Prednisone...reservations
 

Ted had his after surgery check (nasal surgery). He is doing great; yet his reverse sneezing has increased and has a drippy left nostril; so they gave him 5mg prednisone to take every day...until further notice.

I just can't bring myself to give him a pill. So many scary stories. When he was on Temaril, he was dying of thirst, starving, peeing everywhere and panting, and from what I read this will be even more so with the prednisone. Ted already weighs 14 pounds and really can't afford to gain more weight on his little stick legs.

I just don't know. If I don't give it to him and another mass grows, I will never forgive myself (since they are not sure if carrot choking incident caused inflammation or something else). yet if I give it to him and he gets cushings or kidney problems....I just don't know what to do.

Anyone have a wee one on prednisone? Do they take 5mg every day?
thanx for any suggestions.

i would recommend prednisolone it is broken down pred so liver does not have to work as hard as with prednisone. I saw way more side effects to prednisone than prednisolone. My girl is on 1/2 temaril p every other day so can you start with a low dose and work your way up to see where symptoms stop as i prefer lower doses but i am told over and over dd is on a very low dose - temarilp is 2mg of prednisolone. How much was your dog on to have those side effects as mine has none but i portion feed not free feed

Thank you Dwerten for responding. They had Ted on 1/2 tab a day when he first developed the nasal problem...then within a week increased it to 1/2 tab twice a day..then he wound up in ER; so stopped altogether; so he was only on it for a week.

Is the Temaril the prednisolone? Or is that totally different? Maybe I'll call specialist back and see if we can try him again on the Temaril P before we try the Prednisone. The Temaril doesn't say a miligram amount on it..just 1/2 tab once or twice a day, but the prednisone is 5mg, and it sounds like a lot.

Thanx for your help. Let me know if Temaril is Prednisolone (with the "L" or it that's totally different.) Thanx so much.
I hate to put him on anything cause he's a zillion times better than he was, but don't want to risk inflammation flaring up again. xo

2mg of prednisolone is in the temarilp and it is mixed with tavist - why was he in ER from temarilp ? Yes the 5mg is alot - my girl was on 5mg a week of prednisone and she looked horrible after a few months. I would work my way up and go slowly up rather than the big whammy myself - some vets tend to go to high on meds i think :(

http://www.1800petmeds.com/Temaril+P-prod10406.html

http://www.1800petmeds.com/Prednisolone-prod238154.html

Thanx, again. I will call specialty group in the morning and tell them I'm just not comfortable with 5mg prednisone.

No, he wasn't in ER from the Tamaril. He wound up in ER cause after a month of screeching nose problems, three vet visits, antihistamines, antibiotics, and Temaril, his breathing just kept getting worse. Turned out he had a mast tumor in the back of his nose. He just had surgery three weeks ago to remove and today was his check-up and they want to put him on the steroid to see if it helps with his lingering nasal discharge and reverse sneezing.

Thanx so much for your help. You're always first in line to help all of us panicked mums. xo

ok as was going to be shocked about temarilp as steroids can trigger pancreatitis but it is rare and dd has been on temarilp for over 2 years now and fine and perfect blood work. I would think the temaril would be best if they think allergies are tied to it as it has an antihistamine in it

I like to help as i know how it feels to have sick pups and how stressful it can be and have learned alot so glad to pay it forward :)

Prednisone does have its uses and I would have a long talk with my vet about this. I am not crazy about giving pred, but if the vet can give me good reason to use it, then I am ok with it. Matter of fact, my allergy pup has been really having problems with allergies and a staph infection....it increased drastically starting yesterday so I had no problem when a pred injection was suggested today. He has been on Temaril P for years without any problem at all. Once in a while...maybe once or twice/year he gets out of control like this and needs extra pred.

Dogs can get Cushings from over administration of prednisone, but it is reversible if the pred is stopped.

Yes, steroids do have many side effects....it all comes down to a balancing act. You have to weigh everything....you really need to know exactly why the vet feels that this dosage for an unlimited period of time is necessary. Like you said, you will feel awful if you don't do it and something happens.

Long talk with vet is definitely in order. Good luck!

if they are thinking temaril is not strong enough then go to prednisolone and ask about that as that is easier for liver to break down and then the strongest is prednisone

does your dog have any liver issues ?

Thank you Dwerten and Lady Jane. I think the vet just decided to try this since Ted's nose problem was a mystery. No previous allergies. I had thought a choking incident caused it since it started shortly after he choked on carrot. I feel much better after hearing from both of you. I will ask if we can try the Temaril first; since he had only taken it for less than a week (with no relief, cause it can't cure a tumor mass). Naturally today Ted has not reversed sneezed once or had a drippy nostril all day. Hope both your doggies are doing well. I appreciate your help. luv corrinne

so glad he is feeling better and hey i just noticed you live by me :)

