Join the forum discussion on this topic!Prednisone is the topic of many conversations here at Tripawds, since lots of our members with cancer, like Ajax, are including it in their cancer regimen.
Prednisone and Dog Cancer Treatment Summary
Prednisone is a serious drug that can have mild to serious side effects. Let’s take a minute to discuss how you can make the most of this therapy without putting your Tripawd at risk.
What is Prednisone?
This steroid drug, usually prescribed in pill form, is used to reduce inflammation, redness and swelling in the body caused by auto-immune disorders, cancers and other diseases affecting the immune system. Prednisone is not a chemotherapy drug, but is used in conjunction with chemotherapy protocols. It treats dog cancers such as mast cell cancer, lymphosarcoma and lymphoma. The dosage will vary depending on the disease being treated.
Prednisone works fast by decreasing the immune system’s response to inflammation and pain. It affects nearly every system in the body and should be used with extreme care. Use only when necessary and rarely for long-term use.
When to Give Your Dog Prednisone
Recently Dr. Demian Dressler, author of the Dog Cancer Survival Guide, stated in this blog post that veterinary overuse of prednisone has given this class of cortisone drugs a bad rap. Many diseases can be better managed with less serious drugs. But some vets are too quick to reach for this fast-fix. Consequently, a significant number of dogs experience prednisone’s serious side effects when they really don’t need to.
Prednisone can cause serious side effects such as poor wound healing, thinning fur and skin and even diabetes or Cushing’s Disease. But Prednisone does provide many benefits, such as managing cancer’s side effects in dogs. However, it should always be used with caution and only under direct veterinary supervision.
To reduce your dog’s risk of experiencing the downside of prednisone, always get a firm diagnosis of the condition you are trying to treat. Ask your vet to give you a definite time-frame for starting and stopping treatment. You’ll also want to use the least potent form possible to alleviate symptoms.
What to Expect with Prednisone and Dog Cancer
Many dogs will experience insatiable thirst and frequent urination while taking prednisone. Your dog will want to drink more water than usual, and in turn, urinate more often. Always give your dog the Prednisone in the morning. Allow as much water as your dog wants, but adjust your schedule so that your dog can eliminate outside. To avoid nighttime indoor accidents, don’t hesitate to remove water a few hours before bedtime.
Your dog may be hungrier than usual. Keep your dog’s weight in check by only feeding healthy, low-cal treats. Green beans and celery are healthy fillers in-between meal times. Baby-proof your house; your dog may eat weird things that he normally wouldn’t.
A rarer but more serious side effect can include stomach ulcers and personality changes. Do not give your dog Predinisone if she is also on an anti-inflammatory medication such as Rimadyl or aspirin. Watch for black tarry stools or vomiting, which can be signs of stomach ulceration. If you notice a severe personality change in your dog, call your vet.
The sooner your dog can complete treatment with prednisone the better. Never, ever change or stop the prednisone dose without consulting your vet first. Doing so may put your dog’s immune system into shock. For dogs battling cancer, your vet may want to keep your dog on a long-term, low dose regimen which usually requires regular monitoring.
Jerry’s Prednisone Story: Share Yours Too
When he was being treated for later stages of his osteosarcoma lung metastasis, Jerry’s oncologist Prescribed prednisone and albuterol, a bronchodilator. The combo could help alleviate lung inflammation. He was coughing so much that his lungs hurt. The Predinsone was supposed to help him feel better. Well, it did and it didn’t. It made him hungry all the time. He also stopped coughing so much. But at the same time, his pawsonality changed so much that he just didn’t seem like the same dog. Jerry didn’t continue on this therapy once we decided that we wanted to live out the last bit of his time on earth without experiencing side effects from drugs.
If you have experience using prednisone as part of your dog’s cancer regimen, please share it in the comments section below. Or chime in this Discussion Forums post. Thanks for sharing your story so that it may help others.
Recommended Reading
Dr. Demian Dressler: Prednisone for Dog Cancer
Veterinary Partner.com: Prednisone / Prednisolone
The Bichon Frise Club of America: Prednisone, the Good and the Bad
Tripawds News Blog: Stop the Presses, I’m Feeling Good Today!
Tripawds News Blog: Saying Goodbye: How We Knew (Part 1)
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my 10 yo female GSD had an FCE at age 5 (which left her with weak hind end) immediatley followed by a long term infection in her genital area that turned out to be a form of lupus (MCLE) with an overinfection of psuedomonas. a few years later she developed a sarcoma on her elbow. she hasnt let any of this get her down, although she recently retired from her search and rescue job. i’m considering long term prenisone for all 3 problems. she’s been on it for lupus flair ups and the tumor shrunk to 1/3 it’s original size. but when the tapering doseage program finished, the tumor grew back and is now almost the size of a tennis ball. i cant find any information on long term doseage for her situation.
Sue, I would definitely talk to a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist before changing anything about her prescription. Good luck!
My dog panda Who is a 12-year-old border collie has just been diagnosed with lymphoma and starts on marcolone tomorrow any special food do we give her an how long do we watch her for when she’s first on them for
Hi Hope. Sorry to hear aboutPanda’s diagnosis. Hopefully the vet team can manage it for a long time with good quality of life. Not sure what to advise about the food so please talk to your vet about that OK? The book “The Dog Cancer Survival Guide” is an excellent resource too.
Our 12 year old Lab has been diagnosed with MCT and has been on macrolone and famotidine for over 3 months . She has the excessive thirst and urination, also increased appetite. Temors in her rear legs are getting worse.
She has wounds that won’t heal. Also has gastric upsets with diarrhea. Incontinence too she is taking stilboestrol every second day
We are wondering if we should discuss with our vet about weaning her off all these drugs as the side effects seem to be outweighing the benefits
Jenny that is definitely something to talk to your vet about, and an oncologist too if you don’t have one already. When the cure is worse than the disease itself it’s time to make some changes. Good luck.
We have a 9 year old mastiff pit bull mix. He was diagnosed with cancer after we noticed he was not eating. The vet put him in 20 mg prednisone along with metrizine as an appetite stimulant. He continues to lose weight. I was told to use the prednisone every other day but notice he seems to feel great when I give it to him and awful on the days I don’t.
Is it ok to give it to him every day?
Please consult your vet with any concerns regarding medication. We do not provide medical advice here. Best wishes!
My 7 year old cavichon Toto has just been diagnosed with lymphoma. Swollen lymph glands on his neck were notice 3 weeks ago. He is so frightened of the vet and shivers and shakes. That’s why I feel I can’t put him through 24 weeks of chemo at 2 hours a time, plus all the other injections and tests he will have to endure. So he took his first prednisone tablet today and I worry I’ve done the right thing. Should I give him a chance with CHOP chemo, or will the weekly visits to the vet freak him out. That’s not quality of life.
Hi Toto and family, welcome. We are sorry for the diagnosis, it’s a tough one. In fact, this cat mom is dealing with the same cancer and treatment questions, what a coincidence! I would talk to your oncologist for help, but first see this Question to Ask Your Veterinary Oncologist for a helpful discussion about which way to go.
So sorry to read about your little guy.Check out Leverdia- ca1….. it’s an at home type of treatment and can be given eith prednisone. It’s new, very new….FDA approved. And best of all its affordable.
Whatever you do I hope it works out for you guys.
My sweet Dottie is 10. Since she has been 6 she was diagnosed with biopsies having ibd. Treatment was 20 mg of prednisone daily, atopica, and RC low fat dog food. The meds and the numerous food trials have not helped her at all. She continues daily with liquid diarrhea, losing weight until she looks like a skeleton. I decided to wean her off of prednisone since she has been on it for years without any improvement. The side effects if the prednisone withdrawal are awful but I need to see if she will do somewhat better off of it. Now she is vomiting with little appetite. I tried so many miracle cures for her but none of them work. I started her on peptamen supplemental feeding. I just want to see how she feels off of prednisone. If I could do this all over again I would have never started her on prednisone.
Crystal, we are sorry to hear about Dottie. We really encourage you to seek out a holistic-minded veterinarian who can try to correct this issue from another angle that maybe hasn’t been tried. Good luck to you both, we send Tripawd Power your way!
Hello! I hope this may help someone. Goose is 11.5 – would have been 12 in august. Today is may 14, he was diagnosed with lymphoma April 20 and immediately put on prednisone. We gave him a special gourmet diet every night and just gave him all the best things. I had to make the call today, and they’re coming tomorrow. One thing I’ve noticed that is helping is cooling his body temp down. He’s been having a horrible time breathing and his lymph nodes around the neck have doubled in size since being diagnosed. I started putting ice packs on him and it seems to have relaxed him enough to sleep – before he was struggling so hard to breath he had to keep standing up and couldn’t get comfortable. It’s not a perfect solution but it really seemed to work for us – in case anyone is experiencing a heavily panting dog while trying to keep them comfortable enough until their final appointment.
Oh you guys, I’m sorry about Goose. My heart goes out to you, and the entire Tripawds Nation is holding you close in our hearts. Thank you for sharing, thank you for giving Goose the kind of life every dog deserves. He was so lucky to have you.
My dog was diagnosed with a spleen tumour in November and they have said they cannot do anything because it has spread to his liver. They put him on metacam first to manage the discomfort but eventually it was strong enough so gave me gabapentin to take along side the metacam again worked for a bit but started to wear off too quickly. He has now been taken off that and been on prednisolone for a week and a half. I don’t quite understand what the benefits of it are. He is okay, he is not as good as he was when the pain killers were working. And the past few days he walks very carefully up and down the stairs. As we get throughout the day he has definitely perked up later in the afternoon and evening. They cannot tell me how long he has left. I am tempted to ask the vets if there is anything else we can give him to make him more comfortable I’m just really struggling to know what the right thing to do is. I wish I knew how it’s going to progress, I know more likely than not I am going to have to make the decision to put him to sleep so he isn’t suffering. I’ve never had to make that decision before and I just scared of knowing when to make that call.
Kayla I’m sorry to hear about your pup. It sounds like they are giving the pred to reduce inflammation and keep him comfortable. YES, ask the vet what else they can do! It will put your mind at ease to know that you are doing everything possible. Your vet wants to hear from you so call them OK? Let them know you are also confused about end of life decisions so they can guide you with that decision as well. You can do this. (((hugs)))
I’m so sorry to hear about your dog baby. I know the pain and sadness you are experiencing as I too am going thru trying to make the best decisions for my fur baby girl as she too has been diagnosed with cancer. All I can tell you is that, after having to make the decision 2 times now, they do let you know when it’s their time. It’s our job to pay close attention and listen them as they do communicate to us. It will be one of the most difficult decisions you will every make… Trust that you will, thru love, make the decision that is best for him. I also want to say that the depth of sadness and loss is very deep and real. Take very good care of yourself as you go thru this process. I wish you peace of heart.
Hi I am going threw the same thing right now I don’t know if I should put her to sleep or wait it out what did you end up doing and what to expect
Margaret we are so sorry to hear that. It’s a good idea to consult with a pet hospice expert at this point so they can analyze your pup’s situation. We wish you both lots of quality time in the coming weeks.
Thank you for this very helpful website. My Boo Boo was diagnosed with lymphoma last week and began the CHOP Protocol the same week.
