# dosage instructions... am I stupid?



## vipbrj (Apr 13, 2009)

I got a prescription for prednisone for my itchy doggie... the dosage instructions read:

"orally give 1/2 tablet for 5 days, then 2 tablets once a day for 5 days, then 2 tablets every other day"

and I have a total of 15 20mg tablets

am I reading this right???? half a tablet per day for 5 days, then two per day for 5 days, then 2 per day every other day?

I thought you were supposed to ween off... not ween on and then off again???


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## vipbrj (Apr 13, 2009)

p.s. I will call the vet tomorrow but they aren't open right now.


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## vipbrj (Apr 13, 2009)

he is 27 pounds, 40mg of that stuff a day seems really high. I have read its supposed to be 1mg per pound of dog to start out with. I'd venture to give half a pill twice a day for 5 days then ween off........ I don't know, that vet seemed kind of.....scatterbrained.


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## Havanasilks (Jan 17, 2007)

You're not stupid or you wouldn't be asking. :biggrin1: You're concerned and that's a good thing.

Many medicines that are administered to dogs come with their own set of complications and side effects.

Prednisone is one drug that is often used for treating autoimmune diseases in dogs. It is a synthetic, inactive corticosteroid that is chemically converted by the liver into prednisolone, an active steroid. The benefits of using the drug for treating a number of conditions in humans and animals have been established over time. Prednisone has varied and diverse uses. Some examples are as follows:

Treatment of excessive itching 
Alleviation of asthma and other allergies 
Managing emergencies like injuries to the spinal chord 
Controlling rejections during organ transplants 
Treating kidney disorders 
On one hand, the manner in which this drug works allows it to be extremely versatile. It suppresses the immune system; therefore, it can be used to treat auto-immune, inflammatory, and kidney diseases. 

On the other hand, the side effects that prednisone causes are burdensome for the pet owner. The following side effects can present themselves even when the drug is used for a short period of time:

Renal disorders 
Abnormal thirst levels 
Excessive hunger 
Side effects that occur after a considerable period of usage are as follows:

Ulcers in the digestive tract 
Pain and inflammation in pancreas 
Diabetes 
Degeneration of muscles 
Unpredictable change in behaviors 
The most dangerous side effect that can appear while administering prednisone is hyperadrenocorticism in dogs . Also known as Cushing’s disease, this condition is caused by an inadvertent overdose of the drug. 

I suggest you not give any of the Pred yet, call the vet and confirm the dosage. Prednisone is powerful and is not a drug to guess with.

Robin and The Havanasilk Havanese


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## tikaboo (Aug 9, 2008)

*We were thinking along the same lines.....*

We were thinking along the same lines. I have a daughter who is on steroids and the side effects are not nice. I started a new thread about it because so many people have mentioned it lately.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

My boys have been on it too and it's not a drug to mess around with. I'd check with the vet and verify the instructions before using at all. That really doesn't sound right.


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## vipbrj (Apr 13, 2009)

I can't get a hold of the vet yet... I'm just going to give him half a tablet like it "says" and hope that they have vets on staff on saturday =/

my boyfriend (who has worked in a pharmacy and grew up around pharmarices)---said it sounded reasonable to build up the dosage like that. Oh well. I think I am being a protective mommy right now!


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## maryam187 (Jul 18, 2007)

When we give steroids to humans that need immediate care, we can start with a full dose and keep it there for 14 days (not longer) and stop it without weening them off. However, it is always better to increase the dosage gradually and decrease it gradually because otherwise it could shut the adrenal glands down, which normally produce steroids. 
Your brain senses the amount of steroids in the blood and according to that concentration it regulates the amount of adrenal gland stimulation (through ACTH=adrenocorticotropic hormone produced by the pituitary gland in the brain) to increase or decrease steroids released from the adrenal gland. 
When you give a high amount of steroids for a long time, your brain senses the high concentration of it and will shut down the stimulation hormone (ACTH) production for the adrenal glands. 
Now if you suddenly stop the external steroids, your brain doesn't have enough time to start producing the steroid stimulating hormones which will lead to adrenal failure with terrible outcome. I know, it doesn't help you with your dog right now, but I thought it couldn't hurt to understand WHY tapering steroids on and off is so important.


