My dog is bloated from Prednisone. How long until he's back to normal?

Unfortunately, these are common side effects of prednisone - it often causes bloating, weight gain with a pot-bellied appearance, and in many cases seems to be make dogs more irritable. It may also cause increased thirst, urination, and appetite. I'm not sure what medical condition your dog has that the prednisone is treating, but I would recommend talking with your vet about your concerns - in many cases, there are altnerative medications such as Atopica or Apoquel for allergy problems, or azathioprine for immune-mediated illnesses, that can be just as effective and generally cause fewer side effects. It may be possible to reduce your dog's dose of prednisone or even taper off of it altogether if a different medication is used.

Poor Bentley! I'm sorry to hear that he's so uncomfortable. Steroids such as prednisone can sometimes cause weight gain, excessive panting, increased thirst, and urinary accidents in the house - so it's certainly possible that some of the issues you are seeing could be side effects from the medication. Since he isn't feeling any better after 5 days, yes - I would definitely recommend giving your vet a call or taking Bentley back tomorrow for recheck visit. It sounds like he may need a different course of treatment, or possibly some diagnostic testing to see if something else is wrong.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Danny. I'm sorry he has hives. Excessive drinking and urination are common side effects of prednisone, so this is to be expected. Once he has finished his course of prednisone, the side effects should go away. I hope this helps!

Yes, this is normal for steroids to cause these changes in behavior. You will also likely notice that he eats more, drinks more and needs to urinate more. This is all normal and he will be back to normal after the medication is finished. Below is a link to more information about the side effects of steroids in dogs. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/steroid-treatment-long-term-effects-in-dogs I hope that helps and all is well with Pugsley.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry Bruno had hives and other skin irritation. Prednisone can have an effect on the body if given long-term or at high doses; typically, a short course of a steroid can have some short-lived side effects (increase in hunger/urination, eating/drinking more), but tends to be otherwise well-tolerated. While any medication can have an adverse effect (and if you are seeing any concerning signs I would reach out to your regular veterinarian immediately), low doses of appropriately dispensed steroids should be processed fine unless there is another underlying medical condition. Again, if you are concerned or if Bruno is showing signs of being ill, I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In my professional opinion, this is a much higher dose than what I would use. I normally do not exceed 60mg daily regardless of the size of the dog just because of the potential side effects such as gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding as well as the undesirable side effects you describe. I recommend you bring up your concerns to the prescribing veterinarian who knows the case well, to taper his dose down slowly. It is important to not discontinue or lower too much this medication acutely as problems can arise with this approach. For now, look for any evidence of gastrointestinal bleeding such as black, tarry stools. If observed, let your veterinarian know right away. Good luck with your boy!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. That is a very high dose of steroids for a dog his size. This dose will suppress his immune system in addition to all of the side effects that you are noticing at home. Steroids will cause panting, increased thirst, urination and hunger. Some dogs will experience skin and coat changes, muscle weakness/ loss and gastrointestinal ulcers in rare cases. Doses this high are only used to treat severe life threatening conditions. I recommend contacting his veterinarian today to discuss his treatment plan. Typically the steroids are tapered once the primary disease is under control. There are other immunosuppressive drugs available that may have less side effects. Perhaps he would do better on a different medication. However, never stop steroids yourself as they need to be carefully tapered down. I hope this information helps!