I couldn’t believe all the comments I read about dogs having no reaction to chemotherapy, as mine was about ready to jump out the window on Saturday night. After analyzing symptoms, I realized that the response was from the prednisone, not the chemo. All the traditional signs like panting, lip smacking, severe thirst, urinating in his sleep for the first time, and obscene stomach cramps. The last time Boo was on a steroid, I asked for Prednisolone to save his liver a step.
If anyone has any website/blogs or if the information is on this one, please let me know: I’m wondering if it’s normal that some nodes aren’t shrinking, whereas others have decreased. Makes me so nervous!
Thank you kindly,
Luzanne Otte
Luzanne you are so welcome. We are sorry to hear about Boo Boo. Since we are not lymphoma experts here, I encourage you to talk to your vet oncologists about the side effects of Pred and what to expect with the CHOP protocol. Best wishes and hugs to you and Boo Boo!
How is your baby doing now? My girl is starting the chop chemo on Tuesday and I started her on Prednisone today. I am a wreck.
Please keep in touch. My 6 year old Collie got diagnosed with lymphoma on the 18th November. I’m heartbroken and don’t know what to do.
My precious Yorkie kept gaining weight….then his belly started bulging and getting hard. I thought it was all a weight problem and kept cutting back on his food and adding more no-salt green beans. Two weeks ago he started having a problem breathing. I took him right to my vet who ran xrays and an ultra sound. They said he had cancer in his chest and spleen and the prognosis was not good. They put him on prednisone, but 7 days later he had deteriorated to the point of not being able to lay down and his respiration was 130 per minute. There was no way he could continue to suffer that much. I had to have him put to sleep (heart breaking) but I wish I had been told how rapid he would deteriorate. His suffering was horrible.
Carol, you have our deepest condolences. Cancer can be so mean, we are so sorry it took your sweet pup from you. Someday, the memories you shared will bring you comfort. For now as you cope with the heartache of saying goodbye, know that your sweet pup is never far from your side in spirit. (((hugs)))
My dog Arnold is having the same problem with breathing not quite 60 breaths per minute. he fainted last week I took him the vet clinic in my small town. I had taken him to the clinic several times because he was limping and I was trying to figure out what was going on. They did chest x-rays and the vet showed me that Arnold had a bunch of white spots on his lungs so the vet put him on prednisone because I told him I didn’t want a lung biopsy because there are no oncologist in the area should I choose chemo. He was on 20 mg of prednisone twice a day and after four days they wanted him to go to a 20 mg once a day treatment. In the evening when I didn’t give him a dose of prednisone he became very agitated and had a lot of gas so I ended up continuing the prednisone 20 mg twice a day. I went to the vet the next morning after one of his bad nights and the vet wanted to switch him to a NSAID called Vetprofen and told me to give him the prednisone today and start giving Vetprofen to him tomorrow. I don’t feel comfortable giving him this after he’s only been less than 24 hours off prednisone. I ordered Arnold a cremation urn and it came today so I may just try and keep him comfortable until Monday and put him to sleep then. Am I doing the right thing by not switching drugs?
I’m so sorry about Arnold’s situation. I’m not a vet but it is my understanding that a standard wash-out period between NSAIDs and Prednisone should be at least 5 days. The doses of Pred Arnold is getting seem quite high. I encourage you to seek help from another vet before making any major decisions. Best wishes to you both. Please feel free to keep us posted in the Tripawds Forums.
My 13 year old American Pitbull was diagnosed with lymphoma.
I did some looking and LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) looked somewhat hopeful and contacted my vet due to Chemo not being an option.
Was told it takes several weeks of dosing to know if it has had any positive results. And that Vets aren’t using this as a treatment at this time.
But our vet went ahead and called a compounding pharmacy to make 5mg doses for him 1x daily along with 20mg 1x day 1x night Prednisone and then after 7 days go to 10mg of Prednisone daily but continue the 5mg LDN dose.
He had very swollen nodes on his neck and then on chest and rear legs the Prednisone has made them smaller but even before he was taking any meds he continued to eat and play. He did throw up once in a while but not continually. I know he was not feeling well but he does well hiding it.
He seems to be holding down his food now still plays and the nodes have shrunk but this is the Prednisone not the LDN.
So I’m hoping for a miracle that between both meds he can be with us longer.
Thanks for sharing your pup’s story Sal. We hope he has many happy days with you!
My 10 year old Pitbull/Rottweiler mix Jazzy was diagnosed with lymphoma and put on steroids. She has since got nasty wounds on the back of her head and on her ears and now while she was laying on her side I noticed that her belly is really bloated has this happened to anyone else? It’s Friday night and my vet is not available till Monday. She otherwise acts as she has been recently. She is eating, drinking and going to the bathroom as normal also not panting or drooling. She looks like she has a big pot belly….
Kerri we hope your dog is doing better today. Please call your vet asap to find out what’s going on, hopefully it’s not serious and totally treatable. Best wishes to you both.
RESENTLY AS OF FRIDAY 6/3/2020 STARTED MY YORKIE ON PREDNISONE SHE A A MASS ON RIGHT SIDE OF NECK . HER REACTION IS STRANGE SHE SLEEPS A LOT SHE DOES THRIST BUT IS HARD FOR HER TO SWALLOW FOOD BUT SHE DOES EAT . I WILL NOT PUT HER THROUGH THIS VERY LONG SHE ONLY WEIGHS 41/2 POUNDS ASN IS 12 YEARS OLD . THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AFER I LOST MY HUSBAND. I HOPE TO KEEP HER LONGER BUT WILL NOT LET HER SUFFER. WE HAVE LOST ONE DOG AND MY SONS DOG AHD CANCER AND NOW MY AIDEN. THIS IS THE LAST STOP AND THE LAST HOPE WE KNOW HOW THIS WILL END.
Our hearts go out to you and your Aiden, we are so sorry Janet. This is never easy and you have been through so much. We are keeping a candle lit in our hearts for your sweet pup and you.
I’m not sure if this site is still active. My beloved golden doodle was just diagnosed with lymphoma which was discovered when she had to have emergency surgery (that thought she had a blockage). We were told that the chemo would only had a few months to her life so we opted not to proceed with chemo. We are starting her on prednisone but am questioning the dosage. Our holistic vet said to start with 20 mg and increase only if needed and our regular vet said to start with 20 mg twice a day for 7 days and then to decrease to 20 mg once a day. I am so confused and am not sure which protocol to follow. Our Fable will be 13 in October and up until a few weeks ago was super healthy, vibrant and active. Upon meeting Fable everyone thought she was a puppy. She is the sweetest dog and we are also doing holistic therapies such as acupuncture, reiki, and herbal supplements. Any help would be greatly appreciated since we are grief stricken.
So sorry to hear about your pup Debbie. Rest assured, the Tripawds community is still very active! Please consider searching the discussion forums or starting a new topic where you will receive much more feedback and support that you will via comments on this old blog post. For help finding the many Tripawds resources and assistane programs, please start here.
My lab has nasal cancer we decided to put her on prednisone she was on 20 mg every day now she’s down to 10mgs every day this has been over a year it’s been awful but she is doing fine giving her probiotics and Tagamet twice a day with her food to keep her from getting an ulcer from the prednisone all I can say is enjoy her for as long as you can let her live each day as normal as you can . I hope I helped you a little .
Thank you for sharing your story, Cheryl. We are so glad your girl is doing well! Thanks for sharing and helping others.
Hello. We have a Chinese female 14 year old pug, from a family of 6 to start with, and she was just diagnosed last month, with lymphoma cancer. Our vet has treated every one of our pugs, up until they each passed away. She put our pug Adgie, on prednisone, as soon as she seen how large her left side had swelled up. She has given her about one and half years to live she believes. That was on a Tuesday morning around lunch time. We started on the prednisone the very next morning, to let the Rimadyl get out of her system, to not cause any ulcers. On Wednesday we started giving her a whole 20 mg tablet in her food, one in the morning, then one at night for 3 days. After the 3 days, the next morning, Saturday, we started giving her half of a tablet, half in the morning, half at night . After doing this for 5 days, she said to check her again to see how she is doing. No knots, no swelling and no side effects from it. She runs around like a pup, not a 15 year old pug. We now give her just a 1/2 a tablet every morning but going to ask the vet about reducing that down to just 1/4 tablet if she will still do well with that low a dosage. when we did drop down to just one tablet a day, she did start to swell some but she hasn’t since and does great. She jumps off furniture instead of using her doggie steps and goes in and out the doggie door to the outside just fine still. We do have her on CBD oils and have since August 2018. It works great on her. Probably why we din’t know she had cancer until the knot and selling got noticed. She has beat cancer twice too, once when she was just a few years old. I will keep all updated as she gets older. But right now, you wouldn’t know she had any health issues except for her limp on her back right leg, from arthritis, but cbd oils helps that too. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your pup’s story, Tammy. We hope you have many more happy memories together!
Could you tell me dosage of CBD oil?
My dog is fighting cancer too
@Pam There is no magic dosage when it comes to CBD. Every dog is different, as are all the products on the market – many of which contain little or no CBD at all. Please consult with your vet and learn more in our various articles and interviews about cannabis for pets. Or, schedule a consultation with the Veterinary Cannabis Institute!
Thank You for sharing. My pomeranian was just diagnosed with cancer yesterday and the vet gave us prednisone I have not stated it yet but this gives me some hope. What essential oils do you use?
My 10 year old Westie cross daschund had all of the sudden gone blind and had been diagnose with brain tumor in Feb this year. Vet says she has to be on prednisone for the rest of her life and no other operations can be done (as the tumor is right between her brain and eyes). Within a week, the side effects took place, such as increased in appetite and frequent urination. But her sight regained. About 1.5 months into prednisone, she started to have pot bellied so I reduced her dosage by half. And now, 3 months into prednisone, she is having muscle loss on all limbs, unable to walk properly and blind again. I am in such dillema as I don’t know if I should continue giving her prednisone or drop completely. Because prednisone is really having very bad side effects on her. But if she stop taking it, her tumor will grow, and we should expect seizures soon. Any idea…?
Best wishes for your pup! Please consult with your veterinarian regarding your best options at this point or consider seeking another professional opinion.
I have a westie also almost 12 years old. Was diagnosed with cancer in her lymph nodes. For almost 5 months she’s been on steroids and just told us to cut in in half. Today I took her for her normal walk and she would not walk anymore I had to carry her home. Wondering if we should go back to the full dose of steroids ?
Glen, it sounds like this is a question for your vet, wish we could help you on that. Good luck, we hope your pup feels better soon.
Our 10 year old Border Collie/Lab mix was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (cancer) after months of thinking she had developed bad arthritis. The vet put her on chemo (Melphalan) and Prednisone and said she would take these meds the rest of her life. She immediately began urinating in the house which she had NEVER done before. After a month of this the vet switched to Mythlprednisilone and she stopped peeing. She is now doing great; is enjoying walks, playing, trips to the dog park, etc. We feel fortunate that we can afford the drugs (found through Diamond Back at 10% of pharmacy cost). Eventually the vet said the chemo will stop working. We are hoping for a couple of good years before then…. I see lots of posts about using prednisone short term which I agree with but for the myeloma there isn’t another choice.
Bonnie, thank you so much for sharing your dog’s story. We had no idea that dogs could even get MM (we know two people who have it). This is very good to know. We hope you get many, many more happy times with your pup! Thanks for being a great advocate for her.
