Does my dog need to taper off prednisone after a short course for razor burn?

The reason that we cannot give specific instructions regarding a taper of the medication is because none of us specifically prescribed it. So legally, within the confines of a veterinary license, a dosage of medication must be instructed by the doctor who prescribed it, as they have an established "veterinarian-client-patient relationship" with you and Tawny. Without a valid "veterinarian-client-patient relationship," it would technically violate this protocol. I hope you've been able to get a hold of your veterinarian. If not, as a general rule of thumb, its reasonable to continue to cut the daily dose in 1/2 every 3-7 days. (for example, going from twice a day to once a day, then from once a day to every other day, then to every 3 days for a few doses.). Please attempt to reach your veterinarian for specific instructions.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Dozer. I'm sorry he has cancer! Do not suddenly take him off the steroids, you should work with the local vet to taper him off of them if you do not want him to be on them. Give them a call to discuss a schedule to taper them off. I hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. 30mg of prednisone is a high dose for Ozzy. I would suggest to taper it down slower. There are different protocols to do it and decreasing slowly the dose on weekly basis is probably the most frequently used protocol (for example 20mg every other day for a week then 10mg every other day for a week etc). Another benefit of tapering will be better monitoring of potential relapse of strangles. Sometimes once we reduce the dose of steroids, the skin gets worse, so we can up the dose of prednisone quickly. Please, get in touch with your vet to confirm the protocol of tapering down the dose of prednisone. Good luck.

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.

Sorry to hear about the side effects the Prednisone has been having on Hachi. It certainly can be a drug that, while it has its place, can be difficult for animals to handle on a daily basis. Before beginning a taper, I would speak to your vet about the side effects of the drugs. Depending on the purpose of the prednisone, it could be very important to keep Hachi on the drug for a little longer. Another factor that will play into the tapering period is how long Hachi has been on the drug. If he has only been on the drug for less than 5-7 days, a very short taper would be required. However, if he has been on it for any longer than one week, the drug should typically be tapered off over several weeks. At 50mg twice daily, I would start by cutting it to 25mg twice daily for 7-10d, then 25mg once daily for 7-10d, then 12.5mg once daily for 7days, then 12.5mg one daily every other day for 7-10d, then discontinue. However, please consult with your primary vet before pursuing this, as he may have options for you including additional drugs that can help prevent some of the side effects you might be seeing. If you want to talk some more in detail about what is going on, let us know and we can set up a consultation for you regarding Hachi's health.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Steroid use, dosing and the taper needs to be decided upon by a Vet that has examined the pet. We can not prescribe drugs or tell you how to use a drug because we legally are not allowed to. I am sorry. I recommend calling your Vet and asking them since they have a legal relationship with you. Have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry Bruno had hives and other skin irritation. Prednisone can have an effect on the body if given long-term or at high doses; typically, a short course of a steroid can have some short-lived side effects (increase in hunger/urination, eating/drinking more), but tends to be otherwise well-tolerated. While any medication can have an adverse effect (and if you are seeing any concerning signs I would reach out to your regular veterinarian immediately), low doses of appropriately dispensed steroids should be processed fine unless there is another underlying medical condition. Again, if you are concerned or if Bruno is showing signs of being ill, I would have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible.