Dog lethargic, drinking, urinating on prednisolone. Can I skip dose?

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!

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

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.

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!

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!

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.