My regular Vet did blood test and it pointed towards multiple myeloma so he put her on 20mg of prednisone twice a day. After 5 days of “ peeing freely” I asked to reduce the dose to one a day, which she still peed a lot. Again I reduced to 10 mg a day, then 10 every other day. At week six was our first oncologist appointment and it was confirmed MM. And during all this we are battling UTI and incontinance, no fun when taking melphanan and toxic! I just got her over the UTI and trying to control the incontinance with Proin. Ugh. But during all this she feels absolutely wonderful for an almost 12 yr old Doberman. This week I went to 5mg every other day. Oncologist appointment in 2 days, see what he thinks of the lower dose but it’s sure made both our home life easier. He had said in 2 months if she’s doing well we could stop the prednisone
Thanks for sharing your story, Sue. We are so glad things are working out for you and your Dobe! Best wishes for many good times ahead!
My dog is 16 years old with severe arthritis in her legs. We tried carprofen without success. She is now on Prednisone and she is able to walk. She has been on 5mg every other day for 6 months. I have her bladder support supplements for leakage. The medicine has prolonged her life. She licks her legs frequently, and has developed sores on her lip and her left hip that have grown. She also gets blood blisters on her tongue. Has anyone else experienced these side effects with their dogs on long term use of Prednisone? I have made an appointment with the vet. I fear I’m facing a hard decision soon, but it’s about the quality of life. She’s still bright eyed and likes to go for short walks.
Started my 11 year old German Shepherd/Collie mix on Prednisone 3 days ago after being diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although this is highly stigmatized, I will say that two doses (AM/PM) of CBD oil has helped with the side effect tremendously. He is not panting and bloated like he was on day 1 without the CBD. Remarkable. I’m a firm believer in natural cures and waiting for my package of supplements to arrive: fish oil, milk thistle and turmeric treats. Going to do my best to keep his immune system supported while on Prednisone. I’m journaling every day to document our journey as it seems there is a lack of information on CBD benefits. We are 3 days in and I’m actually very hopeful. The absolute worst part of this is, unlike people, they can’t tell you what they’re feeling so you become a helicopter Pawrent who is obsessing about watching their every move. Wish us luck and I hope this helps those who are dealing with the unpleasant side effects. ✌
Hi Michelle. Firstly, I hope and pray your dog is doing well. It’s so hard going through these things. I just lost my 15 year old dog, and as if two days ago, my 7 year old is being treated with prednisone for potential brain tumor. I don’t want to do brain surgery ( after speaking with several vets who didn’t do it in their own dogs) so we are in this protocol. It came on so suddenly. He is doing better already but licking a lot. Etc. my question is about CBD oil. Where do you recommend buying it? I’m in Tennessee. I don’t want to go online and buy an inferior product. Thank you in advance. Bless your baby.
Debra
Debra, we are sorry about your senior dog and the ruff time your 7 year old is going through. We hope he continues to do better. Regarding CBD oil: please, please please work with a veterinarian to find a quality product that is right for your dog. There is a LOT of false information and inferior products out there being sold and you can waste a lot of money on them. A good vet who is open to the idea of CBD to treat pain can help you find a good product. Meanwhile please see our article “Realities and Myths About Cannabis Oil for Pet Cancer.“
Hi thanks for reading your answer to cbd oil. My dog who is 12yrs old as the Same symptoms as yours. She is always hungrey panting constantly and is so restless. Could I give her cbd oil along with the steroids.
Please consult your vet with such questions. Best wishes for your pup!
How is your pup. I’m really interested to learn more about your journey
This is a rather old blog post. If you do not hear back, post in the Tripawds Forums for much more feedback and support from others.
I would like more information on CBD oil for dogs. My,almost 10 yr old labradoodle, was recently diagnosed with two types of tick diseases as well as having lymphoma. I took he to her vet because I noticed a large mass on her neck and then within a week, one on her snout. Since starting the tick medication and then being on prednisone for two days, the lumps have disappeared. I am hoping for a miracle. I love my Baylee girl so very much.
Kristy, sorry to hear about your Baylee. Check out our CBD articles and search for a holistic oncologist vet who can help you through this difficult diagnosis. Much love and best wishes to both of you for healthy, good times ahead.
Our almost 8 year old boxer went to the vet for coughing. We came out with a cancer diagnosis in the lungs but it has metastasized from somewhere else and didn’t originate there. They gave her an antibiotic and cough suppressant but said if we weren’t going to do any other treatment to come get prednisone. I called the cancer specialists but don’t have an apt for another two weeks. I’m so sad. I’m not sure if I should go back to our vet and get the prednisone or not?
Michelle, get the oncologist to review his case before starting something like Prednisone, which might not work with what the oncologist recommends. I know two weeks seems like an eternity but that second opinion from a cancer expert often makes a huge difference in the outcome of a cancer diagnosis. Try to call the practice back and let them know your dog is showing signs of lung metastasis (this sounds like osteosarcoma?), and you want him to get help asap with his symptoms. See if they can squeeze you in, it’s worth it. And do join our Discussion Forums where you will find lots of support from others who have been there.
Or have your vet call the oncologist. Sometimes a vet can relay the dire state of the situation enough that they might get you in sooner. Happened with us and our vet called and they had us come in in 2 days. What a relief.
Michelle our 13 year old Lab had a cough along with to funny eyes and no energy. He stopped eating his Dry kibbles so we gave him everything else. After a course of antibiotics which didn’t help we got a chest x-ray which showed a tumor in his lung. We have had him on steroids for 4 months and he was doing great but I think the cancer is growing and he’s not interested in walks at all. We did get 4 good months and I’m so grateful…but now it’s time to say goodbye. He’s eating and drinking…no accidents in house but so weak and sad. Good luck and I think steroids are the way to go. They do drink more which means more trips out.
Nancy, we are sending all our love to you and your pup for some sweet memories during his end of life care. Thank you for taking time to help others during such a difficult time.
Last week I found a lump on my 12 yr old Pekingese by her nipple (size of a raisen). Today she saw her vet and they did a “poke” and looked under the slide..cancer. I was of course crying at this point and did not get the type of cancer/stage or even think to ask, but her vet says at her age/health (she has hip dysplasia and arthritis in her back legs) that it would be better to just let nature take its course. Well she put my dog on 10mg of daily prednisone (my dog weighs 10lbs) to help slow the progression of the cancer as well as help her hip etc. I hope this helps her without all the bad side effects..although I am worried. Hoping for the best
My 8 y/o Mastiff stopped eating last Wednesday. We took him to the vet right away on Thursday. We just got his diagnosed last Friday. Max has Lymphoma. We believe stage 4 or 5. My vet wasn’t exactly clear. However, the ultra sound shows evidence that it has spread to his liver and spleen. To date, Max isn’t eating and he is jaundice. He started prednisone on Saturday (one day after his diagnosis). We
Haven’t seen an increase in appetite which we are desperately hoping for. Does anyone know how long it takes for prednisone to kick in? Or did we just discover his illness too late?
That question is best asked of your vet. We noticed a pretty quick response with Jerry, but of course every dog, and every stage of illness is different.
… try giving you pet Curcumin mixed with coconut oil and also Selenium …. Dr D suggests these and others to control the growth and spread of cancer.
Do you have a certain brand that has Selenium? We use Zilis Ultracell cbd hemp oil and curcumin right now. My dog was on Prednisone but I’ve noticed muscle loss and his face sinking in!! I’m weening him off of it as I feel it’s hurting him more then helping him!! He has grape like cluster tumor and they can’t see if it’s attached to his spleen or liver so they were using the prednisone to hopefully shrink it. Last ultrasound it had shrunk but not enough to tell where it’s attached.
Who is Dr D . New to this forum unfortunately . 14 1/2 year old maltipo with lymphoma. Suggested I do prednisone . Has anyone tried homeopathy?
Hi Frsn. “Dr. D” is Dr. Demian Dressler of the Dog Cancer Survival Guide, it’s an indispensable book when your dog has cancer. Check it out, for lots of info about lymphoma and homeopathy and other remedies. Our community is focused on limb cancers so we don’t have a ton of information about it. I know Dr. D can help!
Hi, my dog was just diagnosed with multi-centric lymphoma yesterday Rapid onset, as 2 weeks ago his lymph nodes showed no marked swelling, as of today they are about the size of walnuts. I am choosing not to do chemo, due to cost and distance to travel for treatments. My Vet put him on 20mg of Prednisolone and said at best 1 – 1 1/2 years extended life, worst cast 6 months. What I’ve been reading is to do a low dose rather than a high dose, so I am a bit confused. Also she stated he’ll need to stay on Pred for the rest of his life.. Any thoughts on all of this would be appreciated. She also did tell me of the side effects I would probably see and would lower the dose if he couldn’t handle it.
My 14 year old Maltese was diagnosed with lymphoma a couple of weeks ago. He had good vitals, and he was started on Oral Chemo, scheduled for every three weeks. His first dose of Chemo was fine. No side effects and he was handling it well. They added (among herbal supplements like Turkey Tail) Prednisone and Dena something for liver. About 24 hours after taking the prednisone, he started drinking like crazy and urinating. His appetite stayed strong, but he experienced extreme lethargy, wobbliness, and dark diarrhea. His gums paled by the third dosage. I took him to hospital and his blood work was not terrible, but they were concerned about his stool. He stayed in hospital for 2 1/2 days getting a stomach drug to help stem possible ulcers. They noticed his lymph nodes were inflamed (they had been going down right after the first chemo) and his spleen is enlarged. I am crushed. I stopped prednisone (vet said a 6 day usage and two days on IV without it – should negate any possible withdrawal effects. I am seeing the oncologist tomorrow…I am not too optimistic.
My 13 yr old boxer has been put on Prednisone for inflammation due to cancer, how long can she continue this? No side effects but thirst & frequent urination.
Best wishes for your pup Debi. When best administered, Prednisone is not intended for long term use. Every dog is different, breed, size, weight, cause for prescription (type of cancer), and stage of disease all need to be considered. Please consult with your vet regarding dosage and duration for your specific dog and search or post in the discussion forums for more feedback from Tripawds members.
Our dog Miles was diagnosed with Lymphoma almost 5 years ago. We did the CHOP protocol and he went into remission for almost 4 years. Amazing. It returned and we did a modified CHOP and he went into remission right away. 7 months later it has returned and we are going to do Prednisone only. He’s 14. The (almost) 5 years we have had with him since diagnosis will not be forgotten. We put the chemo (about 5k) on the credit card and don’t regret it. The prednisone alone this time has returned him to his normal self. We probably have 2-4 weeks however I think it all worked out.
