My dog has IBD. Can I stop his prednisone if he's doing well?

Yes, many dogs with IBS are treated long-term with daily prednisone. We normally try to wean them down to the lowest dose that is still effective at controlling their symptoms to help minimize side effects, but this is a very common treatment strategy for this disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an immune-mediated problem, in which the immune system attacks the cells of the intestines and causes inflammation, thickening, poor absorption of nutrients, etc. Prednisone is a powerful anti-inflammatory drug, and also has immuno-suppressive effects at higher doses. Both of these characteristics are useful in treating IBD.

We are not in a position to change or reduce dosage prescribed by your treating vet and you should contact your vets office to advise. It is likely they will half the frequency every few weeks until he is more stable but this must only be done under direction from your vet

I'm so sorry that you are dealing with this with Cosita. Thank you for including a picture. She is adorable. I am attaching a link below to a handout on IBD. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=598 The end of that handout specifically addresses your concern. The problem with doing steroids is that it decreases the inflammation in the intestines and will likely make Cosita feel better, but if her disease is due to cancer (lymphoma), putting her on prednisone will make it harder to diagnose and treat her cancer later. "Lymphoma is temporarily responsive to prednisone but better responses can be obtained from stronger chemotherapy agents. Exposure to prednisone will make the lymphoma much more difficult to diagnose should biopsies be obtained later. Plus, exposure to prednisone can lead to resistance to other medications. (This is less of a problem for cats, but in dogs even a few days of prednisone can make a lasting remission impossible to achieve.)" There is nothing wrong with starting her on steroids, but you have to understand that it will limit your treatment and diagnostic options in the future if the steroids do not help. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answers your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

The answer to your question really depends on when the injection was given, what type of steroid it was, what dose of steroid was given and what his Prednisone regimen has been, so your vet will need to answer that question. If your vet is already closed for the day, it will likely be safer to skip his Prednisone dose tonight and call them first thing in the morning to discuss when to resume his Prednisone. Some steroid injections only last for 12 hours, but some last for much longer, so you do not want Chester to have too high of a steroid dose tonight. Hopefully you can talk to them tonight to figure out the best thing to do. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

No, I would not recommend doing this. Sidewinder has been on prednisone for quite a long time, and skipping days should not be done. He does have to be weaned off of it slowly, and I would not do this without veterinary supervision. I would try to wrap it in some cheese or peanut butter to get him to eat it. I would also have him seen by a vet as soon as possible. Long term prednisone use can cause GI ulcers, and that could be the cause of his bloody diarrhea. Because he's having bloody diarrhea and not eating, I would take him into an ER vet or find a vet on call to see him now. That vet can advise you on what to do with the prednisone as well (bring the bottle with you to the appointment).

Many dogs with IBS will respond to a food trial or hypoallergenic diet. You may want to discuss prescription diets with your vet. A homecooked diet is also possible, but should be formulated by a veterinary nutritionist to make sure that it is completely balanced. With your veterinarian's approval, you can get a customized recipe from Balance It. https://secure.balanceit.com Here is some information on a food trial - it is most commonly used for dogs with food allergies, but some IBS dogs will respond to the process: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2499 Acupuncture and herbs are also options for holistic care of IBS symptoms in dogs. I would recommend that you find a certified veterinary acupuncturist or a vet that practices holistic veterinary medicine in your area for specific recommendations, since there are so many factors that need to be considered to make an herbal treatment plan.