Should I taper my dog off prednisone after only 3 doses for cancer?

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 believe I provided you with the answer to this question before regarding the tapering. Now that I know that he is being treated for MCT, I would recommend speaking to your vet regarding the treatment. Prednisone is not generally considering the gold standard treatment for this condition. If he has not offered you a referral to an oncologist, I would request one if you are looking to pursue any other therapies. One of the best therapies available right now for Mast Cell Tumors is a drug called Palladia. I would love to consult with you concerning Hachi's condition including this drug and a possible tapering schedule if you were not clear on the answer I provided you earlier. Just let me know or one of the other experts here so we can try and find a way to make Hachi more comfortable.

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.

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.

I am sorry your dog is suffering from lymphosarcoma. He will need to take the prednisone for the rest of his life as that slows down the cancer. There is no need to wean him off. You will need to discuss this with your veterinarian.

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!

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center.