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Prednisone
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Prednisone
There is not a more widely used as well as widely misunderstood drug used in veterinary medicine than the use of oral prednisone. Since many of the chronic diseases treated in small animal veterinary medicine are often due to an overactive immune system response, whether talking about skin/ear allergies, chronic digestive tract inflammation, chronic respiratory or coughing issues, and even inflammation of the brain and spine, this drug is often prescribed by many veterinarians for these various conditions. It is important for animal guardians to understand that when using a drug like prednisone, we are often treating symptomatically, where we dont know or understand the cause of the chronic problems of these various organ systems in most cases. . In other words we are often quickly bandaiding the symptoms but not often addressing the underlying causes of the problems that often elude even the most intense diagnostic search. . . Except for what are called autoimmune diseases, where the body literally attacks its own tissues, such as the red blood cells or platelets, leading to life threatening blood disorders, or the joints in diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, the use of prednisone can often be curative in those conditions as the immune system is so overactive that the life of the animal can be at risk. However it is important for veterinarians to always look for underlying causes of any of these various disorders, so that cure is more likely, and to avoid the occasional side effects seen when this drug is used long term. When prednisone is overused topically and/or orally, side effects can include excessive thirst/urination/appetite, and panting, as well as a thinning of the skin, and weakening of the bones and ligaments of the body, in addition to predisposing to secondary infections particularly of the urinary tract, as well as in occasional cases of diabetes. If used in high doses or for long periods, digestive tract ulceration and bleeding can also occur. However if prednisone is used in appropriate fashions for the above chronic conditions, where the oral dose is tapered to the lowest effective dose to control clinical signs, hopefully every other or every third day in those chronic incurable conditions, than many dogs can remain on this drug long term. The most important point to understand, however, is that when on this drug long term, periodic blood and urine testing should be monitored to detect any early side effects. And while I try and use other milder drugs and various supplements or antihistamines listed on the 1800petmeds website , in some very severe skin allergies with incessant itching, sometimes low dose prednisone is the only drug that can truly get the itch under control for symptomatic relief for the animals at a reasonable cost, without resorting to very expensive drugs like atopica or trips to veterinary dermatologists which can cost hundreds to even thousands of dollars long term. I certainly prefer low dose infrequent dosing of prednisone to control chronic clinical signs over the long acting cortisone injections that many vets use, which indeed have more significant side effects and risks outlined above. While taking everything above into account, and with adequate monitoring, I give prednisone an overall rating of a 5 with an ease of use of a 5 as well.
08/10/2009
This product is working great
Being that the Prednisone is now the only medication that Chase has to take now since he came down with Autoimmune Disease, it is working great. He no longer has to take the Cyclosporine, and is making his red blood cells now on his own. He is a miracle dog!
05/03/2013
Works very well
Guy is an 18 year old golden retriever/mutt mix with an awesome disposition and loving spirit. Unfortunately he suffered from incessant itching. First we tried all the different flea medications...topical and systemic. He still itched! The vet discovered small tumor like growths and the animal clinic charged me a lot of money to do blood work, xrays, etc($780). She recommended surgery to remove the growths (said they were histamine filled sacks) at a cost of over $1000 dollars. We did not do the surgery so the vet had us try OTC antihistamines and benadryl. Then his hair fell out in chunks (could have made a blanket with the sweeping each morning). Then tried some other prescription antihistamine that cost $80 per month....it worked but couldn't afford that. Finally tried 10 mg prednisone each morning and got great relief....no more itching or hair loss!! We understand the risks of long term use but he is a happy, old dog, lovin' life! Along with the prednisone we continue to use topical flea control medications to make sure fleas are not contributing to his itching. Again, the animal clinic (VCA) tried to charge me $2.00 for each 20 mg tablet this last visit and I got it for 29 cents a tablet from petmeds. Thank you petmeds! I only wish I didn't have to go to the vet each year to renew ($49 visit).
04/22/2013
Retreiver with IBD
My dog 60 lb was diagnosed 1 year ago with IBD (inflammatory Bowel Disease) If it wasn't for prednisone I don't know what we would do !!! This is a auto immune disease that can only be controlled..never cured..when first diagnosed via endoscopy, the specialist had him taking 20 mg per day he is also on a hypoallergenic hydrolized protein diet.. we finally tapered the pred down to ZERO..but soon after he had another "episode", and back on it he went....1 year and 2 months later I think we have it controlled, he is currently down to 7.5 mg per day...There is nothing wrong with giving this medication to your animal as long as you have regular Vet check ups and blood work done twice a year and give the LOWEST dose possible for control ;)
03/04/2013
great price
this site has the exact meds i wanted for 1/2 of what my vet charges so i tried to get him to approve the order....he did approve a 3 day supply and wanted me to come in for 2 more visits..i spent over $500 and the problem did get better but he didnt prescribe enough and now wants more money...customer service here is great and pricing is even better...i just wish i could have become a customer
