My dog has rapid breathing after allergy meds. Should I worry?

While allergic reactions can reoccur it can be very difficult determine what is triggering them. It is very rare for dogs to develop life threatening anaphylactic reactions, and the biggest concern with an allergic reaction is swelling around the throat which does not happen often. If you think Koda is having difficulty breathing you should see a veterinarian, but prednisone can sometimes cause panting.

While it could be an allergic reaction Benadryl can also cause sedation. With Koda's breed, age and heart murmur history it would be safest to have your veterinarian do an exam to make sure he isn't going into congestive heart failure. If that is not an option continue to monitor he breathing rate and effort and I do not recommend giving any more Benadryl as that could be artificially lowering his breathing rate through its sedative effects

Fighting secondary skin infections and allergies is tough. Drugs like prednisone and Apoquel are used to control inflammation. In some cases, we add a drug in an effort to taper prednisone if long term immunosuppression is needed. Ideally, long term immunosuppressives should be avoided but in some cases are needed. You should consider discussing referral to a veterinary dermatologist for intradermal skin testing.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some of the symptoms you mention can certainly come from either the prednisone, or the mometamax. She may be reacting to the additional steroid in the ear medication. Usually this gets better in a day or so, & fortunately, this will be at the time you begin decreasing the oral dose. Continue the oral pred. as prescribed by your veterinarian, but do not put anything else in her ear until you have a chance to talk to your vet. It is always best to be a little cautious when putting anything into the ears. I hope Nancy is feeling better very soon. Take care.

No, it's not normal for a dog to breathe very rapidly. He could have a fever from the kennel cough, and he's trying to cool down. I would put him in a cool and dark room to see if that helps his breathing. If this rapid breathing continues, I would have Brutus seen by a vet.

These signs may be from the prednisolone which is a steroid. It would be better to call your vet to discuss decreasing the dose to reduce the symptoms. Benadryl does not always cause sedation and in some dogs can cause hyperexcitabilty. But, yes you can give all 3 together safely. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello, thank you for your question about Emma. Rapid breathing could be a side effect of the prednisone but could also be a sign of progressive IMHA. I would recommend counting the number of time Emma breaths in a minute; if the rate is >60 breaths a minute this would be concerning. I would also recommend checking the color of her gums/tongue - if they appear pale or blue or have any color other than pink this is also concerning and could be indicative of progression of her IMHA. I would also be concerned if she is experiencing weakness or wobbly gait. These signs could also be a side effect of the prednisone but I would recommend evaluating the above things first to look for any obvious concerns that require immediate veterinary care. Hope this helps, good luck!