Is 5mg prednisone every other day safe for my dog long-term?
Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is a great question. Long-term administration of *any* medication will have pros and cons, but in my opinion if the prednisone is keeping Sasha comfortable, she can definitely stay on it long-term. Side effects and concerns associated with prednisone are all dose-dependent, and Sasha's dose of 5mg every other day is an extremely low and safe dose. I would be very comfortable keeping her at this dose long-term, and would not expect any harm to come from it. We have a long list of conditions that are treated with prednisone, and I have many patients who must be on prednisone for life. These patients tend to do great, often on MUCH higher doses than Sasha is receiving. As long as your vet is comfortable with you keeping her on prednisone, go for it! Hope this helps! Feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss Sasha's management in more detail.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025