there is no data to support the use of these items.
Instead, the wiser course of action is to simply work with your veterinarian. Prednisone has been around for a long time (so there are several generic options) and it isn’t terribly expensive.
Yes, the vet visit will hit you in the wallet. But you adopted a dog, so pony up, cowboy. Besides, just look at your little fluffmaster. How could you not want the best for him?
FAQ About Prednisone for Dogs
What is prednisone used for in dogs?
Prednisone is used to treat inflammation in dogs. It’s often used to help treat common canine ailments including allergies, itchy skin, injuries to the spinal cord, inflammatory bowel disease, and asthma, among others.
How much does prednisone for dogs cost?
The cost of prednisone depends on the dosage prescribed by your vet. Prednisone tablets generally are available in 1-milligram to 50-milligram tablets, and you can buy any number of pills that you need.
One 10-milligram tablet usually costs between $0.20 and $0.30. Liquid versions of Prednisone are more expensive, with a 15-milliliters bottle costing roughly $15.
How long does it take prednisone to work in dogs?
Prednisone can begin working within just a few hours. This is why it’s generally most popular as a short-term treatment.
What is considered a high dose of prednisone for dogs?
Appropriate prednisone dosage can vary depending on what it’s being used to treat. Dogs who are being treated for allergies and inflammatory conditions are usually prescribed 0.25mg per lb, per day. However, your vet may increase the dose significantly if a lower dose does not achieve results.
Where can I buy prednisone for my dog?
Prednisone is only available with a veterinarian’s prescription, but you can potentially get a prescription online with a digital vet service that allows for prescriptions.
What are the side effects of prednisone for dogs?
Short-term side effects for prednisone in dogs includes: Increased thirst, increased hunger, increased urination, lethargy, excessive panting, vomiting, diarrhea, and digestive issues. These usually resolve when the treatment is stopped.
Longer-term side effects that may occur over long-term use include: obesity, diabetes, mange, UTIs, among others.
***
Has your vet ever prescribed prednisone for your dog? What condition were you trying to treat? How did it work for your dog? Let us know all about it in the comments below.
51 Comments
May 3, 2022
My dog is on it for sterile panniculitis too . It may have saved her life. She had horrible ulcerative lesions. The rapid change ( improvement) was incredible. It been 10 days and she scheduled for two more weeks at 30mg. My vet has been excellent and i will follow the advice. Is 3 weeks at 30 long term? After that we will go to 20…two weeks.. 10 … etc I am just worried. So far no bad effects except the hunger and thirst.
May 4, 2022
Hey, Tracey.
Glad to hear prednisone has helped your doggo and the side effects seem pretty mild.
And I’d encourage you to ask your vet whether that qualifies as “long term use,” but in my non-veterinary opinion, I wouldn’t worry.
Best of luck!
January 24, 2022
My vet has prescribed Prednisone for my 11 y.o. Sheltie who has a collapsing trachea. Since yesterday she’s been straining to do a bowel movement, but has produced nothing. She’s lethargic and not interested in food or even treats. I’m going to try her on canned food tonight be if she’s not feeling better tomorrow, she’s off to the vet, AGAIN!
January 24, 2022
Ugh. Sorry to hear that, Mitch! Our fingers are crossed for you and your Sheltie!
October 5, 2021
My 7 year old, 11 Lb, Cairn Terrier has had IBS Irritable Bowel Syndrome for some time years and would feel terrible. He was not happy and neither was I as, I had to clean up the mess. He would have diarrhea about once a week sometime twice a week and never a regular bowel movement. The Vet and I tried everything to control it but failed.
Then, I went to a new vet and we tried something new. First we started the regular Prednisone 5mg treatment the old vet did, But this time at the end of the treatment the vet had me give him 2.5 mg of prednisone once every other day. And that treatment seems to have fixed the problem. It has been three months and no more accidents at all. He’s much happier and so am I. The one thing I have noticed is he seems to be putting on a little more weight.