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## eurobichons (Jan 20, 2007)

Why do vets resort so quickly to steroids for an itchy dog?

Baffles me why they dont trust what nature gave us . Try this I am a registered animal health practitioner so I know it works.

Give the dog daily 15ml of fatty acids in the diet they can be anything from salmon oil to osmonds oil. then increase spirulins and fish in the diet, omega 3,6,9 are what stops itching in dogs. Evening primrose will also help, as will a wash in neem oil shampoo and conditioner.

If fish was increased into all dogs diets itching wouldnt exist.

Silver colloid is a natural antibiotic , start by giving this to your doggies and watch as they flourish.


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## vipbrj (Apr 13, 2009)

I gave him half a tablet(so 10mg) for 5 days... and I did not like the side effects so I weened him back off instead of going to 40mg daily for 5 days. He just...acted... different. And he was just so ravenously hungry and thirsty that I couldn't imagine what would happen if I went up to the full dosage. His paws cleared up in the meantime. 

But now he's been off it a while and it's all starting up again....... he has stopped going after his paws (except one, I think maybe a bug bite as there is a lump, I have about 500 mosquito bites as well  ) and has started on his face. the skin around his lower lips is very red and there isn't much hair there anymore. ugh. poor dog 

I changed his diet recently to a Wellness variety that seemed to be totally opposite of what he was having before. Hopefully that will help... he sure seems to like the taste of it!

I also suspect he has an ear infection now--I hope I somehow didn't cause this by giving him prednisone or weening him off of it. I noticed last night that his ears are very pink and hot to the touch, and have a few spots that he has broken the skin from scratching  When we first adopted him he was being treated for an ear infection... so maybe it's another chronic problem. 

I am also a bit afraid of going to the vet because I didn't follow their orders with the prednisone. I imagine doctors don't like it when you do that.............? 

I REALLY hope this is seasonal! I think I am going to be praying for these to be seasonal allergies--- a lot of people here with allergies get a LOT of relief when the temperature hits 100--hopefully Wall-E's allergies will subside then as well.


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## vipbrj (Apr 13, 2009)

p.s. sorry if i sound needy or stupid--I haven't had any other animals or kids so dealing with another being's medical issues is new to me.


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## irnfit (Nov 21, 2006)

Please check with your vet. Those side effects of the pred are so true. I have a very dear friend who had a severe asthma attack and ended up in the hospital for 3 weeks, went home, had a relapse, back in hospital for another 3 weeks. They put her on *very* high doses of pred.

Two weeks after her 2nd hospital stay, she was back in with kidney failure, diabetes and her adrenal gland shut down. She was in the hospital for another month with these symptoms. She is home now, but is being very carefully monitored. So please check with your vet. My vet gives Kodi TemerilP (not sure if that is the correct spelling), which works great.


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## sweater32 (Dec 12, 2008)

My last dog, Rags had extremely sensitive skin, which goes hand and hand with the ear infections. You cannot mistake a dogs ear infection, I could smell Rags walking into a room. He was put on pred several times until it affected his renal. Your furbaby sounds so much like him and it is very frustrating when you do everything you can and your dog is still attacking himself by digging and scratching to the point there is no hair and it is raw. We tried two different dog foods, one was from the vet called I/D for sensitive skin and Science Diet for sensitive found at Pet Smart. This is before I knew about the Raw diets and wishes I did know. You can look up Raw Diet on any search engine and there is a lot of postings in the forum under alternative diet. Many people have said it totally eliminated their pets allergies so I would consider giving it a try. We also had prescription shampoo that helped and kept his hair short. Good luck and by the way! I have 5 children, 10 grands, many dogs in my life and I am still learning and feel helpless at times. When you ask questions it is not out of stupidity, it is because you care and I think your furbaby is lucky to have you. :grouphug:


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## Chasza (Dec 10, 2008)

My severly food allergic girl would bite bleeding sores into her skin from the food allergies. I have had to do TRUE elimination diets (not just switching foods). Also, her ears get red and inflammed with some (but not all) of her food allergies. Many dogs that have one type of allergy will frequently have other allergies - atopical (pollen, dust, etc) or flea bite dermititis. For my girl, being on strict home prepared diets is the only solution to keep things at a minimal level.


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