Steroid Question

[MamaAndi]

Some of you know that Bre was really sick last week and going downhill fast. Thanks to some much needed advice by [MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] and my vet's approval, we got her on a twice a day steroid regemin and she has turned around 100%...it's really amazing. What I want to know though is what does long term steroid use in dogs do? Any bad side effects or health complications? My vet wants to follow up with Bre and we haven't discussed yet where we go from here with her. She is currently taking 20mg of prednisone twice a day.

Anybody have a bully on steroids currently or have had a long term doseage? I'd like to know as much as I can before we hit the follow-up and I'm not finding tons of info searching websites. Thanks for any replies everybody!

 

[bullmama]

I know it should only be used for a certain amount of time, hopefully you can ween her off after some time.

 

[2BullyMama]

So glad Bre is doing well.... all I know is that it should not be taken for long periods of time, but am unsure why. I did not like my two on the Pred because it totally wired them ... it was like they were on speed.

 

[bullmama]

Found this, it says it changes the prednizone to prednizole in the liver, so it 'works' the liver so to speak. I remember my vet telling me about that years ago, that it would shorten her life because how the body processes, but I cannot remember exactly what it was since it was back in '02. But that must be it!

There is loads of info on this page about it: http://www.wedgewoodpetrx.com/learn...monographs/prednisone-for-veterinary-use.html

 

[Fontanafox]

Yes I think it affects the liver. My local vet says it can cause secondary problems. I recall him saying Diabetes was one of them. He was very negative about it but I told him it's very hard to watch them itchy but he just tried to sell me on allergy serum shots special made for each bulldog. He said it could take up to two years to see results if there is any improvement at all. I chose not to do the allergy serum shots since his blood allergy test told me what he was allergic to. It's just the grass and weed issue that is difficult to tackle. I imagine with frequent blood tests it could be managed. I'm choosing to only do the prednisone shot when it becomes overwhelming for my Wilson. My other vet in the past had given me tablets and then decreased the dose till he was out. He only would give those prednisone tablets twice in a year for any dog with allergies, but that was his personal opinion on the matter.

 

[Vicaroo1000]

No idea [MENTION=3756]MamaAndi[/MENTION] - but I'm sure glad Bre is feeling better.

A gal I know was on that stuff for asthma. She got so fat, so fast that she got stretch marks even on her FOREARMS. The girl was ravenous.

 

[Meggs19]

We discussed the steroids as a possibility with Tonka's dermatologist but he said this was his last resort option. I have heard that a very low dose given on and off throughout the dog's life wont be too harmful but as a general rule, they seem to cause some issues. I have heard of people having their dogs on steroids on and of during their lives though, and their dogs are older now and doing fine. I think you need to get the dog blood tested often when on steroids to make sure they are doing alright.

Our vet said he didn't recommend the steroids for Tonka. They can cause increased thirst/appetite and therefore, weight gain. They cause a thin/poor hair coat, decrease in muscle mass and pot-belly appearance. The liver can be enlarged and issues can arise. They also tend to get more urinary tract infections, and there can also be changes in the pancreas over the long term which could result in pacreatitis and even death from that potentially. I'm not trying to scare you away from it, as I believe that is probably an extreme side effect from heavy/very long term use but these were all symptoms listed on the handout our dermatologist gave us for Tonka on the topic.

 

[BabyDuke]

we have Duke on very low dose ( he takes 10 mg every other day ) he gets his blood taken every 3 months and thank God to date is very healthy.. his bloodwork is " stellar " just as of last Sat. he will be 5 in Aug he has been on them since he was 2.. we went this route after we exhausted all other options.. hundreds of dollars in food trials, allergy testing, allergy shots, etc... one thing you do have to weigh which was our decision factor is Duke was getting ear infections and swollen paws and scratching his face til it bled so he was on antibitics every other month. our dermatologist told us he would be on antibiotics and be in pain for the rest of his life. it came down to Duke's quality of life so I think you should exhaust all avenues first but it is an option for Bullys with severe cases and gives them the opporuntuity to live a good life . we make sure Duke gets high qaulity food and we excercise him religiously to keep him healthy and his weight down. I am in total agreement that you should try not to but I also think it should be an option rather than having a bully suffer terribly with allergies that just wont budge. We have a friend who had an EB that lived til she was 11 and was on steriods as well. I think each situation has to be taken individually and can not be made as a general rule of thumb. Best of Luck to you !!

 

[BabyDuke]

one more thing your pup is taking 40 mg of pred every day ( Duke takes 1/4 of this every other day .. 10 mg ) IF you were to decide after exhausting all other options I would give the VERY least possible.. We started out at 10 mg per day and I weaned Duke down to every other day.. I have tried every 3 rd day but by the afternoon of the 2nd day he will rip his face open.. hope this makes sense..

 

[gunnyboy]

Sarges vet wont use steriods unless its absolutely necessary.

 

[MamaAndi]

[MENTION=2091]BabyDuke[/MENTION] Bre was started on the prednisone because she was having a terrible time breathing. She would pant even when she was in a freezing cold house with the air cranked way down. She is 7 so this was my vet's solution to alleviate her suffering without putting her down or admitting her to the veterinary hospital. It was really terrible watching her be in such distress all the time.

He hasn't talked about how long we will do the steroids because we haven't had a follow-up yet. I was just wondering for my own information what the side effects of long term steroid use would be. I want to pick up all the knowledge about it that I can before we go back so I can make an informed decision about where we go from here

 

[BabyDuke]

[MENTION=3756]MamaAndi[/MENTION] so sorry I guess I just assumed it was for allergies.. I know so many bully parents struggle with this.. in any case I hope I helped with the side effects question.. Yes there are side effects but I guess with any situation you have to weigh the pros and cons and try things before you make a decision.. I am so sorry she is going through this but if it helps her be comfortable and not be in distress and you wouldn't have to consider putting her down I would also ( just my personal opinion) Again I am so sorry I didn't know her background before I commented. I wish you the best with her!

 

[MamaAndi]

[MENTION=2091]BabyDuke[/MENTION] from what I understand it looks like most bullies do use it for allergy issues. I would assume that steroids anti-inflamatory properties are helping her to breathe easier. Who knows...the breathing could stem from allergies. At this point we really have no idea why she is having the problems that have cropped up. All her bloodwork is normal and all her physical exams haven't shown anything abonormal (other than the blindness starting in one eye but the specialist said it's normal aging ) She was so sluggish and the labored breathing around the clock was terrible. I am starting to see the side effects of the steroids though. She went from lying on the floor half-dead and now she has been digging apart couch cushions and reaching her paws under things looking for food! It's a stark contrast. And she is breathing easy! YAY!

I really do appreciate everyones comments, even if it's warning me of the negative side of the medication. That's exactly what I want and need to know! You guys are the best