The question is with him doing so well with the 2.5 mg once every other day and him putting on more weight any advice on taking the 2.5 down to 1.25 mg every other day to keep his weight down, I’m very wary messing with success, thoughts??? I know long term prednisone use is not good but he is much happier and no accidents.
October 5, 2021
Hey, Jim.
We’re so glad that you found something that worked!
As for your question about reducing the dosage, we’d just recommend discussing it with your vet. We’d be curious to hear what he or she thinks though.
Best of luck!
August 18, 2021
My chorki puppy developed sterile perniculitis and was put on pregnasone for 3 months. This medication saved her life and she is now off all meds and is her beautiful lively self again. The only side affect was lethargy and eating a lot more. I’ve now got her on a diet and give her plenty of excersise and she Is now down to her ideal weight again. Her own immune system has now kick in as she is now 1 year 5 months and think short term use of steroid saved her life
August 18, 2021
That’s wonderful to hear, Debbie!
We’re so glad she’s doing well and applaud you for addressing her weight gain.
🙂
May 3, 2022
did she get lesions when she had panniculitis? sorry i know this post is old. i’m just in the thick of it right now. i am so glad to read she went back to her old self. and i hope that 3 months is maybe not considered longterm…..
August 11, 2021
I’ve heard some good results from something called Golden Paste using turmeric. There is a group on Facebook called “Turmeric User Group” that can give you more information about how to make it and drug interactions.
August 12, 2021
Hey, Maggie.
There’s certainly a lot of hype around turmeric, but the actual empirical evidence surrounding it is mixed at best.
It largely appears to be a safe supplement, but we’d caution owners to discuss the issue with their vet rather than social media groups.
For anyone interested, we have published a veterinarian-approved article on turmeric.
But this quote (from the article), sums it up pretty well:
“No double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of curcumin has been successful. This manuscript reviews the essential medicinal chemistry of curcumin and provides evidence that curcumin is an unstable, reactive, nonbioavailable compound and, therefore, a highly improbable lead.”
Thanks for checking out the site!
May 4, 2021
Hi, I have a Vet dermatologist friend who believes our dog has immune mediated skin disease and believes he should be placed on a longer term steroid and then transitioned to an anti-inflammatory. Our friend is geographically separated from us but we have a local vet who is willing to prescribe prednisone and cyclosporine but was sure what long term dosage is appropriate. Our dog is 35 pounds and 13 years old. He reacted well to prednisone the last time and I have seen several dosage charts, but I can’t figure out what timeline is appropriate for “long term”–2 weeks? 1 month? Any ideas on length and dosage amount? Thanks!
May 4, 2021
Hey there, J Holt.
Sorry to hear about your pooch’s issues. Unfortunately, we can’t provide veterinary advice — we can only share typical dosages.
Your best bet is probably to find another vet who’s more familiar with treating these issues. Or, consider having your vet contact your friend for a recommendation.
Best of luck!
April 18, 2021
My 3 year old rottweiller typically around 80 pounds was lethargic. Took her to the vet and her red blood cell count was at 8%. The vet said it was a miracle she was even able to walk into the vet. She has been diagnosed with anemia which they have no idea why. They ran tests, did bone marrow aspiration and found nothing, there was no signs of cancer. She had a transfusion and they put her on 30mg of prednisone twice daily. Atopica 150mg in the morning and 100mg in the evening, Omprezmpole and plavix. She had bouts of vomiting and then diarrhea. She has lost 17 pounds and now cannot put weight on her back left leg. She had both knees done with TPLO. She has been on this prednisone dosage for a month and we cut it and it looks like we will continue to taper. Her red blood count is up to 33% but they wanted her to get to 37% before tapering. From what I’ve read she should only have been on 20mg per day based on her weight. Do you think we will be able to have her regain her muscle if we taper her off of everything? I’d rather her be at 33% and be able to walk then continue these dosages
April 19, 2021
Hey, Paul.