01/30/2013
118 Questions · 164 Answers Ask & Answer.Talk to other pet lovers about this product.
My cats did very well on PREDNISOLONE however because it was out of stock I used PREDNISONE instead on the advise of my vet. These two meds are suppose to be interchangeable. On PREDNISONE they both developed the same gastrointestinal problems again so I have found PREDNISOLONE and put them back on this med and they now are fine. I don't really understand because these two meds are suppose to be interchangeable. Has anyone else had the same expereience?
AnswersAnswersAnswer:Â Fatigue no but panting yes because it makes them very thirsty so he will pant to keep cool even in cool weather. They will drink a lot of water. Fatigue could be because unable to move too much because of pain so it appears to be fatigue..Answer:Â Hello,Yes, prednisone may induce these side effects. It has been shown to increase body temperature, which would cause panting in certain animals as a coping mechanism. Additionally, prednisone tends to decrease the body's carbohydrate (sugar) tolerance; thus, the host's cells do not adequately produce energy from glucose and fatigue ensues. Thanks for your question! AnswersAnswer:Â Maybe a couple days before you see a difference in pets movements but the hunger will start about an hour after taking the medicine. Caution!!! They will eat what ever they can find. Paper towels, napkins or anything with a hint of food.
Answer:Â You may see results as soon as 1/2 to 1 hour after giving the medication. The effects are based on the severity of the allergic reaction and the amount that is given to your pet. Please consult with your vet if you have not seen the desired effects after several hours as the dosage and or the duration of treatment may need to be adjusted. Some reactions may take days to see a positive outcome.
my vet will not prescribe my dog predisone anymore for his severe skin allergies but that was the only thing that seemed to work. is there anything else that is similar i can give him in replace of the predisone
AnswersAnswer:Â I would suggest going to a different vet. Prednisone is the only thing that works for my dog as well. And believe me, I have tried everything. If they refuse to help your dog in such a simple way, that's a bad sign.
Answer:Â Prednisone belongs to the corticosteroid family of drugs. It is important to clarify with your vet if prednisone is not preferred or if the entire class of drugs belonging to that family are to be discontinued. Longterm use of corticosteroids can result in side effects that resemble diabetes such as increased thirst, urination and behavior changes. Anti histamines may provide relief and there are also drugs that can target immune cells that cause an alllergic reaction. All drugs have side effects to consider and some may also require monitoring of liver function.AnswersAnswer:Â Yes, I get the medicine through Pet Meds but before they fill an order they will contact your vet. So the initial start of the medicine has to be with the vet. After that you can get the meds from any other pet pharmacy. It's well worth it because with the vet is expensive and they give only a small amount. So just tell the vet you need only a months worth so you have time to get online to buy it.
My Pyr is 130 lbs. Vet prescribed 20 mg of prednisone twice a day for 5 days with decreasing dosage for allergic dermititis.
Seems like a high dose.... AnswersAnswer:Â No not really. My dog is about 55 lbs and takes 20 mg once a day. That's probably right. I don't know about dermatitis because my dog is using it for inflammation for arthritis. He's not getting off it.AnswersAnswer:Â Please before trying to give any medicine to your pet you see the vet. He or She will know the best dose.
I am going to medical school an hour away from any vets. I can 't get to a vet for a week, and my dogs allergies just keep getting wose. I've been giving him benadryl & Lipiderm, and spraying Allercaine on the spots where he chewed off him hair. Plus I've been making him wear the new collar, but he's obviously very itchy, and chews a new spot every chance he gets! He's been flea treated & doesn't have fleas. I'm in med school - I know he needs steroids. What should I do over the next week until I can get him to a vet?? Thanks!
AnswersAnswer:Â At a pet store you can get oatmeal baths. Don't shampoo too often because it will only irritate the skin. Use only the oatmeal bath stuff like once a week. Towel dry no blow drying. Other than that if you use stuff for hot spots and spraying that might be too much and is irritating more. Hope you can get to the vet soon.
