My dog is on prednisone. Could it be causing their coughing?

Prednisone can cause panting, but it shouldn't change the character of their breathing. (The panting should be the same sound/speed as his normal pant is). If it doesn't seem like he's just panting, get him in to see your vet. If he has other symptoms as well (coughing, labored breathing, vomiting, lethargy, etc) please seek emergency care. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

A blood test may be able to indicate any infections present but the vast majority of cases do have a low grade infection due to the trauma and injury associated with prolonged coughing and do benefit from a course of antibiotics if unwell. I would also recommend a course of prednisone to settle the condition and allow the inflammation and irritation to reduce and natural antiinflammatories may be considered to try to maintain the condition thereafter. The side effects of steroids are generally dose and time related and short courses are of limited risk of side effects compared to the benefits produced

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.

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 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!

I would be concerned that there is still swelling, potentially irritating the trachea or throat if Apollo is also now coughing and the hives haven't resolved after two days of home treatment. If this continues or worsens it would be best to seek veterinary care to have Apollo examined and treated with a strong medication to help stop the allergic reaction, especially if he is having swelling of the face or neck, or is having trouble breathing.

Those are definitely the side-effects; increased appetite and thirst, change in behavior, panting more and weight gain. For more information about the side-effects, I recommend you read the article at the link below. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/steroid-treatment-long-term-effects-in-dogs I assume the nose condition you described was diagnosed as an autoimmune disease (i.e. lupus, pemphigus). The mainstay treatment for this condition is prednisone. However, there are other possible treatments, so it's worth scheduling a recheck appointment with your veterinarian. It's quite common for some owners not to like the side-effects of steroids, so they should understand and be able to suggest other options. I hope that helps and Kenzie gets better soon.