# Prednicare Steroids



## Terry Delgado (Aug 19, 2013)

Anyone got any experience of Prednicare Steroids? My 14 year old Australian Terrier was prescribed these for an itchy skin complaint, and got rid of the itchy, but he was drinking and peeing constantly. Vet said that was the side effects.
He has been off them for 15 days now and still peeing like crazy and getting through bowls of water. He is also wetting his bed.

How long do these damn things stay in the dogs system-wish Id never seen them. blood tests were ok no problems, but Vet said could be steroids taking time to clear as hes an older dog !!


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## SixStar (Dec 8, 2009)

My Westie was on them last year but the excessive drinking and urination stopped almost as soon as the tablets did.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Have they tested for a simple UTI?


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## Terry Delgado (Aug 19, 2013)

rona said:


> Have they tested for a simple UTI?


I dont know-I think so. Will check with Vets tomorrow I think.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Terry Delgado said:


> Anyone got any experience of Prednicare Steroids? My 14 year old Australian Terrier was prescribed these for an itchy skin complaint, and got rid of the itchy, but he was drinking and peeing constantly. Vet said that was the side effects.
> He has been off them for 15 days now and still peeing like crazy and getting through bowls of water. He is also wetting his bed.
> 
> How long do these damn things stay in the dogs system-wish Id never seen them. blood tests were ok no problems, but Vet said could be steroids taking time to clear as hes an older dog !!


You can get something called iantrogenic cushings syndrome if they have been on steroids for prolonged periods and have high dose. It should stop with discontinuation of the steroids. This needs to be done in a gradual controlled manner though to make sure the adrenals settle down again into normal pattern.


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## Sarah H (Jan 18, 2014)

My old PRT was on them for quite a while for a few different things, but he only became really hungry, no excess peeing.

I'd check with the vet as maybe he has a UTI as has already been suggested


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## mcparlston (Oct 30, 2012)

My 2 year old BC is currently on steroids for an autoimmune problem. His dose is currently being tapered over a 1 month period. He is drinking and peeing like crazy. So much so we have been getting up at 3 am every morning to take him out as he cannot last the whole night. He has also lost 4 kilos and is down to 16kg, trying to get him to put weight on is proving almost impossible. I have been assured by the vet that as the dose decreases the peeing should subside and the weight should go on. Hope this helps.


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## Terry Delgado (Aug 19, 2013)

Thanks guys for all replies. It would seem that this drug affects different dogs in different ways. My Toby is still drinking loads, but Ive been getting up at 6 am so he can relieve himself and then going back to bed for an hour. Last three nights hes only done small bits of wee in bed, only drops, so at the moment, this seems to work.

Got to see the Vet in six days time for a check up on his slight Thyroid problem, only slight, no worry they say, so will get another blood test done.

I will never give Prednicare again, unless it is absolutely necesary.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Terry Delgado said:


> Thanks guys for all replies. It would seem that this drug affects different dogs in different ways. My Toby is still drinking loads, but Ive been getting up at 6 am so he can relieve himself and then going back to bed for an hour. Last three nights hes only done small bits of wee in bed, only drops, so at the moment, this seems to work.
> 
> Got to see the Vet in six days time for a check up on his slight Thyroid problem, only slight, no worry they say, so will get another blood test done.
> 
> I will never give Prednicare again, unless it is absolutely necesary.


Did he have his thyroid hormone levels checked previously while he was taking steroids? if he did then that's why they could have been slightly lower then they should be. Certain medications including steroids and sulphonomides often cause lower total T4 hormones, and as that is often the only thyroid test most vets run and not a total thyroid profile, ie Total T4 Free T4, The T3s, TSH and often the TGAA too which should be done then that would make it probably more likely still why they may have been suspect low.

At the moment you will only probably be wasting money as likely this close to being on steroids it will still give a skewed result and complicate the interpretation of the tests. Most labs say that ideally they should be off steroids for a month prior to the bloods and test being done at least. Your vet should be aware of it.


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## Middleagedmum (Feb 4, 2014)

I don't have experience of a dog using Prednicare but if it helps, I can tell you about my experience with my beloved Burmese cat. She developed an autoimmune problem at the age of 10 and nearly died. Our vet prescribed Prednicare and she lived a long and happy, heal thy life dying at the age of 18 of kidney failure.
This was not associated with the Prednicare.
I know dog and cat physiology is very different but without doubt this saved my cats life.


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## Terry Delgado (Aug 19, 2013)

Sled dog hotel said:


> Did he have his thyroid hormone levels checked previously while he was taking steroids? if he did then that's why they could have been slightly lower then they should be. Certain medications including steroids and sulphonomides often cause lower total T4 hormones, and as that is often the only thyroid test most vets run and not a total thyroid profile, ie Total T4 Free T4, The T3s, TSH and often the TGAA too which should be done then that would make it probably more likely still why they may have been suspect low.
> 
> At the moment you will only probably be wasting money as likely this close to being on steroids it will still give a skewed result and complicate the interpretation of the tests. Most labs say that ideally they should be off steroids for a month prior to the bloods and test being done at least. Your vet should be aware of it.


Thanks for your interest. His tests were done before he was on steroids, and the vet that did them said it was so slight, he wasent worried. I then changed vet practice, as the appointments were becoming unavailable, due to staff shortage.

He was tested again during steroids, and the new vet prescribed Soloxine, and said everything else was fine, and the test coming up is to make sure the dosage is right.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Terry Delgado said:


> Thanks for your interest. His tests were done before he was on steroids, and the vet that did them said it was so slight, he wasent worried. I then changed vet practice, as the appointments were becoming unavailable, due to staff shortage.
> 
> He was tested again during steroids, and the new vet prescribed Soloxine, and said everything else was fine, and the test coming up is to make sure the dosage is right.


They do normally re-test about 6 weeks after first starting on soloxine, and once the levels are OK they will probably test bout every 6 months or so or that's been what has happened to all mine with Hypo thyroid. Im actually HT myself too and that's the same.

If he was re-tested on steroids then it could well have lowered his total T4 further. It may be an idea to retest after he has been completely off them for a
month to be more sure and get a more accurate reading.

A too high dose of soloxine can send the levels too high and make them hyper thyroid. If that does happen then they tend too drink more and pee a lot more then, and also develop loose motions.


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