As a fellow Rottie owner, you comment really tugged at my heart strings.
But unfortunately, we can’t offer specific veterinary advice — particularly for such a complex issue.
We’d just recommend talking over the issue with your vet and discussing your concerns.
We wish you the very best of luck and hope your gal is able to get back to her normal self.
March 16, 2021
I took my 35 lb.dog in to have a minor issue of possible small amount of dark blood in her stool. The vet did an exam on her blood work included. 2 weeks on a follow-up visit he informed me she had ITP and low blood plateletd and needed prednisone. He started at 20mg per day. But later that night he called me at home and said to up it to 30mg. This went on for about 2 months with no platelet movement so he upped it to 40mg/day. Another blood test still no movement so the 5th month he upped it to 50mg a day. Still no platelet movement. At 6.5 months he wanted to up it to 60mg/ day. That’s when I fired him. By this time my dog was this fat bloated hyper panting little dog. She had muscle atrophe…could barely function and he still wanted to increase the dosage. By this time my dog had developed diabetes and subsequently developed diabetic caused cataracts. So she is now blind and diabetic. I could have her eyes operated on but I don’t have the $10,000 needed. All because of a vet that was incompetent in the administration of prednisone. So yes I have lived the horrors of prolonged high dose prednisone. My advice is before anyone agrees to prednisone treatment is to ask your vet if he is competent and get him to write out the procedure for your records. I would hate to see anyone go through what I did because of misplaced trust in someone that you put your dog’s health in their incapable hands. FYI since Sept. of 2018 when she became blind and diabetic until now I have spent almost $20,000 battling for her well being. And my little girl is a shadow of her former self.
March 16, 2021
Hey, Craig.
We’re so sorry to hear about your pooch and the bad experiences with your vet, but we appreciate you sharing your story with our readers.
We wish you and your little gal the very best.
March 13, 2021
Charlie is a chiweenie; he looks like a long almost chihuahua with an identity crisis. This said he is one of the sweetest , most adorable little guys around. He is almost 4 and developed severe food allergies just past his first birthday. He has been diagnosed with Inflammatory bowel disease. He is on a hydrolyzed vegetarian diet which has stabilized the vomiting. He has been on prednisone for 2 years. He began with 1.2ml every day then was placed on a maintenance dose of .05 ml per pound every other day. He takes for his weight .8ml . Now he had to go onto thyroid medication for hypothyroidism. He is currently doing well now but it has been a difficult road for him. I have concerns regarding the long term use of prednisone. I am assuming at this point it is to late to remove it completely, now his thyroid issues. Just what can his life expectancy be while on an apparent lifetime maintenance dose. IBS with diet and prednisone and now thyroid meds all in control for now. What is an average if anyone knows.
March 15, 2021
Hey, Sharon. Your vet would probably be the best person to talk to about life expectancy, as there are just too many variables for us to venture a guess.
At any rate, we’re sorry to hear about Charlie’s struggles! Poor guy has been through a lot.
Give him some scritches for us!
March 2, 2021
Hello my 1 year old female American Pit Bull named Bella is being treated for yeast infection in her ears. The 1st visit they put her on some type of ear drop. Well after 2 days I knew it wasn’t helping her. She continued to shake her head and I just knew it wasn’t working. My girlfriend kept using the drops for another 1.5 days before I called and made another appt with the vet. When we went my poor baby girl had twice the yeast plus she had been having a reaction to the drops. Long story short they gave her prednisone to take. I can tell her ears have gotten much better. My concern is she’s very lethargic and she just isn’t her usual playful “on guard” self. It’s worrying me and I was hoping to get some experienced feedback from anyone that has it. Thank you in advance. I just want my baby back
March 2, 2021
Hey there, Grant.
This is really something to discuss with your vet, as only he or she can help you determine whether there are any other options or whether the benefits of the prednisone are outweighing the drawbacks.