I have a beagle and I took him to board for four days and then I decided to leave him for two weeks along with the shepherd to get some training there eight or nine years old and never been trained the rescue dogs and brought them home and they had some diarrhea the beagle never had a store problems but they both had some diarrhea so I Soum that was from being away and at the border place they’re all up-to-date on their shots and then he started the beagle started having a little bloody diarrhea so so I thought maybe he had an obstruction and he got into something so I just watched him and work with him then I went to get his shots him in the other him in the Shepherd had their shots all of their shots Bordetella and rabies and everything because it was it was due maybe the rabies was over or under do because now the some places will let them go three years and some just one year so they might’ve had a little overdose there but the vet check or the vet check then went to a mobile clinic to save some money at Petsmart nothing was wrong with my dog my beagle have a little lipoma but I’d already had that tissue samples and it was nothing then about a week later I gave next guard and heart guard and you still sore still soft kind a loose he was moving around but after I gave this next guard and heart guard within a day his throat swelled up he started to where he couldn’t breathe and he was falling down I’ve had in the past so I gave them the minute that next guard and heart guard with without enough food on his stomach and he became tired and falling down but he would cover so I thought it was that again but I noticed that within the day or the two days time than his throat was swollen and he was having trouble breathing so I took him to the vet I was thinking maybe it was a lipoma and I need to have one removed they are from his neck so the doctor said he was going to look and check in and just see what it was and I said well you sure it’s not cancer so then he said you do a tissue biopsy and palpate tooth he did a tissue biopsy and he came back and said it looks like it’s live like it’s lymphoma and sent me to the oncologist immediately went got to feed my dog herbal medicines he Chyna did OK he is breathing got a tad bit better so I went to the oncologist and she did another tissue sample and some blood work and said that he didn’t have them Phoma but mostly his blood work came back OK but his liver was a little bit enlarged and some protein in his urine which was typical for having cancer in the body he said it was lymphoma and some other cell but they could Nadena fied it was at least stage III because across the diaphragm It wasn’t in the spleen or metastasis anyplace else both of the vet and the oncologist were saying euthanize euthanize put him to sleep and they wanted me to start chemotherapy but the prognosis was only 80% in for an extended life of maybe two years at the most or $7000 so I said well what about some steroids to reduce the swelling of the throat she agreed so my dogs on steroids now within two days he’s up running around and he’s breathing better now sometimes he’ll start not be able to breeze so well but at least he’s eating better and I can work on getting his immune system in her own herbs in to him I’ve changed his diet I’m not going to give them anymore that crap next guard and heart guard he’s had years and years of vaccines or not give any more vaccines and I’m not going to give him any more of that crap dog food even though I was given him a medium brand times I’m cooking for my dog but I do realize now that I haven’t probably been getting enough vitamins even though I was giving so I’m in a start to try to do a rod diet with some other minerals in it and he doesn’t like yogurt very much I did read pros and cons to human yogurt that maybe they need a dog yogurt because their floor of their intestines different so anyway today is running and playing being naughty again and I’m going to been cooking for him and given him some herbs in his prednisone with some vitamins and some different minerals goldenseal and some others so my other dog is sad when this dog is not playful so it’s nice to see that they’re both playful now I was worried that maybe my dog had a virus sore and I had a bad bacteria but they lump everything into lymph Oma so we don’t know what causes the lymph Oma so I’m going to try everything to at least give them quality of life for the next months or years that he might have they were telling me that maybe at the rate he was going he only had a few days so hopefully with the prednisone you’ll live longer than the 2 to 3 months that they say you might have
Four days ago i received news the lump on my 7 yr old boxer crosses lip is cancer. Devastating. I cry everyday. He is a therapy dog and has helped others now i need to be there for him. The vet has put him on prednisone and cephalexin. It has lessened the swelling a bit but i know it is just prolongong the inevitable. I am ok with that as i have not come to terms yet. He looks at me like he is asking why i am crying. He sleeps a lot now so i know he is battling this disease. He had a rough start in life by being in and returned to the SPCA for 2 yrs of his life. I could not have asked for a better dog. Everyone loves him. He loves everyone. I am hoping he hangs in long enough to be able to go on a couple horse trail rides again.
My Noodles ,golden doodle just dignose. with lamp nodes. we are devastated.he will be seven.a beautiful boy.he isn’t. a guide dog my husband is filled with degeneration. Arthritis, this pooch walks with him and watches. out for him.We has a wonder full veteniarian who treated. Mr Noodles when we got him at two months he had worst case off Gnarls in our state.his son also a vetinarian worked with Noodles and he was save he was a puppy mill dog.our vet retired in July.now we are having the run around game.Noodles was sick with a sore cyst and a cough .anti bionics and cortisone. Pills. two weeks later another dose off anti bionics.New years Day.Noodles was breathing heavy fever found a vetinarian that day .gave new antibiotic. said she would take cyst off and do biopsy. on lamp gland.Wednesday. off that week Noodles was breathing heavy fever 104 I ask how are you putting him under they were angry I was asking questions .I said hey this is our family.took Noodles to a new vetinarian. 104 fever.squeeze some puss from cyst but decided to give a stronger antibiotics. Drew fluids said take few days.twenty four hours came back positive .cancer.I can’t. we can’t stop crying.we were told options., off chemo.financially we don’t have it.we are doing predisone.45mg. a day.his appetite. is good .thirsty. wants to keep going to the park and play in the snow.first couple off days legs were week from.,needle but coming around.at night he panting and hot.I don’t. know if I am being in humane with this predisone.I have seen people on predisone its brutal.our pets can’t tell us .I am sad I am angry.we take care off our pets vaccines heart worm protection. flea and tick prevention.what are these drug company’s doing to our pets.sad.to see my buddy happy one second.stress next from not know what’s going on.the lamp gland on throat went down’but I know this is no fix to this cancer.so angry.
My sweet 14 year old Shih Tzu (who was saved from Hurricane Katrina by a rescue group and immediately fostered by me) was diagnosed via x-ray on 12/26/16 with a large mass at her bronchial tube. The doctor said there was no point in biopsy but immediately started him on prednisone. One week later, the mass has shrunk to what he called a “nodule.” He also diagnosed him with an enlarged heart and water in his lungs. He is on a smaller dose of prednisone, lasix and another prescription (ca’t remember the name right off) and the doctor said he could have 6 “good” months before he may become uncomfortable.
I have a 13 year old chihuahua with pulmonary hypertension and right left leaky valves, diagnosed 3 years ago, only started medication (viagra) 3 months ago so she has beaten the odds for her heart!.
Last Friday she started having seizures, over the weekend she had approximately 8 of them. They said we could go for a ct scan but would have to have anesthetic and may not make it through that with her heart but figure at her age it is a brain tumor. She is on prednisone 3mg a day, phenobarbital and antibiotics in case it was something else. I didn’t think she would see christmas day and our only christmas wish came through and she is 80% back to the way she was before the seizures. I am wondering if I should go to a oncologist now that she is feeling better but I don’t want to put her through anything that would stress her out or cause her more grief to give us more time with her but only make her feel worse
My 11 1/2 yr old Golden Retriever was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma almost 2 1/2 years ago. We opted to go with chemotherapy (CHOP protocol) which he tolerated very well and after the protocol (6 months) he continued in remission for another 6 months before relapsing. We did CHOP a 2nd time and he immediately went into remission for a total of 6 months. Since then we have been alternating different chemo drugs with the current drug being Lomustine. He has been on Prednisone at various times during this journey with no serious side effects. For the past 6 months or so he has had trouble going up stairs but still managed until about 5 days ago when he suddenly could not use his hind end anymore. Without subjecting him to further tests, the Oncologist believes that the Lymphoma has travelled to my baby’s spinal cord, hence the hind end paralysis. Chemotherapy, while very expensive (especially for a larger dog) was a Godsend to us and to our baby. He lived a completely normal life while on the chemo and I totally recommend it if you can afford it. We realize we only have a few days left with him and my heart breaks. He still has an appetite and drinks and pees and poops (although it is getting increasingly difficult to get him in a position to pee with the hind end lameness). Just know that our experience with Prednisone and chemo was great if you are in the unfortunate position of having to decide whether or not to let your dog try it.
My dog Milo was diagnosed with nasal cancer just recently 11/16/16. There’s no cure for it except we had to put him on prednisone. He is eating and is acting normal but at night he is having difficulty breathing. I don’t know how to help him as the tumor is almost blocking his left nostril. The poor thing wakes up because he can’t breath and is panting as well. Is he suffering?
Hi Maggie, we’re so sorry to hear about Milo’s condition. If you’re not already, please work with a veterinary oncologist who can help you treat the symptoms. If you are working with an onco vet, I encourage you to learn about how to determine quality of life in Milo. Every dog is different, but tis blog post is a good place to get started: Quality of Life Scale Tips with Pet Hospice Expert Dr. Alice Villalobos. We send all our best to you both, and hope he has many more great days ahead.
My 8 year old Bullmastiff, Bella, was diagnosed with high grade Lymphoma six weeks ago and is slowly declining. We chose to do Prednisone to help with her quality of life. I noticed after being on Prednisone for four weeks, her muscle mass is deteriorating. I can feel the bones in her spine and the bone on the top of her head -even around the temples. It breaks my heart to pieces knowing I don’t have much time left with her. Some side effects of the Prednisone is heavy panting and fast breathing. It bothers me to see her like this. She doesn’t have much longer with us. It’s a sad sad disease.
Erica and Bella, our hearts go out to you, we know it’s a tough time. Please check with your vet about those side effects, there may be some solutions to deal with the cachexia (muscle mass loss) that will keep her comfy. The Tripawds Nation sends all our love and hugs to you both. May you have much more time together.
My dog, Abel, has lymphoma and after going to the oncologist I decided not to put him through all their suggestions. I’m trying baking soda and will try turmeric. Do you think I should try prednisone? I’m so confused!
Cecilia I’m sorry to hear about Abel and hope he beats the odds. We have never heard of baking soda as a legitimate treatment. Since prednisone isn’t something you want to mess with on your own, and legally cannot, the only one who can answer this question is your veterinarian. Best wishes to you both.
My 10 year old Vizsla was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and if we hadn’t seen the MRI scan we would not have believed it. We were given many options, from surgery to radiation, chemo etc, which in theory would give her another year at the most, while doing nothing would result in maybe another month. Since time is a very relative understanding for any dog, and the fact we did not want to expose her to very invasive treatments at her age, we opted for prednesolone.
Three years later, she is still here. The first week she was given 25mg, then 12,5, and gradually ended up with 5mg a day for the last 2,5 years. Six months ago she had a bad gastroenteritis, and didn’t have her pills for a couple of days, which made the vet decide that maybe she could do without. She was without pills for almost 6 months, but recently her behaviour changed, she became restless, panting, bumping into things etc. She is now back on the prednesolone, but somehow I think it will not have the same effect anymore, so the future looks bleak. However, prednesolone prolonged her life to date, and it has been a good life. Of course side effects were inevitable, too much drinking, eating, although that became much better after a year. She was, at night, not house trained anymore, but newspapers on the floor did the trick. In view of the fact that we said our goodbyes more than 3 years ago, and she is still here, is quite amazing I think, and in my case long live prednesolone.
Joyce I’m so glad you’ve been blessed with so much more time together, that is awesome. I hope the future holds more of the same. You are an amazing parent, thank you for taking time to share.
My dog has asuspected brain tumor.Hes too old for a MRI,hes almost 16.Hes a maltese.So far the Prednisone is not working,he wont eat or walk.Hes only on 2.5mg because of a bad heart.What type of dog is yours considering the dosage?
Robert, we’re sorry to hear your dog is having difficulties. Please let your vet know and don’t adjust the dosage without consulting them first. Doing so can be dangerous. Best wishes to you both.
Joyce,
My 7 year old German Shepherd was recently diagnosed by MRI with meningioma in the cerebellum area. Like you we are not putting her through brain surgery and many many radiation treatment and she is on Prednisone. Your story gives md hope. May I ask what kind of tumor your Vizsla has?
