Withdrawal from Prednisone

    • Puppy

    Withdrawal from Prednisone

    Hi my dog has been on long term medication Prednisone for his ears. My vet now suspects Iatrogenic cushings so is withdrawing the prednisone. my dog has been on this medication for over 5 years and was on half a 5mg tablet daily but this has now been reduced to half 5mg tablet every other day but only for a week. I have read that reducing this medication could send my dog into crisis. Is it too quick to do this in one week??
    • Gold Top Dog

    When the dog has been on it for 5 years?  Yeah, it will likely rebound.  Your vet ***suspects*** Cushings???  Why not TEST for it.  A Bile Acids Test is easy -- you have to fast the dog the night before/morning of, and they draw blood at a couple of times during the day and test it.  You don't want to *treat* Cushings unless it is accurately diagnosed because the treatment is pretty nasty (meds with a lot of side effects).  

    I'm astonished they put the dog on pred for **ears**??  Is this for allergy-induced yeast infections?  Even something cheap like the Blue Power Solution (it's a recipe you make up -- it's boric acid, gentian violet in rubbing alcohol that you massage into the ear/ear canal twice a day for two weeks, and then you use it once a week or every 2 weeks to maintain.  Or even a product like Zymox Ear Drops (it's enzymatic -- the stuff works really well) put in the ears will take care of them without the destruction that pred causes long term.  You get Zymox from the vet.