Just level with your vet and inquire about other options.
Best of luck!
January 21, 2021
My 12zyear old German Shepherd cross has been put on this corticosteroid for chronic diahorrea. It has cured this but she gets very hungry and drinks more. She also seems restless.
January 21, 2021
Those are pretty common side effects, Stella. My pooch just completed a course about a month ago and she wanted to eat and drink all day long!
Glad to hear she’s doing better.
December 26, 2020
My miniture Yorkshire terrier was given prednicare to treat a cough. Within 4 days she died as what I believe was a bad reaction to this drug. She was not that bad beforehand she just had a cough. If anyone else’s dog is on this and are panting and wont lie down do not give them anymore of it! Ring your vet asap! My dog was still eating and drinking right up to an hour before she died which made me think she was ok when she wasn’t!
January 4, 2021
So sorry to hear about your pooch, Karen!
Unfortunately, a small percentage of dogs may react badly to any drug — just like humans.
And we echo your sentiments: Anytime your dog acts strangely after starting a new medication, contact your vet at once.
Thanks for sharing your story.
September 15, 2020
It virtually destroyed my fur baby’s muscle mass. At 20 MG per day, down to 1, in a matter of two weeks he barely could walk.
March 30, 2020
My 6 yr old Border Collie has been on Prednicare since he was 6 months old – Steroid Responsive Mengio Arteritis – I have been giving him various supplements to help with the side effects he experiences. He was diagnosed with elbow dysplasia at 2 1/2 yrs old. He is now down to 1mg every other day which is good news but over the last few weeks he appears to be getting weaker. I feed him good quality raw food with veg/fruit and the supplements : Joint Plus, NZ Green Lipped Mussel, Turmeric, Sunflower Oil with Vitamin E, Apple Cider Vinegar with mother, Milk Thistle, and every couple of months a probiotic. He has always loved exercising and doing Hoopers not showing signs of any problems at all just loving everything he does until just recently. How can I help him and if this is the result of long term steroid use will he recover?
February 16, 2019
String Bean, my wire haired dachshund was diagnosed in June with IBD. HER total protein levels were 28. Been on prednisone since then starting with 20mg/day and now at 2.5mg EOD. Total protein at 59.
Hoping when we are off, her coat which has gotten thin and dry will return to its original shine. Other effects…. hungry all the time.
February 16, 2019
Thanks for sharing, Sue. We’ve got our fingers crossed for String Bean. 🙂
January 20, 2019
Should baseline labs be obtained before initiating an anti inflammatory prednisolone taper
January 21, 2019
Hey Don – I’d suggest going with whatever your vet recommends!
October 4, 2018
My little chihauhau has always has a tracheal cough but worsened o z trip to Florida. Seen in an Emergency care hospital where Dx collapsed trachea
He was put on Prednilisone which will be completed tomorrow thank goodness! He has experienced the usual, drinking more, periodically g more, GI upset, tired etc. My older Chihuahua had the same thing happen In 2016 which left him diabetic, blind within a month
He passed away a year ago. I discussed my concerns about prednilisone with the Vet but she said the benefits out weighedthe risks. So I’m nervous as heck! I do not like this drug but until something better is discovered for conditions of this nature, no choice. I’m thinking perhaps he has allergies considering the time of year a d my senior dog came down with same two years ago to the week. Will discuss with our Vet back home.
January 23, 2019
I don’t know if you are talking about prednisolone or prednisone, both of which are some of the safest drugs on the market. First if your dog had such a bad reaction from prednisolone or prendnisone it would have been from too high a dose and the adverse reaction that made your dog blind with other adverse reactions is more on the line of deathly reactions from rimadyl. If your dog has severe collapsing trachea, probably the best treatment would be a muscle relaxer plus hydrocodone syrup.
September 8, 2018
My 11 year old German Shepherd was given Prednisone ( for possible lime disease)which resulted in hind leg weakness. I discontinued the prednisone and will contact the ve ton Monday. Any words of advice or encouragement that he will improve?