Your baby did well with prednisone. Vet told me it would only extend 2-4 weeks
Our dog presented with a swollen throat and difficulty breathing. A biopsy was taken. A second opinion confirmed cancer cells. We put her on 10mg of prednisone for 10 days and 249mg of vitamin C. The swollen throat and difficulty brrathing disappeared the second day and she is running again with her daughter. This was three months ago and she seems to be back to herself.
We found out today that my sweet pug Zelda has a mass that is between her heart and her trachea (not sure if it cancer). The mass is causing her trach to collapse and she has difficulty breathing. The coughing literally came out of the blue in Monday. She was prescribed prednisone 5mg with a PPI for her stomach. Curious what does the vitamin C do?
They told me that the steroid could possibly shrink the tumor. Did it do that for you pup? My girl is about 15 and not a canidete for surgery.
I know this post is older, but this is exactly what is happening with my 12 year old pup named Pepsi. She went from being an active happy girl one week to a very sick dog the next. She is taking prednisone 60mg daily and a bronchodilator. How is your little one doing? Mine is not a good candidate for surgery either. Her mass is between her trachea and rib wall. Her trachea has collapses, well apparently she was born that way, but it got worse over the years. She so thin right now 🙁 she’s comfortable, but not the same dog. I have to purée all of her food because otherwise she brings it all back up. I cry everyday wishing I could have a few more years with my girl.
Kathy, I’m so glad that your dog is doing well. Here’s to more good times ahead!
Hi my beautiful cow print boxer cross has recently been diagnosed with Lymphosarcoma it has spread to his lymph nodes all over his body, he has lost about 10 kilos in a month and looks emaciated for a big Dane size dog of 19 years:( vet has put him on steroids and explained side effects of drinking more eating more, in his case he picked hand fed roast chicken lol smart dog:) now he has to take 30mgms prednisone twice a day that’s 60mgms a day!!!quite an amt but he is Great Dane size reduced to an emaciated 28kgms at present, yes he is eating but minimally and only hand fed(the little sweetie) he is panting more weaker in his hind legs constantly and endlessly walking till he falls over in exhaustion not on his comply bean bag but on the cool hard ground makes my heart break to see him so uncomfortable he has never been to vet except for initial puppy vaccines:)my vet says ten days for meds to take effect and to watch if no improvement then euthanasia not dealing with my grief very well it seems a terrible aggressive cancer and apart from eating I can’t see improvement on steroids??? He is away till next week but today I’m gonna ring and ask to reduce the dose to 15 mins twice a day:(:(:(
I’m in same position.our beautiful cross-breed has been diagnosed with lymphoma.they have said we have 1-3 months left.I am struggling with grief
My 12.5 year old female lab mix Zoey was diagnosed with an anal gland tumor in early April/late March. Early May she became very weak, disinterested in walks and eating, and lost 13 pounds (from 79 to 66). I took her in thinking this was the end, but her vet offered to try Prednisone (20mg twice a day) to stimulate her appetite. He also thought it would help reduce swelling around the tumor and where her lymph nodes are swollen. I am combining that with Tramadol (100mg twice daily) for pain. Anyway, the panting/drinking water are a definite side effect, but she did gain back the weight she lost and seemed like a happy dog again. But now she’s been on Prednisone 2.5 months and is again becoming very weak and is now having a hard time getting up and using her back legs. The medicine may have made her feel better, but at the same time it is making her weak and lethargic and I feel she is losing her quality of life. She lives for her walks and treats and she’s no longer interested in either. I’m wondering if it’s worth trying to taper back the Prednisone or not. It’s really hard to make this tough decision as Zoey is our family’s first fur baby.
My 9 year old Lab mix, Sadie, had a lump removed in her cheek a month ago and now she has a softball size lump on her neck. Since we didn’t send the lump out to be tested, the vet is simply calling it a generic malignant tumor. She was put on a taper dose of Prednisone and Cephalexin. He gave me the ok to try Artemix and some other vitamins as we have decided not to go the Chemo/Radiation route. I’m having a hard time finding information on giving her the Artemix while she’s on the steroids and antibiotics. Does anyone know where I might find this type of info?
Best wishes for Sadie. Please consider searching all blogs and searching/posting in the discussion forums where you will likely get much more feedback than you will on this old post.
My dog Ned, dog of my heart, has lymphoma. He isn’t on prednisone yet, as we’re waiting until he starts feeling worse. He’s not bad now, slowing a little, more tired. It was in his spleen by the time we caught it. One lump on is neck was all he had. What makes me so sad is he started getting these warty things on his back, but there was only one at first. I had his teeth cleaned last year and they removed it while he was under. Immediately he grew more. I just learned these things are signs of lymphoma. If my vet had known that we might have caught this in time to treat. Now I will lose him and it is unthinkable. I don’t know who I am without him. He’s an 11 year old lhasapoo. I found him in the street on a cold October night 10 years ago. Ned is everything to me.
The grief is unbelievable I dont mean to sound crass but this is worse than when I lost my Mother. Jasper a tri colored Basset Hound dog of my heart and the closest thing I will ever get to having a child has lymphoma. It started Saturday night I felt a lump in his throat and went to the vet Monday to have needle biopsy and on Wednesday the tests came back. After reading and research I found a trial at Cornell University on Selinexor which puts lymphoma into remission but you need a trial to get it. We are going to the oncologist tomorrow to talk about treatment but my normal vet says chemo is not a good idea as Jasper has pancreatitis so I don’t know what we’re going to do, I found myself crying in church this morning begging God but then as I was leaving a husband and wife walked out and the woman was sick the of old grey paste with almost no hair and I’m crying over my puppy. But I love Jasper forever and I never knew I could love like this. Hang in I more than understand where your coming from and I am so sorry you are going through this too.
Jennifer
My Tucker, love of my life, my heart, my everything, has a chemodectoma (a very rare tumor on his aorta).
I suggest saving your money and NOT seeing an oncologist, which I realize that you may have done 2 days ago.
I have researched endlessly since February 25, 2015 about canine cancer. During that time I have spoken to an oncologist who basically said there was nothing that could be done for Tucker so I thanked her for not having me pay for an appointment. I only want to go ‘holistic’ for Tucker, especially since meeting someone via Tucker’s facebook page who did use chemo, got results and then lost her baby due to side effects and the tumor that had been reduced by half came back. Her baby was about the same age and size as Tucker but passed with a tumor 1/2 the size of Tucker’s (after having grown back) last October. My Tucker is still feeling great and playing and her baby is gone. I can’t help but think it is the fault of chemo.
My girl has been on prednisone for nine years for allergies, she just had mast cell cancer removed, they couldn’t get it all. Been nine months and she is doing well. No treatment, still on prednisone. I take her to cancer center every three months for sonogram, hope this helps. God bless all who are going thru so much heartache
For mast cell, have you tried bloodroot? Do you have a holistic practitioner that you could go to ?
Hi I have a dog with mast cell tumor. Can you say more about the bloodroot.
Hi Cory. Please search the forums or start a new topic there where you will find much more help and feedback than in comments here. You can also search all Tripawds Blogs.
Hi Lisa,my heart goes out to you.I just lost my Biggirl march 29th 2016. I cry everyday wishing she were here & asking God why.It just breaks my heart.She has RA which is Arthirist a crippling disease where she couldn’t walk.She had that from November 13th,2013 then she got sick again.I took her to the Vet & she had pinworms & I didn’t even know it.
He gave her 2 worm pill then 2 days later.She died. i Cried & I cried & still haven’t gotten over her.I just want you to know my heart breaks for you.I know you love your dog.Try some of these dog organizations on the internet.I seen some & they help people who’s dogs have cancer. It’s worth a try.Sorry about all your bad luck.God Bless You & your dog.
My baby, my heart, the only thing I left, my wolf Grimmy. He has been with us for over 11 yrs n about a month ago we noticed him being really sleepy, he couldn’t keep his eyes open n he was breathing a lot harder, he just wasn’t his happy playful self. So we rushed him to the vet the very next day n they diagnosed him with lymphoma. That crushed me n broke my heart, a day doesn’t go by without tears n my heart breaking. I had noticed the lumps in his throat months ago when we took him to the vet for his continuous ear n skin problems, he was seen by 3 different vets n they all said it might b his thyroid, but he was fine n when we could afford the blood work than they’d put him on something, but not to worry. I can’t believe he had it that long n I made sure to bring it to their attention every time n still nothing, I am so upset. He is finally starting chemo on Monday n will have to b on prednisone again, he was on it for his skin problem n he didn’t do so well. He was 20 lbs over weight n had lost 13 but on the medication he gained 8 lbs back in two weeks. He just wouldn’t stop eating, back into the trash cans, everything n no one told us about the side affects until I called n asked. He has been losing weight again but now he starts the medication this week, cause the lumps in his throat r starting to interfere with his breathing n swallowing n the vet said a couple of days early won’t interfere with the chemo. What can I do to help him thru this hard time, with the over eating, the chemo, everything he will b going thru. What can I feed him, what kind of snacks, what should he b taking while on the chemo, vitamins, supplements? Also, does anyone know of any help we can get to help pay for his chemo? I still don’t know how we r going to afford this n he has already lost a month of treatment. I’ve tired most of the sites on the internet but no one is taking any application, none! My car broke down n now I have to find one cause I can’t find work or get my baby to the vet cause he can no longer jumo into my boyfriends big truck, he also tore his CCL 3yrs ago n had surgery to replace that, my poor baby, I was going to use that money for the chemo treatments n I lost my job n can’t find one without a car cause of where we live. I’m just so unsure about everything, I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing for him, I luv him so much n he has given us so much, I just want him to feel better again n b happy. This is just tearing me apart n I don’t seem to have anywhere to turn. What if we can’t afford the treatment? Then what? I just can’t watch him die n do nothing. Please any help would b totally appreciated. Thnx u for everyone’s time.
Lisa I’m really, really sorry to hear about your pup and your situation. You are doing all you can for him. Remember, he doesn’t want you to be stressed over vet bills and paying for them, he just wants you to be happy and that’s the best medicine there is. If you aren’t confident with your current vet, then find one you can trust. If they are not oncologists you may want to find one can better manage his illness. Kudos to you for helping him lose the weight. It’s hard when you’re giving them Pred, your vet should have told you about the side effects. Again, seek help from an oncologist and remember, a great quality of life is worth its weight in gold. Sending lots of hugs to you both.
Hi, my gorgeous fox red Labrador Milo has been diagnosed with Lymphoma last week. He is on steroids and actually seems himself again. I’m just wondering if anyone else has had a dog that has been diagnosed with cancer at such a young age (he’s only 6) I’m absolutely devastated and dread the day we have to put him to sleep. Also I want to be there when he’s put to sleep but I don’t know if I will be able to handle it 🙁
So sorry to hear about Milo. Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for younger dogs to get diagnosed with all types of cancers. Lymphoma is pretty manageable though, and as long as you are working with a great vet team there’s no reason why he can’t continue to have a great quality of life. Try not to focus too far into the future because Milo sure isn’t, all he wants is for you to be here now. Be More Dog as we like to say! Best wishes to you both!
