My dog on heartworm meds: peeing a lot & foul smell. Is it normal?

Both doxycycline and prednisone can cause vomiting and diarrhea. I am not sure of the dose that your dog is on but maybe your vet could adjust the dose so he has less gastrointestinal problems. Feeding the medication with a meal can sometimes help with the gastrointestinal side effects so make sure to give with food. Your vet could also prescribe an anti-vomiting medication, probiotic, and GI protectant which may help, too. At this point, If he is just going to vomit the medication than it doesn't make sense to give it. You should wait and see if your vet can prescribe additional medications to help with the vomiting and diarrhea. If the vomiting and diarrhea has stopped, you could try to give one medication at a time with food and see how he does.

Typically, Prednisone does not cause the urine to become sweet smelling. I would recommend having Earl's urine tested to see if there are any abnormalities that need to be addressed. High levels of glucose in the urine can give off a sweet odor sometimes. It would be best to have his urine tested so that treatment can be initiated early on before the potential problem becomes worse. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Poor Layla! Her vomiting may be caused by the antibiotics, which can cause nausea and in rare cases, constriction of the esophagus. Steroids (prednisone) can cause stomach ulcers and kidney issues in high, chronic doses. Unfortunately, the vomiting and lethargy can be caused by a number of other conditions, which can just be a coincidence, so I recommend having Layla seen as soon as possible to rule out things like intestinal obstructions or torsion.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Cosmo. I'm sorry he has Lyme disease. The most common side effects of doxycycline HYC include vomiting, diarrhea, and a loss of appetite. More serious side effects include liver failure characterized by a yellowing of the skin, as well as seizures, bleeding, behavior changes, trouble swallowing, or an upset stomach when doxycycline has not been just given. Increased thirst is not a side effect of this medication, but some dogs with Lyme disease may develop kidney disease. One of the signs of kidney disease is increased thirst. I would not stop the medication, and I would give his vet a call immediately. It may be best you bring him into the vet immediately. Best of luck.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Zeus. I am concerned about a urinary obstruction by a urinary stone or a urinary tract infection with resultant inflammation/straining/and urge incontinence. If he cannot pass a good stream of urine when urinating you need to have him evaluated immediately to determine what the problem is. If his bladder pressure increases, the bladder to can stretch out and will lose some of it's muscle contraction. The pressure can also back up into the kidneys causing kidney damage and failure. Again if he can't urinate a good stream, is straining a lot, you need to get him evaluated right now to prevent further problems. None of the meds he is on should be causing this. He is neutered so an enlarged prostate isn't possible. Good luck with Zeus. I hope he feels better soon.

Those symptoms can be normal the first day after such an intense treatment with Immiticide and also with Tramadol. The side effects that can be seen with Tramadol are as follows: "Tramadol appears to be well tolerated in dogs. Potentially, it could cause a variety of adverse effects associated with its pharmacologic actions, including: CNS effects (excessive sedation, agitation, anxiety, tremor, dizziness), or GI effects (inappetence, vomiting, constipation to diarrhea)." With that said, I would still opt to get Clementine examined by a vet soon, especially if her gait continues to be affected and if she isn't drinking water and having normal urinations. Her gums should always look pink, and her breathing should be normal (not panting). I hope that your pet Clementine is able to recover well from her rough 1st day of heartworm treatment. Best wishes and take care.

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!