January 23, 2019
Let me set the record straight. I used to raise German shepherds and Prednisone does not cause hind leg weakness. Unfortunately, this is one of the flaws of the breed. I give one of my dogs Prednisone for hind leg and hip weakness. Now if you want something that will work, go online and buy protandim nrf2 for dogs. You can thank me later…
February 26, 2021
Hello. I have a close to 100lb pit bull who has had hind leg and hip issues since he was a pup. We were told down the line he was going to have issues. He is now 10 years old and can barely get up at all. Or sit once he is up. His legs slide out from under him like he is loosing control. He has been on cosequin for years, and not working anymore. I recently added another supplement called Glyde. To early yet to see a difference i suppose but with your experience with larger dogs do you think prednisone will help him?
Thank you Bobbie
October 28, 2019
Just wanted to say, my dog also has hind leg weakness after being on Prednisone for almost 2 weeks…..what did your vet say,? How is your dog? I want to quit but I am afraid of the withdrawal
August 2, 2018
My dog has polyarthritits in front arm joint and also back leg. Has been on prednisone last two years taking anywhere from one a day to just one half for the past year along with gabepentin. The swelling has been huge and never changed so just added one more prednisone a day and giving him four drops of CBD oil twice a day. All of a sudden the swelling is going down. I feel he should have had stronger dosage when this started and maybe he wouldn’t be so crippled now.
December 5, 2018
Elaine king…are you saying that the CBD oil was what caused the improvement? Interested to know as my bulldog is on prednisone for low blood platelets; but I am the type that would much rather use natural alternatives when I can. Have looked up this oil, but so far have only found info by those trying to sell it. I guess that’s the case with everything these days, though. Interested to hear your reply/insights.
January 23, 2019
Prednisone will slightly raise the white blood count and if you have low blood platelets then you should be giving wheat grass juice. This the most effective and proven solution to raising red blood platelets since it is almost all chlorophyll. This is absolutely a must for anyone on chemo or radiation treatment because it amazingly replenishes red blood platelets. I take it and now grow it for me and other people after being cured of a blood disorder for others that are anemic or going through radiation treatment or chemo and it replenishes the blood cells that are killed off from those treatments.
Over 109 vitamins and nutrients plus chlorophyll is 100% proven to work!!! Tour normal blood count is 15 and the person that put me on to this had cancer and a blood count of 7, half of what it needs to be and was getting blood transfusions every month.
After seven months his blood count was back up to 15 and stopped the blood transfusions every month. You can buy powder (make sure it is a good quality powder) or get fresh squeezed juice from a health food store. This is the single best thing you can take for your health.
December 22, 2019
CBDs/THC are what gave my dog two years after a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. We are at end stage right now but we got two pretty good years! I highly recommend it!
April 19, 2021
Hi. My dog has IMPA as well. Do you feel the CBD oil helped?
Thanks!!
May 22, 2018
I say use prednisone as a complete 100% last resort or NO MORE than a week short term DEFINITELY not long term not even if its for cancer …the long term effects are worse than the cancer and NOT PRETTY…the prednisone destroyed my beautiful jack russell from a muscle body into a pot bellied miserable barely able to move boy….not worth it…Had I known the results I would have let the cancer do its work and he would have gone out this world jumping and looking great, not looking at me like what the hell did I do to him..It literally happens FAST too…and the process of weaning off the drug are just as bad and I made the firm decision to do that and probably way to late. HORRIBLE LONG term drug…POISON.
May 24, 2018
Hi
What did your Jack Russell have? Mine has masticatory myositis and is currently on prednisone, we are also doing acupuncture in conjunction and the acupuncture has made a world of a difference. It’s a fast disease so I wasn’t sure what to do about it. How long has your dog been on prednisone? Thank you
January 23, 2019
I know you are upset and saddened by the loss of your dog, but I doubt very much that Prednisone contributed to the demise of your dog. Prednisone is one of the safest drugs and has been for years.
