AboutPatti Expertise To date, I've owned 7 dogs, all of which have lived into old age.
Having cared for them in all stages of life, I feel I can offer sound advice to other pet owners, and people considering getting a dog.
I am knowledgeable about the AKC (American Kennel Club) dog breeds, training and exercise, caring for sick and elderly pets, feeding, as well as many holistic treatments pets can benefit from.
My only request is that you write me using standard English and punctuation.
Experience My life experience in this field is more like "on the job training" rather than an actual degree in animal welfare. You may benefit from my experiences over the past 30 years.
Aside from the dogs I've owned, I'm also involved in "breed rescue" and have fostered several dogs, all of which have been adopted to wonderful "forever homes".
I find helping people who want a dog very rewarding.
Question I have a 5 1/2 yr old spayed female collie who recently had to go on
prednisone (steroids) for 2 weeks because of allergies. She did not
handle the steroids very well and had extreme bladder control problem -
very incontinent. Do you know if steroids can cause permanent incontinent
damage?
Answer Hi Mari,
Problems arise when the pet's need for itch control demands excessive use of prednisone. Prednisone is a hormone, affecting all body symptoms. Side effects of this drug includes excess thirst and urinary incontinence. Your dog's symptoms should go away when the prednisone use stops.
Sometimes prednisone can make it easy for bladder infections to occur, so it would be worth having her checked by your vet for this.
It really depends on your tolerance for the side effects your dog is having. If your pet has an unacceptable side effect, you should consider trying alternative therapy for itchy skin.
There are many alternatives to prednisone; unfortunately, none produce as reliable a response.
Antihistamines - These are far less harmful than prednisone but only 10-30% of dogs will respond to any given antihistamine. Dogs that cannot get by on antihistamines may be able to lower their prednisone "requirement" when using antihistamines together with prednisone. It's worth trying.
Fatty Acid Supplements - These products are NOT the same as to adding oil to the pet's food. Instead, these special fatty acids act as medications, disrupting the production of inflammatory chemicals within the skin. They are often used in conjunction with antihistamines.
Discuss the use of fatty acid supplements and antihistamines with your vet to get the correct therapeutic doses.
Extended use of prednisone can cause some serious problems that you should be aware of. When itching is at it's worst, and prednisone must be used, the dose should be quickly tapered down once the condition is controlled.
Once the itch is controlled, Prednisone should be given every other day so as to allow the dog one day of recovery from the prednisone's hormonal actions.