Jerry I can’t reply to your comment you made for me for some reason but thank you so much for your reply. It’s amazing how a complete stranger can make you feel so much better. I will certainly take your advice seriously and live for now and make the most of the time we have with him. Thank you again ❤️
I hate to see your pain through your typing but I can completely relate. Instead of the cost of chemo, there are a few inexpensive things that you might could do for your guy and also there are foundations where you can ask for help with medical costs–or take out a credit card as I did–I cant afford it but Tucker is my everything and so I don’t care. read about diatomaceous earth. Try to feed only wet dog food with one ingredient and treats with one ingredient. feed ‘unusual meats’ (rabbit, bison, venison, etc). find a holistic vet. offer only filtered water or high Ph water. pray and love and take endless pictures! in everything I do I check myself to be sure that I am taking advantage of all of the time I have with Tucker. hobbies and other stuff can wait!
My 13 yr old terrier Pierre has mast cells and now lymphoma. I took him to a holistic vet a few months ago and he is on Chinese herbs and homeopathic drops. Also liposomic Vitamin C and green algae. For his diarreah I give him slippery elm bark with every meal. When his breathing started to get laboured 2 weeks ago I started him on Prednisone. He is doing OK, tumours size down by 50% but still losing weight. I feed him mainly muscle meats lightly cooked and mix it with canned pumpkin as its about the only veg he’ll eat. I made some pumpkin peanut butter treats with eggs, he likes those. As well if he asks for somethin more I chew up raw sunflower seeds and give him a couple of tablespoons right out of my mouth. It seems to satisfy him. Also organic chicken livers lightly pan fried. I stuff his pills In that so he’ll eat them. Have had to make some pumpkin goat cheese hors doevres to hide the supplements he won’t take otherwise. I know his end is near but I want to make him as comfy as I know how. He has given me so much.
Our Beagle has lymphoma. She is on prilosec and prednisone and some Chinese herbs. She doesn’t have much time left. The prednisone causes some side effects like heavy panting, and I reduced the dose from 20 mg to 10 today to see how she seems to feel. She is not panting. I am waiting for the dr to confirm that 10 mg is okay because you cant just stop prednisone you have to taper. If the dr insists on 20 mg, I will give her 10 mg later on today.
I’m so sorry you and your pup are dealing with his Deana. We hope the pred helps and she has a long happy life ahead of her.
The vets recently checked our dog over as we found a lump that had developed quite quickly, they said just by feeling it that it was cancer & that he wouldn’t have long left. We brought him back to pts at home with any show of decline & they did not give him any medication but over 2 weeks on he is still the same dog (thankfully) running, barking, toileting / eating/ drinking normally. We are enjoying every moment but I wonder should he be taking anything in the meantime?
Dani, please please please go see another veterinarian who is more forward-thinking and willing to aspirate the lump. We are not vets but it’s our understanding after talking with cancer experts that a lump cannot be diagnosed just by feeling or looking at it. See Dr. Sue Ettinger’s project, “See Something Do Something.” Hopefully the lump is nothing and your dog will continue enjoying many happy times with you.
there are so many natural treatments. also, I 100% believe that the right food and water and ‘program’ can cure the lumps and bumps that pets seem to get alllll the time now! it may not have to be the end. Vets easily dismiss ‘us’ and it makes me so mad!
I have written in response to a few other posts above if anything that I wrote there may help you all.
I guess the shortest suggestion that I can say is to read Pets at Risk by Plechner.
blessing to you!
My Chiweenie, Shadow was diagnosed with Lymphoma December 9th and does not have the more aggressive type T form. He was started on Prednisone 1.5 ml every 12 hours and his lymph nodes shrank but only for about a week. He was also started on antibiotics at the same time. The only symptoms he has are swollen lymph nodes, intermittent fever and a slow progression of muscle loss and therefore weakness. When the Vet ran out of liquid Prednisone,a he had to have pills desolved and they made him vomit. When back on liquid the vomiting stopped. He no longer can jump on or off the bed. He recently could no longer jump on the couch so I put a dog bed mattress in front of it and he uses it as as boost. He no longer hikes his leg when urinating because weakness is causing loss of balance. He initiates play every day. Takes daily walks and pretty much lives his normal routine and life. Until this week, the Prednisone made him randy and he was often trying to mate with my spayed Heeler. Lol I know the time is getting near when I will have my Vet help him reach eternal rest and. I am grateful for the two good months the meds bought us and any more additional time we might have. My wonderful Vet says I will know when it is time. Shadow will refuse one day to eat permanently no matter what I prepare for him. He may become reclusive and move around less, even for water. He may or may not suffer seizures or breathing difficulties and if he does, it will immediately be time. I will not have him suffer or just exist. Then it will be time and because he has been my loyal and gentle, funny friend, I will not hesitate. I will miss him horribly but have been trying to prepare myself. Blessings to all who take this difficult journey and to their beloved canine companions.
Carol
Carol, our hearts go out to you, we are sorry to hear about Shadow’s diagnosis. He is so lucky to have such a loving parent like you. This is the hardest part of the journey but when we put their needs ahead of ours it’s all they ever want. You’re doing a great job helping him transition. Hugs to you both.
Is prednisone an acceptable treatment for a return of osteosarcoma where treatment options are limited? Our pet already had one front leg removed due to osteosarcoma two years ago and we just learned the cancer is back in her other front leg?
Peter, I’m sorry to hear about the recurrence. Pred is usually given when lung metastasis happens and breathing becomes difficult, but all cases are different and it’s not always the best solution. Your vet will be able to tell you the best course of action but if you are not happy, get another opinion to put your mind at ease. Please let us know how we can help, join us in the Forums OK?
Joanne.
What type of antibiotic is your dog on with the prednisone ?
Lesley, consider searching and posting in the forums if you get no feedback here on this blog post.
How long does it take to get Prednisone out of your dogs system
Great question Stacey. Please consult with your vet, as every dog is different. It depends on so many factors—size of dog, breed, length of time on the medication, and more.
My 10yr old lab cross was diagnosed with lymphoma,cancer in liver, spleen and finally in his blood . He is on antibiotics as he was septic before they diagnosed the cancer . He was completely off his legs and I thought we were going to have to put him to sleep then they did tests and found he had infection caused by the cancer . He is still on antibiotics and also prednidale steroid and he’s like his old self again …running, swimming , chasing rabbits you name it . All I can say is he’s got a dogs life again , how long it will last I don’t know but I’m cherrishing every moment I have with him .
Joanne, we hope you and your pup get lots more time loving life together. Hugs to you both. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Joanne,
I’d like to talk to you more about your dog. Are you still on this site?
Thank you,
Tina
I have a 9 year old pit he had acl surgery on his leg after that he got sick wouldn’t eat so took him back to vet his glucose was dangerously low they waited a week an a half to make sure it wasn’t the meds he was on from his surgery well it didn’t get better so they done blood work and his insulin is suppose to b 5 and it was 125 so they tell me he has a tumor on his pancreas and started him on prednisone 3 days ado 20 MG um waiting to get him in for ct scan to make sure that’s what it is he does drink a lot and urinate a lot his appetite has went up some but won’t eat dog food but he lays around all the time
I was babysitting my friends 8 lb yorke. Mikee was 14 years old. He came to my house last week with eye infection. The VET gave him steriod shot and 2 preninsone 5 mg 2 xs a day and eye drops. 4 days ago mikee threw up in the middle of the night. I called my friend Wednesday morning and told her Mikee was sick. I offered to take Mikee to the vet. Her son was back from Florida so decided to wait to see how he feels and her son take Mikee to vet thursday morning. When I woke up to check on Mikee thursday at 5 am, Mikee passed away. There was blood around mike that he coughed up. My heart breaks now. The Vet said to my friend Prenidsone never kills a dog. He said Mikee was old.
My friend feels bad that i was in this situation. I feel so bad this dog was in pain. I am trying to wrap my head around this. I am very sad.
Erin, our deepest condolences go out to you and your friend, we are so sorry about Mikee. May you find peace knowing that he is no longer in pain and guiding you and your friend with his spirit, every day. I’m so sorry.
Thank You Jerry. My heart breaks for her family and for mikee loss. Glad he is not in pain anymore. I am sad for this situation. I do not understand how he can be healthy coming to my house to dying.
my 10 year old boxer has hemangiosarcoma. It started in the spleen > we had spleen removed 5/20/15 > she did great for a month > spread to her liver & omentum > put on prednisone 7/25/15 20mg per day. She is so weak now that she can not get up most of the time. When she can get out to bathroom she falls over & I have to pick her up and carry her inside (which I will happily do any time she needs). She is now very skinny everywhere except her belly. Her belly is so gigantic it looks like she is carrying a litter of 20 puppies- I’m not even kidding. Could just 20mg per day do this to a 60 pound dog? I don’t know if taking her off the pred so she can at least walk, but will have symptoms of the hemangiosarcoma, is the best thing for the rest of her short time left. This is so hard to know what’s best to do for her. Any experience with this?
Best wishes for your pup RC! As we are not veterinary experts and have never dealt directly with hemangio, we suggest you consult your vet with such concerns. Perhaps others may offer better feedback. Please consider posting in the forums to reach more members.
My 9 year old husky had a tumor removed from his lip about 6 months ago which ended up cancerous. Took him to the hey today bc he’s losing weight, not eating much, some blood in drinking water and has a hard time breathing. His blood work came back problems with blood cells and he had Xrays and while doing them he almost stopped breathing so they had to stop. The rays showed a huge mass in his throat and about 10 more in his chest. He would never make it through another surgery. He was put on prednisone and pain meds. We are pretty much making him comfortable and it’s the saddest thing we are going through right now. He’s my baby and I’m extremely heartbroken.
Tiffany I’m so sorry to hear that. Have you seen this ongoing forum discussion about coping with lung metastasis?
Please consider joining our “Coping with Loss” forum and sharing your story, we are here for you. Give your husky a smooch from us.
I have not seen that forum and I will look into your other forums. Thank you very much.
Oh sorry and she is p n predizone for 4 months
Tyna, hopefully it’s nothing serious but that is definitely something to see your vet about asap. Please make an appointment and let us know what they say.
Hi Jerry we had been seeing a vet all along…but they knew nothing and couldn’t figure it out Aug 28th 7am she was having a hard time breathing legs were huge exspecially back and at 8 am had a sezier…I’ve never exsperienced any of this at all….and I KILLED me….10am waiting at the vets in my jeep she couldn’t walk so we just stayed in my jeep vet came out checked her out and told me she was suffering now…..12 noon she went to sleep on my lap in my jeep her head went heavy and I hung on to her hugging her screaming at the top of my lungs
She was all I had my friends my family my EVERYTHING she was five yrs old.
I can’t get out of bed I can’t stop crying….
I’m alone and I miss her so much I can’t get that last picture outta my head of her panting so hard then just dropped her head on my lap with silence….my heart is broken.
I need help to get my dogs leg swelling down her back legs…..
Tyna my heart goes out to you I am really, really sorry. Please know that you did right by your girl, you helped end her suffering and now she is free and young and a puppy again, loving you with her spirit that will never, ever fade. I know it’s a hard thing to cope with. Please come introduce yourself in our Discussion Forums < href="https://tripawds.com/forums/coping-with-loss/">Coping with Loss topic so we can help OK? Lean on this community and you can get through this. My heart goes out to you.