Hi, Dwerten. Where do you live? Looking for a new vet for Ted. Right now he's being seen at the Animal Specialty Group in glendale for his present condition but they are for specialty purposes only. Nervous to call them right now cause I know they're probably going to tell me to try him on these steroids first...though they have been so great throughout this whole ordeal. Your little ones are so cute. They must keep you so busy. Just dealing with this one incident with Ted has me worn to the bone. Anyway, nice to meet you. Nice to have a local to look to for advice. luv corrinne

actually i tend to deal more with specialists and my friend is going to where you are going for her gme dog and loves that place. What specialist are you seeing there is it a dermatologist for that or internal medicine? Mardelin who is on here lives in santa clarita and seems to like her vet so you may want to pm her as i am about 1 1/2 hrs from you

Ted is seeing Dr. Winters and his surgeon was Dr. Bilbery. It really is a great facility and they are very thorough and attentive. He's seeing internal med doc. They said his case was rare and rather than going through his nose, they cut into the soft palate, but couldn't get the mass out; so then had to cut the hard too. Surgeon thought it would be better to go this route than to go through top of nose where all the sensitive nasal receptors are. Now the worry is what caused it to begin with and to prevent it from happening again. He was fine, then choked, then two days later all this started, and three vet visits later, and two ER visits we wound up at specialty group for CT and Rhinoscopy and they discovered a large mass at back of nose, but after all biopsy and fungal tests it is not diseased. There's a chance the infammation was caused by the choking, and that's what makes me reluctant to put him on steroids. SO CONFUSED. Thanks for caring. I appreciate your knowledge. xo

wow that is a tough one poor thing and you as well - i know how hard it is when you have a sick one - i just hope there is a light at end of tunnel for you guys quickly. I would not be afraid of the steroids though if it keeps the inflammation down.

How old is he? as a mass that is scary - i would stick with specialists with this condition since it is rare

also if they are great and you trust them that is half the battle just discuss everything with them until you feel 100% comfortable as i always discuss thoroughly and go with my gut feeling with mine

Corrine, if you are nervous about calling because you believe they are going to insist you try this, then I suggest you definitely call them. Most vets these days shy away from the use of steroids unless absolutely necessary.

You really need to speak with them about your concerns and find out EXACTLY why they are prescribing this medication. I am quite sure they do not intend to use it long term.

Just calling them does not mean you HAVE to follow their directions....I just think you should hear them out for Ted's sake.

You are letting fear get in the way here and it is not a good idea to NOT follow a vet's advice unless you KNOW it is bad advice. Listen closely to what they tell you and THEN make your decision. Don't let things you read on the internet make you shy away from something...share it with your vet and, as I said, make a well informed decision! It is good to read and learn, but you need to discuss with your veternarian!

Living in the Santa Clarita Vally.

Here's a couple of vets

Dr. Warrne Gardner DVM
17755 W. Sierra Hwy Santa Clarita - 771-252-3333

Saugus Animal Hospital
27737 Bouquet Canyon Rd
Saugus

Animal Medical Center
25848 McBean Pkwy
(This one I think practices Holistic Med - Dr. Vega.

Santa Clarita
662-255-5555

also wanted to add i know that fear as when dex was so sick in hospital ims told me they could not get his vomitting to stop so her last resort was steroids and that could trigger the pancreas again as it had calmed down and i said to her if this was your dog what would you do? She then said sulcrulfate for 24 hrs and see if this stops it and we will go with steroids if not. I think sometimes you have to state that questions and then they put it in perspective as if it was there dog and if you trust them as i trust this ims very much then i went with it. Trust is very key. I would say treat him as if he is your own and they did so maybe ask that question and see the response.

I understand one's concern with steroids, especially on long term use. Not recommended and any good vet would monitor. But, if it is necessary to control a situation, then vet recommendations and med advice should be taken. Each dog and each situation is different. Let me add the vets I've encountered are very reluctant to administer steroids, knowing the ramifications only prescribe in small doses and for short periods of time.

My girl, Bella, has been on Pred for several years since being diagnosed with addisons disease. She gets 5 mg (liquid) every other day. For the most part, she has done very well. She does urinate more frequently and has put on a little bit of weight in her belly.
Over the past 6 months, she has had episodes where she has had severe vomitting and diarrea. On call vet diagnosed her with pancreatitis. She wasn't getting better, I thought I had to put her down. Her regular vet then said no, not pancreatitis, food allergy and put her on a hypo-allergenic food. I was very skeptical of that, but she has been on it 3 months now, only one minor episode of vomitting.
Prednisone is a highly effective medicine, but can have side effects. I think it's worth a try, just monitor your dog closely.

Thank you, Everyone. I called back and voiced my concerns, and she said because of the increase in his reverse sneezing since the surgery that they want to control the infammation while he is healing. So I will follow their instructions. 5mg a day for two weeks; then I am to call back and tell them how he's doing and they will lower it if he's doing better (which he has not had one episode in last few days) and bring him back in in three weeks to re-check him and go from there.
I have been cutting in half and giving half with each meal. Now I'm wondering if i should give the whole pill at once since bottle says 1 pill a day. If it hadn't been for you guys and this site, I would be clueless to effects of steroids and not even have known that they need to be reduced slowly when coming off of them (since bottle came with no instructions and no one mentioned that to me). I asked about alternatives, and she said because his case was so severe and the mass most likely was caused by inflammation they want to take no chances of his nose becoming inflammed again so soon after mass removed.
Anyway, I appreciate you all for easing my fears and providing me with knowledge to present to specialist. Now if I only had a cure for all this PEEING going on. I can't keep up with it. But I'd rather chase him around with a towel than ever see him struggle to breathe again. luv corrinne

p.s. thanx for vet referals!

