My dog is lethargic on Prednisone for IBD. Can I reduce his dose?

I definitely agree that prednisone tapering should take much longer but if you have already switched him to Rimadyl you cannot give him the prednisone anymore. if you have not switched him yest you should do a much slower tapering over a period of at least 2 weeks, reducing gradually every 5-7 days.

Prednisone can absolutely cause behavior changes and mood alterations. The side effects are usually at their greatest during the first two to four week of therapy as the body grows accustomed to glucocorticoid drugs. The metronidazole is not likely a cause of any side effects you are currently seeing. If you are consulting with a oncologist regarding Pepe's case, do not hesitate to contact them with any questions involving his therapy. These cases can often be complex and require a lot of special attention to drug interactions. Anyway, if you require further consultation please let me know. Hope this makes sense.

You are correct that these are very common side effects of prednisolone. The good news is, they are normally not dangerous to the dog - just a bit annoying to deal with. Without knowing why Snitch was prescribed this medication, I can't tell you whether or not it would be safe to skip a dose - so I would not recommend making any changes to his prescribed medication schedule until you speak to his regular veterinarian. I would suggest calling his veterinarian to discuss your concerns and ask about possibly modifying his dose when you are able to - until then, it would be best to continue the medication as prescribed.

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Being tired and thirsty can be linked to the prednisone. Prednisone specifically should not be discontinued abruptly and needs to be tapered slowly. The tapering of the prednisone has to be done carefully and calculated based on the weight of the patient. I recommend you check in with your veterinarian who prescribed the prednisone for the tapering schedule for it as they have all the information they need for this. They can also advice on the other medication. Best of luck!

It is not recommended that you change any medications without calling your vet first. It doesn't sound like the symptoms are related to the prednisone but anything is possible. She may have a concurrent infection and need some antibiotics. Please call you vet for advise before changing any doses. I hope this helps. Best wishes to you and Hoops. I hope she gets back to her normal self soon!

Poor Sasha! I would talk to your vet before giving her her next dose. She may just not be able to tolerate that large of a dose at once. Your vet may be able to adjust the dose for her. If she isn't eating or drinking and c mutinies to be lethargic then I would recommend taking her back to your vet for another evaluation to ensure there isn't anything else causing her to be so lethargic. I am sorry you receive bad news and that she is having to go through this. Please know you are in my thoughts and I hope she starts to feel better really soon.