My 11 yr old german shepherd has just been diagnosed with lymphoma. .25th May I took her for a walk and she kept sitting down and was limping on the back end so when we got back from hols I took her to the vet as I thought she may have hurt her paw or leg when jumping out the back of our landrover! I had her x rated on Friday to see if any damage showed up and that’s when they found the glands enlarged..Sent away and found out yesterday 9th that it’s cancer! Took her back to vets this morning to get a biopsy done on one of the glands but he said she was too weak to have op and may not come round so he started her on treatment..A steroid injection. .not sure if same as this topic as didn’t ask what it was called…im sat by the boot of my car now hoping she will perk up enough to get out. How long does steroids take to show effect?? She has perked up but still won’t get out of boot!
Lisa, we’re sorry to hear about your GSD and hope that the treatment will make her feel better quickly. This is a great question for your vet. Most times steroids should kick in within a day or two as far as I know but again I’m not a vet so please ask them what you can expect. If you’re not happy with recovery, seek a second opinion asap from a baord-certified oncologist. Best wishes to you both.
Our black lab Jackson is 14 years old. Has always been healthy. But last week became very ill. Took him to the vet, they did blood work, which showed a problem with the white blood cells, otherwise ok, xrays showed a huge tumor attached to the spleen, then an ultrasound showed another tumor behind the spleen but they were unable to determine what it was attached too. Doctor put him on two a-day prednisone. He seemed to get better. Yet he is drinking huge amounts of water and his ability to hold his bladder has failed two times this week. His appetite is fine. He is panting some, his behavior has changed some, but he still points for his bones and wags his tail. The doctor took him off his pain meds for arthritis since she said it would enlarge the spleen. Please advise.
Hi Cindy, sorry to hear about Jackson. Please post in the forums for much more feedback from members if you receive no helpful replies here.
We are experiencing the same thing! She was diagnosed 6 days ago and is taking predinosone for cancer side effects. Unfortunately, she has been having many incontinence issues in the house and has been keeping me up most nights. Its so hard to keep her on the medicine but I know we are buying her time with us! Prayers and thoughts to everyone experiencing this, it is so sad.
We had one more week with our Tess. She got a lump half way down her neck, the left side of her stomach was twice the size of the right, and she started bleeding from her mouth, refusing food. She’s resting between the lilacs in our yard and will never be forgotten as long as I live.
Ruth, our hearts and condolences go out to you, we are so sorry. May Tess’ spirit stay strong and guide you in your earthly journey. Some day you will meet again. {{{hugs}}}}
My husky cross German Shepard is on prednisone and pain pills. He was diagnosed with lymphoma last week. He has been sick for awhile now though, and the first vet did not know what it was. The 2nd vet confirmed Lymphnoma. I’m trying to decide when is it time to let him go. He is eating like a champ and drinking heaps also. Today was the 1st day I saw him have diareah. Not sure what to do now. He is happy, still barks his head off at things that annoy him. When do u know it’s time?
Mya, I’m sorry to hear about your pup. We have really good information about quality of life you might want to check out here. Please call your vet about the diarrhea, that is not normal. We send all our best and hope you’ll consider joining our Tripawds Discussion Forums if you’d like support from the community.
Best wishes for you and your pup, Mya! Review our two part blog post about How We Knew When To Say Goodbye, and all the comments for lots of helpful feedback.
Mya, how is your husky doing? Is he still eating etc. I’m curious how long before his appetite and energy went down after prednisone treatment. I have a lab who just started treatment and he seems fine now.
My female maltese is on steroid therapy for possible intestinal cancer. The vet says its most likely cancer, the ultrasound was not clear do to all the swelling and inflammation. She started responding the next day and a week later she is doing great! All of the ascites is gone and her bowel movements are normal. Her prognosis is unclear at the moment but so far she is back to better than normal. No personality changes in my sweet girl have been noticed!
That’s great that it’s working for her Paige! Thanks for sharing your experience. Many best wishes to you both!
I went to give my 8 year old Snorkie a Benedryl 2 weeks ago and found tumors in her mouth. Vet gave us Prednisone to see if it would shrink them. So far I can’t see any changes other than the weight gain and non stop urination. She is still as sweet as ever. He didn’t give us much hope, so I think the medicine was to give us time to come to terms with losing her. I still can’t believe it. I was counting on another 10 years with my baby.
Ruth,
Please take your Snorkie for a second opinion…Maybe you did not include a lot of detail in your letter here – and I don’t know the whole story, but, just in case, I would take her somewhere else just to be sure. Best of luck.
-Kat
Jerie I hope your pup has many good days ahead. Treasure each moment and love him up. Give him a smooch from Tripawds.
Yes our 14 year old min pincher has been diagnosed with lymphoma 1 week ago. He has been very sick. Not himself at all. The vet put him on pregnasone and is doing better. Drinks a lot and urinate non stop. The vet explained to us that there is no cure, but might extend his life a bit longer to give us time to prepare for the good byes. It has been the most difficult decision to let him go. We lost another dog 3 months ago. After reading the comments I reliazed now it is just a matter of time before we loose him. It is so sad!
My heart goes to anyone else going thru the same. Stay strong!
Hi, my 9 yr old much loved boxer was diagnosed with round cell tumors which we were then told was histiocytosis. He has had X-rays and scan and thankfully has not spread internally so just on his skin. The vet has advised to treat him with a very high does of prednisone he is taking 4 25 mg a day 2 in the morning and 2 at night. We started them on Thursday am and he seems to be doing well, he is drinking and going to the toilet a lot more but today we noticed blood in his stools which are very loose. I plan to call the vet 1 St thing tmr but looking for any advice as 100mg seems to be s lot more than any other dogs seem to be prescribed. We love our boyso much and want to do what’s best for him.
Best wishes for your Boxer Beth! We are not vets, so please consider getting a second opinion if you have any concerns. Personally, we would immediately stop any medications that cause internal distress, we did just that when Jerry had a reaction to NSAIDs. Post in the forums and you’ll likely get MUCH more feedback than you will with comments here.
my 9 year old australian shepard has an immune blood disorder. She was severely annemeic. She was hospitalized for a week, given blood transfusions, steroids and immune suppressants. We started taporing the prednisone and are now down to 10 mg of prednisone every other day and 10 mg of leflunomide daily. She has been less and less symptomatic as we have been reducing the dose, but today she had bloody stools for the first time. Does anyone have any idea of what may be going on?
I can’t trust my 6 yr old dog named ” jungle”.. when he’s on PREDIZONE…his personality …we’ll lets just say, it’s not ” my jungle” ….he’s SOOO aggressive at times…and his moods change from one moment to another…so I just decided to take him off the drugs so he doesn’t have to deal with the side effects…AND JUST ENJOY EVERY MOMENT I HAVE LEFT WITH MY PAL,,,,MY BEST FRIEND ” jungle”……….god bless all those that ever have to deal with this…….ITS HEART BREAKING”……..GOD BLESS !
My beautiful 8 year old greyhound cross has just come out of a 4 month remission after 6 months on the CHOP program. The vet has prescribed 4 tabs of 5mg. of prednisone a day. After two doses of this she is lethargic, not eating but drinking and she is wheezing. We are very worried about her. The vet says it is a reaction to the prednisone but at the beginning of CHOP she took 12, 5 mg. tabs of prednisone a day and had no side effects. Why would she have side effects now? We are waiting to see if the prednisone wears off and then the vet says to lower the dose to 2 tabs a day. I do not want to give it to her again. Does anyone have any thoughts on this. Sometimes i wonder if the benefits of having a pet out weigh the eventual death of yotr pet. Seeing your fur-child get sick is hard to bear and i’m not sure i can go through this again although i love animals so much.
tfenn: Please consider posting in the discussion forums where you are likely to receive much more feedback from members that you will here on this blog post.
Hi reading your comments has helped me to understand some of the changes I have noticed in my 15 year old staffie Max. Max has been on prednisolone for 6 months along with tramadol this has been given to him to keep him comfortable he has various lumps but we thought he had trouble with his legs but a new vet said it wasn’t his legs but his spine which has a lump on it. On our 6month review I told the vet the tramadol was making him sick 6 plus a day he has now put him on 2pills a day. I know we are now on borrowed time but without this drug Max would no longer be with us. He is happy eating drinking happy to see us wanting to go out. I watch for changes every day and will know when its his time.
Shirley, you are a great dog pawrent, Max is so lucky to have you. Thank you for sharing your story, we hope Max continues to enjoy more of his long, amazing, loved life. What an awesome dog!
Thank you for your post. My 8 (nearly9) yr old handsome big Max is at end stage osteosarcoma with lung mets and breathing becoming difficult. I will be going over to prednisolone to keep him happy and around as long as possible
so long as he is not suffering
Roxie and Max, I’m sorry to hear you are at this point, we understand completely. If you would like any support from others who have been there, please hop on over to our Discussion Forums, we’re here to lean on. Hugs to you and Max.
My beloved 4 year old Berner started CHOP this past Friday for lymohoma. So far so good, can not even feel the nodes anymore, no side effects. He’s eating, running, etc. However, I’ve been giving him the prednisone in the evening, after his dinner. I think this is causing him to pant a lot, at night, and be restless. He sleeps in my room so this is keeping me awake! He has a dog door so can go out any time he wants. He’s on 40 mg of pred for 8 more days. I left a message for his oncologist to switch the pred to morning. He takes Pepcid AC with the pred.
Hi Cindy, glad to hear your pup is doing well. Yes, Pred can have those side effects, I would definitely work with your onco to find the right dosage so side effects can be minimized. THanks for sharing your story, hugs to you & your pup.
My beloved 12.5 year old female boxer Jesse was diagnosed with lymphoma 2 weeks ago. My husband and I are devastated along with our kids. Jesse is not our dog but our family member. We started her on predisone a week ago and she starts chemo next week. She appears to be fine drinks a lot more and more panting as a side effect. The tumours in her throat do not appear smaller but have not gotten any bigger. We are hoping the chemo will reduce the tumours. Jesse is
our everything and we will do whatever we can to give her the best quality of life that we can. However, I still know deep down that this is only a short fix and there will be a day hopefully not too soon that I will have to say goodbye. This is the most devastating thing I have ever dealt with and I only hope that our family will make it through this. Jesse has been with us for so long and has been there before our second child and was there when our first child was very little. I feel all of your pain and my thoughts are with all of you. Hugs
Hi Lisa, we are so sorry to hear about Jesse, we understand completely how a cancer diagnosis is so ruff. Jesse sounds like a strong pup and with your love and fantastic care she will kick cancer’s butt! We hope that chemo goes without a hitch and that she continues to live a long, healthy, happy life ahead. All of us send our best wishes out to you and your family, especially Jesse. Thanks for sharing your story.
I am heartbroken to hear of your news, but I understand what you are going through since my beloved boxer was also diagnosed with lymphoma last week at 9 years old. I have incorporated a few things into her diet that have seemed to show much improvement in her symptoms such as increased energy, decreased respiratory distress. Although she is on the prednisone(20mg/day) it is important to remember that medicine does not heal the body. Only the body can heal, medicine assists with symptoms, and always carries a little poison to the body. I urge you to look into Essiac, Fulvic/Humic acid, probiotics, and flax oil. Jesse is in our thoughts and prayer, we send much love and wish nothing but the best for her!!
Karen, we are sorry about your pup. She is so fortunate to have a wise momma like you. Keep up the great work and we’ll keep sending lots of pawsitivity for a long, healthy life ahead. Thanks for sharing.
