Dogs on Prednisone?

[RoxMonster]

Our pup as prescribed Prednisone to help with a contact allergy and excessive itching. While that seems to be dissipating, we've noticed last night and today (she started the pills Sat.) she has seemed much more lethargic than usual. She doesn't want to jump on the bed or couch as much and really just lays around instead of being hyper and active.

We did just call the vet and she's going to have us lower her dose and start weaning her off it sooner. She said it may be the meds causing the fatigue or it may not be. We already had a check-up scheduled for Sat.

So I guess I was just hoping for some piece of mind. Has anyone ever had their dog on Pred and it caused fatigue/lethargy that went away when they went off it? I just am worried it's something else but it started right around the time we started the meds, so I'm really hoping that's it. She doesn't seem like herself at all

[dexteroni]

Quincy was on it once and yes, it made him very lethargic. It also made him super thirsty, so make sure to check her water bowl more often. Both issues went away after he went off the meds, but it took a little while. I would say it was at least a few days after the last dose before he was back to normal.

[RoxMonster]

Yeah we have noticed she has been extra thirsty and were warned by the vet. We've moved both water bowls in the kitchen (she has one upstairs and one in the kitchen) and make sure to take her outside more often. I'm glad to hear it sounds like a normal side effect that should go away as she weans off them. Thanks!

[nomad100]

Our Willow is on Pred and will be for the rest of her life (Addison's diagnosis).

When she was first diagnosed and still on a high dose, she was lethargic, had lots of panting, drank and peed a ton. She was also just not herself,cranky is the word I would use. Didn't want to play, didn't want to lay in her usual spots, just wasn't our silly girl.

Now that she is on a much lower dose, she has returned to normal.

If she is on a high dose, once it is lowered, your pup should be OK. Just make sure you have water available all the time for her to drink until then.

[Deleted]

JH

[Deleted]

Our dog is on a prednisone/allergy pill twice a day. Honestly, she was a mess before and we tried everything for her with no success (food changes, baths, etc.). It has caused her to be very lazy when she was always very active. She will still go for runs and walks, but likes to sleep a lot. This is really the trade off that we've taken because w/out the pills, she is miserable. I can't tell you that she became more active because we have not stopped the pills.

[happyending]

Our pup was put on Prednisone along with an antihistamine at the end of December. He was extremely lethargic and we were worried so we called the vet. They had us take him off of the antihistamine until he's done with the Pred.

He's better but still a lot more detatched than his normal self. Same as with what was said above;, he drinks a ton of water, goes out more and is bucking his normal resting and sleeping spots. His last dose of the Pred is this weekend and I can't wait to have my little guy back to normal.

[RoxMonster]

Yeah she had been on an antihistamine that wasn't helping, so they made us stop that and do the Pred instead. She is currently getting weaned off them (1/2 tab once a day instead of one tab twice a day) and pretty soon we'll go to every other day. I'm looking forward to getting her normal energetic, goofy self back.