My dog takes prednisone and has trouble urinating. Is it a UTI?

Yes this is normal. Most urinary tract "infections" in non-geriatric cats are not caused by bacteria (antibiotics kill bacteria) but inflammation caused by stress. This is called Feline Idiopathic Cystitis. So Prednisone does two things: It takes the inflammation whch in turn takes the pain, and it is also a diuretic which helps flush the bladder. Male cats also seldom have a bacterial cystitis as the urethra is much longer than a female's urethra and therefore bacteria would have to travel much farther to get into the bladder.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding AJ. Increased urination is a common side effect of prednisone. It can take a couple of weeks for the side effects of this medication to wear off. I recommend discussing this with his veterinarian as well as why he is still biting his tail. He may have another component such as a compulsive disorder or pain that is making him bite his tail since it did not fully resolve with the course of steroids. I hope this information helps!

Drinking and urinating more is a common side effect of prednisone. I recommend talking to your vet; they may adjust Arizona’s dose of prednisone if the urinating is really excessive. And they may want to check a urine sample just to make sure there isn’t a UTI; doxycycline is an antibiotic but urinary infections are still possible. Hope this helps!

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.

Typically, Prednisone does not cause the urine to become sweet smelling. I would recommend having Earl's urine tested to see if there are any abnormalities that need to be addressed. High levels of glucose in the urine can give off a sweet odor sometimes. It would be best to have his urine tested so that treatment can be initiated early on before the potential problem becomes worse. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

She should have an x-ray and/or ultrasound of her bladder to look for bladder stones. Dogs with stones tend to have chronic urinary tract infections. If your vet has already ruled out any stones than her urine should be cultured to make sure the right antibiotic is used. She may need to stay on an antibiotic for an exteneded period of time.

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.