October 28, 2019
You may “doubt” that Prednisone could cause such demise in a dogs condition, but you are wrong. Prednisone is not one of the “safest’ drugs in the world (whatever that means), it is a serious medication, one that can save a pets life as well as one that can also take a serious toll on an animal. The side effects they warn you about the medication are not just “possible” negative reactions, they are closer to being “probable” or even “guaranteed” side effects that your pet will experience.
I can identify to Anne’s dogs body deteriorating while on this drug because my dogs body, in less than 2 weeks on this medication, became weak, devoid of all muscle tone. Now her hind legs are weak to the point of not being able to jump on the bed or stand longer than 2 secs at a time. My dogs feels like a skeleton under a thin sheet of fur now …but her stomach is bloated and round…..and she is so famished, she keeps eating alot, so there is no reason she should be so bony. She is so thirsty on this drug and she urinates alot as well. I am worry she is going to flush out a her electrolytes..she looks so miserable I am scared she is going to die and I don’t know what to do.
I am supposed to start weening her down on her dose in 4 days and it is supposed to take 6 weeks more on this drug, just to wean her off of it…..I really just want to stop it all together right now, but I don’t think I can without putting her in danger. I don’t know about you, but I do not consider a medication that can be dangerous to suddenly withdrawal from as “one of the safest’ drugs”.
To be clear, I do not wish to demonize Prednisone, nor say its a bad drug, but I do think people need to be aware of the profound changes your dog will experience as a result of this medication so that they can know what to expect.
People going through distress over a sick pet are not helped with people like you who try to say this medication is no big deal, as though it’s like taking an aspirin or some cough syrup. People like you are why I started my dog on her medication. Now I understand why the vet was hesitant to put my dog on this meds, but after other medication has not worked, and we can’t do a biopsy, we gave this a try, now I regret it. My baby isn’t any better and I am getting really freaked out we made things worse and I am trapped in going down this route knowing it’s going no where good….
February 24, 2020
I also believe it is very dangerous. I tried everything to save my beautiful french bull dog. He even had brain surgery. they thought it was a tumor but it was an abcess and they did not analysis the tissue for bacterias. Put him on antibiotic every 2 weeks (injected) and phenobarbital. He was better for awhile but then started to show confusion and slowing down. Maybe the bacteria started to grow again and the antibiotics was not the correct one. Put him on Keppra an 20 mg prelone and phenobarbital. He was losing weight and vet never told me loss of muscle mass was caused by prelone. It broke my heart when he died last week. Part of me feels I would have not put him through so much if I would have been better informed. He was just 6 years old.
October 4, 2021
Christina- I see it has been almost two years since you wrote this but I am feeling the exact way this moment that you were then. I hope you were able to wean her off of the pred with good results. You were completely correct with your statement about two weeks in Pred has turned my muscular boxer/pit mix into a frail two dimensional version of what he was.
I did not have much of a choice as he has Protein Losing Enteropathy. His small intestines are inflamed and they had to drain 2liters of fluid from his belly. So like I said I had no choice, and the specialist told me what to expect, but no amount of words could have prepared me for this. 50mg a day. Just dropped to 30mg a day but more muscle loss and weakness then ever. It happens so fast. I don’t even know how its possible.
September 14, 2022
My EB also has PLE and we’re using this drugs and others. Did your dog recover? I would love to talk to you
October 28, 2019
How long did you have your baby on it? I am going through this…watching my baby’s muscle waste away and her getting weaker and more miserable. she is losing strength in her hind legs, can’t jump and she has Shakey legs when standing. I’m finishing my secind week on Prednisone , but I don’t think she will make it one more day on it…
February 4, 2020
How is your Chihuahua doing? My Chihuahua is on Prednisone for Throat cancer and having the same symptoms as yours.