Happy to hear that you have it all clear now. I am quite sure it is fine to split the pill and give it in two doses!

Hope he continues to do well.

I so understand the peeing thing....my Georgie flooded my master closet the other day after his pred injection. BUT...he is better now so it was worth it. :)

Thanx, Lady Jane. Isn't it amazing just HOW MUCH pee comes out of such little bodies?? Hope your Georgia will be back to his old self soon. xo

Yes, it really IS amazing! He is housebroken so for him to do it, poor thing had to have been desperate. He loves to go in my closet and sleep....must have awakened and barked and I did not hear him because it was close to the door. It was a LOT. hah

Thanks...he will be ok. He has allergies and had gotten out of control and also had a staph infection....then, he had to have two growths removed during his dental. All on his head...poor baby looks like a Frank now, instead of a George. Busy week for him.

yes pancreatitis is a side effect of this drug and why i have cpli run on dd when i do her blood work since she is on steroids as well as my pancreatitis dog i have it run on him too just to make sure pancreas is functioning ok.

Another issue that can happen with steroid use is it can mess with the lining of stomach which could be happening with your baby and causing stomach upset :(

BUT your baby has no choice as addisons mean they do not have normal adrenal function and they need the pred to survive. Are you seeing a specialist with this condition?

Some vets believe in using famotidine (pepcid ac) with dogs on steroids to help with acid in the stomach. I do not use it with dd as her doseage is very mild but it has been recommended to me

are you giving the steroids mid meal meaning give 1/2 meal then steroid then 1/2 meal to mix real well with food to help not mess up intestines as that is real critical to not give nsaids or steroids on empty stomach.

my girl took prednisone and she had the pot belly as well and cumidomes brown spots on tummy and loss of hair so we put her on temarilp and no side effects but with addisons you have to be on a higher dose but you could also discuss with your vet or specialist prednisolone vs prednisone and get his take on all of that as prednisolone is easier to digest and easier on the liver - does your dog have a normal functioning liver?

might be best to do washable pee pads that is what we do so he can pee when he wants since on steroids then he does not hold it and cause uti or something else that is what i do also due to coyotes, hawks and owls where i live :(

I am glad you feel better as that is important that you understand why they are doing something and sounds completely understandable to me why they are doing that. You could do either way 1/2 2xs a day or whole but call the specialist back and ask that question to make sure so you feel comfortable in dosing him right.

Sometimes they are so quick at doing things they fail to explain thoroughly or we are in shock lol of what is going on and do not think clearly so i always ask them to type up instructions for me so it is done properly - our dermatologist does this for all her clients so does dentist and ims so it is pretty standard among specialists to type up instructions. With meds I have learned to ask alot of questions before giving to make sure i do it right as no one ever told me to do steroids with food :( and i had a vet give my dog nsaids on an empty stomach which is a huge no no also and why i like these forums as we can learn from other pet owners as well

sometimes on steroids they will pee when they sleep as the urine builds up too much and it leaks out when sleeping is what i was told by specialist when dd did this one time in her sleep i worried and called them. They said it does not happen alot but definitely can so maybe when shot was given possible he peed when sleeping and never barked

I'm not even giving the steriods with food at all! Thank you so much, it never even occurred to me until I read that. We go to a vet hospital in the area, there is no specialist, but I will tell you I love her vet, he is very knowledgable. Problems arise when she gets sick and I have to take her in right away and see another vet because mine's not available.
Her liver is fine, but due to recent testing and a recent x-ray because the on-call vet insisted she was sick from getting into something (doesn't know me at all, that would never happen) we found out she does have an enlarged heart. But since the change in food,, she is doing quite well.

*Sorry for hijacking the thread. Thanks for the info.

yikes please give with food from now on i do 1/2 meal pill then 1/2 meal every time i give dd temarilp

I have a male yorkie he was 14 lbs. He is currently in the hospital. He was diagnosed with Lymphangiectasia. It is predisposed with yorkies. Cocoa started with sporatic vomiting about every week or so. I noticed his belly getting fat and cut back on his food. That was 6 months ago. I took him to the hospital sunday night because his belly was 22 inches. He was so bloated. I had several blood tests done in the previous 2 weeks by my vet and we suspected this disease because he had all the symptoms. He had diarrhea for the last two weeks. Yesterday morning they drained 1 1/2 litres of fluid from his belly. That weighed 3 lbs. I don't know yet if my Cocoa is going to make it but my faith is strong and am relying on my faith to bring my baby home. The meds they are giving him is prednisone

I hope Cocoa feels better soon. It is so scary when they find something wrong with your little one; yet the good thing is they can now treat him and he will be on the mend with their treatment and your love. When they put Ted on prednisone, they gave me no instructions other than one a day; so ask a lot of questions...like should he eat with them, what side effects can I expect, will they be reducing the dose over time, will they monitor his bloodwork. Everything will be okay. xo