Answer:Â Freespirit627, I'm very sorry to hear what your furry friend is going through. If benadryl isn't helping, you may want to try changing the food, as it could be the cause of the issues you are seeing. We have many grain free foods on our website for dogs with food allergies.AnswersAnswer:Â Yes, my dog had Polyartheritis and swelling to the joints and with the medication prednisone it cleared up his pain and swelling.AnswersAnswer:Â Prednisone is a corticosteroid class medication. This type of drug can be used to treat multiple conditions. Examples are inflammatory and auto-immune diseases, allergic reactions such as itching and redness of the eyes. The dosing of this mediation is determined by the disease being treated and how well your pet responds to the therapy.AnswersAnswer:Â Yes, diarrhea is one of the many side effects caused by the administration of this drug. Other adverse effects can include vomitting, gastrointestinal bleeding, weight gain especially at high doses. This medication should be given with food and with plenty of water to help decreasing the gastrointestinal effects.
I do not have the money available at this time to take him to the vet. $90 just to walk in and I have the same meds here I know they will give him. But if it is a 35lb dog and the strength I have is 2omg. can i cut them in four and he would get 5mg or is that too much???
Answers
Answer:Â First off you should never, ever, give a prescription medication prescribed for you by your doctor to your pet. On top of that, prednisone is a very potent medication and can cause harm if not used properly. Unfortunately, you have no choice but to have the pet examined by a veterinarian.
My dog scraped her paws and her belly chasing a rabbit. She's in pain and all I have is Prednisone. Will that work to reduce the pain, swelling and redness?
AnswersAnswer:Â It was recommended to me from an Animal hospital to use pepcide along with the prednisone. Using pepcid (over the counter) will relieve heartburn that the predisone can cause. It was also told to me for the pain to use tylenol 3 with coedine for the pain 2 tabs y as needed. Prednisone will reduce the swelling.
Answer:Â No. Do not use prednisone. Using a potent medication like prednisone for a reason other than what the veterinarian specifically prescribed it for could cause serious harm to your pet. If your pet is in a lot of pain with swelling and redness I would recommend having your veterinarian examine your pet.AnswersAnswer:Â The adverse effects associated with this drug are generally associated with the long term administration of it especially at high doses. On the days your dog takes the medication, some side effects may occur such as increased appetite, urination, and thirst, other adverse effects can include weight gain, vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal ulcerations (manifested as bleeding). If your pet is experiencing any of these or any unusual behavior your veterinarian should be consulted.
Casey: Female 52 lbs. Lab/Chow mix. 13 years old.
Bailey: Fremale 26 lbs. Jack Russell/Hound mix. 1 1/2 years old. They both don't take any other medications except heart worm prevention and flea and tick prevention. AnswersAnswers1 answer Di I need aprescription> If so is there anything similar that does not need a prescription?
Do I need a prescription? If so is there anything similar,that does not need a prescription?
Answers
Answer:Â Yes. Prednisone does require a prescription. However, prednisone can be used for a number of different conditions. If you let me know what condition you are trying to treat I can let you know if there's an over the counter product that can be used.Answers
My dog is 50lbs and im treating his heartworm dease with doxy. and pred. I have 5mg of pred. and 100mg of doxy how much should i give my dog daily of both meds
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my dog has possible brain tumor, he is on 5mg everyday now. My question is he feels better if I give him 1 full dose instead of divided dosages, is that ok? he used to be on 2.5 every other day for 1 year but relasped. now 5 mg a day
Answers
Answer:Â I'm sorry to hear about your pet's condition. I wish you and him well. Unfortunately, I cannot answer your question. This is something you need to ask your veterinarian. Please do not make a dosage adjustment unless you are specifically told to do so by your veterinarian.
my dog was taking prednisone 5mg for back problems (nerves) for approx 2 months. I need to know if will affect his immune system and for how long after he stopped taking the medication. He is now having problems such as abcess thru his body and had two surgeries within 3 weeks to removed them. The biopsy came back as a problem with inflamation of the follic due auto immune system decrease. thanks
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He is taking it for "flea saliva"allegies,He was fine on 1/2 tablet 2x day,when I moved to the next level of dosing,1 full tablet 1x a day. He began having severe uncontrollable Diarrhea.I haven't given him any in 2 days,but he's still having watery dripping diarrhea,not constantly though.
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My vet prescribed prednisone for my goldendoodle's swollen leg. She started it 5 days ago and is taking 20mg 2x a day. Today, she is to cut back to one a day for three days and then one every other day for 5 days. Is that weaning her too fast?
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My vet prescribed prednisone for a break out of hives after a flea bath. After researching, I am not comfortable giving this to my dog. I have only given one dose so far, so will stopping have any effect on my dog? I am continuing with benadryl and cool baths.
AnswersAnswersAnswer:Â Your dog desperately needs to see a vet. An infection like this can go into the brain and turn fatal.Answers
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