For dogs, the disorders or diseases for which the vet may prescribe prednisone drug include allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, kidney diseases, injuries of the spinal cord, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, tumors, ulcers, Addison’s disease and some others.
Though this drug is considered to be a potent corticosteroid, it should be used sparingly in the canines. Heavy use of this drug can lead to harmful side effects. Some of the common sides are mild while some are severe and ill-regulated use can result in adverse health issues and side effects.
- Disproportionate Thirst and Hunger
Administering the prednisone drug causes excessive thirst and even hunger in the canine. Apart from this, it also leads to excessive urination for the dog and undue weight gain for dog.
- Gastrointestinal ailments
It has been medically proven that using prednisone drug in dogs helps to reduce symptoms of some grave ailments, it is also known to result in gastrointestinal ailments like stomach ulcers, vomiting, diarrhea and overall comfort of the gastrointestinal system.
- Canine Diabetes
Using the prednisone drug for a long term also makes the canine’s metabolic system highly unstable and causes several changes in the metabolic system, apart from a heightened risk of suffering from diabetes. Diabetes in the canine will occur when the body cannot produce sufficient insulin or when the dog’s body is unable to absorb the produced insulin. This leads to a buildup of glucose in the dog’s blood stream, and this causes diabetes.
- Eye ailments
Excessive use of prednisone drug in canines can also lead to eye problems like glaucoma, impaired vision and even cataracts. When your pet is on the prednisone drug, make sure that his/her eye sight is checked regularly to avoid any vision complications.
- Muscle Waste and Fatigue
Excessive usage of prednisone drug also causes fatigue and prolonged muscle weakness. If the pet dog exhibits a lethargic attitude after the regular administration of this drug, then it is recommended to contact the vet immediately and ask for consultation.
- Inflammation
Long-term usage of these Pet Medicines also causes inflammation and pain in joints and thus, causes difficulty for the dog to walk properly. This drug is developed to be an immunosuppressant and thus, there is a higher chance that the dog may develop infections on a recurring basis.
- Behavioral Changes
With excessive use of prednisone drug, some sudden changes might also occur in the canine’s behavior. Anxiety, extreme restlessness and even aggression can happen in your pet dog owing to long-term use of this drug. Thus, it becomes essential to keep a track of any subnormal behavior in the pet dog.
- Coat and skin problems
With excessive usage of the prednisone drug, your canine could also suffer from excessive hair loss and skin thinning. Also, the canine’s cut may start losing luster with the excessive usage of this drug. Canines that have been on this drug for a long time are also susceptible to skin infections, which often are difficult to cure.