My 8 yr old Bedlington began having grand map type seizures last month. The Vet and I agreed to Prednisone for expected brain tumor. I have also added Canna-Pet to her medications and am now reducing the Prednisone from 10 mgm to 7.5 and considering weaning her off. Her personality has returned as has her zest for life and love. I believe the change is related to the Canna-Pet and not the prednisone.
Glad to hear your pup is doing well Judy! Thanks for sharing your experience, we hope she continues to have a long, healthy life!
Hi,
My dog Kai has been on prednisone for just over a month now! He was put on it to boost blood platelet production but he had to stop taking them today because of the horrific side effects! The prednisone has helped with his blood platelet production massively, however he has lost so much weight and muscle that he collapses after standing up for a few minutes and has seemed to have lost proper control over himself! It’s so distressing to see him like this and to think that before he was put on the prednisone steroids he was absolutely fine and very active!
Could anyone tell me if he will be able to recover fully or recover at all from the prednisone side effects and if so how long will it take and is there anything I can do to help the recovery process? Any help would be really appreciated! Thank you
Sorry to hear about Kai. We’re not vets, so we can’t answer your question directly but you will likely get much more feedback from members by posting in the forums.
Hi sorry to hear about Kai. You don’t say what he is treated with prednisol for. We have experienced this but sadly we have lost Zoro last week as we had to make that tough decision to let him go but then we were dealing with cancer. Your vet will guide you on this please go back to them. Big hug to u and Kai
We’re going through something very similar to what your’s sounds like. My dog Hunter had no platelets in his blood. So he was put on to Prednisone and Mycophenolate. His platelets count increased and so he was put on Doxycycline because his red blood cell count was a little low. He was diagnosed with Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (primary)
The muscle loss Hunter has gone through is pretty devasting. He’s a pittbull mix, so prior he was mostly muscle (even at 11.5years of age). But Now, he’s a shell of his former self. His spine is protruding, his waist is tiny. His legs are nothing but bone and loose skin. His face is very slim and bony. He does not look like the same dog, and he’s less prone to cuddling / sleeping by us now.
It’s sad to see. but he has another appointment tomorrow with the internal medicine side of our vet….
Peter we are so sorry to hear about Hunter. Thanks for sharing your story. We hope your vet has hopeful news tomorrow!
We gave our 9 year old prednisone and it nearly killed him in a matter of 2 weeks. He lost 15 pounds and had bloody stools. We weened him off the pred but the blood in his stool never stopped until he died earlier this week. The muscle wasting was permanent, he was a very strong dog who while on the pred and for about a year afterward, couldn’t even balance to pee. I have a hard time imagining that this drug has any beneficial properties after what I saw my dog go through. Maybe it affects other dogs differently, but in the future, I will never subject any other animal to this drug. I was a terrible life changer for the worse.
Eric our hearts go out to you, we are so very sorry about your boy. It’s heartbreakng what happened, your grief must be unbearable. Prednisone is all too often handed out willy-nilly without explaining the potentially serious side effects. It can work miracles on animals and humans but the biggest problem with this drug is that it only masks the real problem and doesn’t address the true cause of the illness. I’m so sorry you and your dog experienced such terrible consequences. We encourage anyone considering prednisone to read about all aspects of this drug, including the holistic/natural remedies that are similar to it, before going this route. Please accept our condolences, we are very sorry.
I just found this website. I would appreciate some educated counsel.
My 7yr old boston terrier was just diagnosed with mast cell cancer (I think it is called.)
It is too large of a tumor to operate (on lower hind leg.)
Vet said prednisone for 3 wks to shrink it, then surgery to remove it.
What are alternatives to his drug that have successful tract record. Please reply asap.
Thank you,
Linda
Hi Linda. Sorry to hear about your pup. We are by no means experts here, just pet parents sharing information with one another. We do have lots of members here who are familiar with mast cell cancer tumors, post in our Forums for some help from them OK? Also, a second opinion will go a long way in helping you feel more confident about whatever treatment you decide to pursue.
Hi Eric. Your story sounds identical to what I’m currently experiencing with my boxer. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor last November after experiencing grand mal cluster seizures. After a few months he started showing signs of degenerative myelopathy which the vet thought was caused by edema from the brain tumor. Then my vet quickly prescribed him prednisone, and recently doubled his dosage. After this recent dosage doubling my dog has become increasingly weaker, has blood in his stool, has open sores on his skin, is having trouble standing up and balancing, has developed anemia, has extreme personality changes and is showing massive muscle wasting. It’s terrible and I regret putting him on the prednisone. It was great in the beginning, but the long term effects have been horrendous. I will never let any dog of mine be on prednisone long term again after seeing what it has done to my boy. I am taking him in on Wednesday to discuss weaning him off of the drug. I just want him to somewhat back to normal again (although I’m not sure that will ever happen at this point). Thanks for listening.
Jessica my heart breaks for you and your pup I’m so very sorry. Prednisone is not something that works for everyone and should definitely be given with a LOT of discretion. Too many vets hand it out like candy when all it does is mask symptoms instead of addressing the root cause. I’m so sorry you are going through this. Please know you are in our thoughts and we hope that your vet visit goes well and you can have your healthy, strong pup back again. Keep us posted.
Hi Jerry. Thanks for your reply. I took him to see his neurologist today and he basically told me that he strongly recommends not taking him off the steroids because he believes the steroids are what has kept him alive. Sadly we have come to terms with the fact that we will need to make the decision to euthanize him soon. It’s a terrible decision to have to make, but I know it will be for the best.
Jessica, my heart broke when I saw your news, I’m so very, very sorry to hear this. I know it’s so hard to make that call about when to say when, but I agree, a life of Prednisone’s worst side effects is no life at all. We had to make that decision for our Jerry too, during his last stages of dealing with cancer.
As hard as it will be to let him go, your boy’s spirit will be free of hurt and illness, and will stay close in your heart for all time. I’m very, very sorry, you are in our thoughts.
Sassy is gone now! It’s the worst day of my life! I dont know how I will even get thru the rest of the night! I feel like someone ripped my still beating heart out of my chest! I miss her sooooooo much!!!
Dearest Christine,
When mine died, I didn’t cry, I wailed. Deep, primal wails that I did not even know existed inside me. We have to feel the pain of our devastating losses to move through this terrible time. Please know that it’s ok to grieve and mourn and to do so in your own way…in your own time. I’m crying with you right now.
I’m so sorry for your loss. -Kat
Kat,
I screamed and cried and fell to the floor once they said she was gone yesterday. I don’t wannabe awake,but when I close my eyes I see her, not how she was before she got sick, but the last days and yesterday. I tried to eat this morning only to start to gag and ran to the bathroom to vomit. I have cried off and on all day long!! I wanna look at her pics so I can see her coz she isnt here, but when I do, it only hurts my heart more. Can someone please tell me how to get through this??!!!! My male dog misses her, he has been with me almost all day today and after we didnt bring her home yesterday afternoon.
My Ling-Ling died on our bedroom floor in the middle of the night (I held her and talked her through it) and my male dog, Zen, was on the bed. I wanted him to see her dead so that he may have some understanding. He missed her too after she was gone. He moped for a while and I just had to give him extra love and hugs. He, too, had cancer and I knew I did not have long with him. I lost weight too, during their illnesses and after they died. Our loss of appetite is completely normal. I cremated both my babies and keep their boxes near my bed. Yes, it is still difficult to look at their pictures…sometimes I hold their boxes and cry. Give yourself time before looking at her pics. People will tell you that you need to think of the good times and “lovely memories” but the fact is, those thoughts are overshadowed right now by the pain and shock of their absence. The memories will come, I promise, but right now we can only mourn the loss of the loves of our lives. I also remember Zen’s final day. He had lymphoma and was covered in tumors. Luckily, his appetite never waned…he ate like a horse every day and had energy, then one morning he began seizing. I immediately took him to the vet who gave me pills in hopes the petit mal seizures would stop. They did not and after a day of watching my baby not improve, I took him to the emergency vet (2 am…it was utter hell) just before the grand mal seizures were going to start. They gave him a sedative and I held him as they administered the final shot.
I, too, see that last day with perfect clarity and pray that Zen forgives me for not ending that day sooner. The meds the vet gave us were worthless but my hope was strong…in the end I have such guilt for letting him linger that day in hopes of curing him. I have to believe that he trusted me to let him go. The only way I could get through it was to cry and just keep myself occupied. I wish I could tell you that something good will come out of this but, in my experience, there is nothing good about it. They are gone…part of the life cycle that really, really sucks. Just cry, darling Christine, and try to keep in mind that Sassy trusted you to let her go. She knows how much you loved her. -K
Dear Christine, I am just dealing with my golden retriever’s cancer prognosis. I’m heartbroken and am feeling your pain as well. The vet has given him 2 weeks and has given him prednisone to keep him comfortable but I know the worst is yet to come. Please know that you are not alone in how you are feeling.
My heart goes to you and I feel your pain. I will b going through this very soon as my gsd Zoro has got lymphoma and is getting weaker. I don’t know when the day comes and I don’t know how I will get through that day when it comes.. RIP Sassy and peace to you
Lotsa hugs coming your way Ivana, I’m so very sorry.
I have a Golden Retriever who has cancer in the anal glands…we had him operated on in October after a very rough time where we just about were to put him to sleep he got a 2nd lease on life and came out like a champ. He too was given Prednisone and unfortunately I did not give him high enough dose…Now he ha a tremor in his back legs took him to the Vet and had a blood test done his calcium levels are elevated and the Vet increased his meds…
only time will tell.
Zeke has been a sweet gentle and the social butterfly of our neighborhood hope we can buy some more time with him he is our dog child.
Tammy my heart goes out to you, I’m so sorry you are dealing with this. You are an amazing pawrent and doing all you can to help Zeke, he knows that and will love you for it for all time.
Our thoughts and hearts are with you, thanks so much for taking the time to share.
My Standard Poodle, Cosette, has been diagnosed with cancer located in her rear end and interior inguinal area. I am frustrated because two needle aspirations revealed nothing and the vet couldn’t find any cancer cells from a biopsy, results of which came back as normal.
How can you treat a type of cancer you cannot identify?
Can Prednisone be given anyway to at least slow down its progression?
What are the best pain meds?
Is chemotherapy an option if a cancer type cannot be named?
Sorry to hear about Cosette. You ask great questions, but we are not vets. We suggest you consult with a veterinary oncologist, and get another opinion if you already have. You will receive much more feedback and support from members by posting in the forums.
Chemotherapy, or any other treatment protocol, before you have a clear diagnosis can be like shooting in the dark. For instance chemotherapy is not recommended for chondrosarcoma and other bulky tumors.
Hey guys my 8 year old JRT was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. Hes also very very mellow seems like he’s weak. My concern is he has barely ate anything in the last 24 48hrs. Hardly any snacks or home treats which is unsual for him. Just drinking alot of water and urinating.
At the Vets another owner of a pet mention Aloe Vera Gel (inner leaf only) and milk thistle for a 21 day cycle is vevery helpful almost curing of the cancer. Do some research and ask your Vet. God Bless All
On May 2, 2013, my darling 10.5-year-old Boxer/Shar Pei, mix, Ling-Ling, was diagnosed with a tumor on her spleen. I put her on prednisone and she lived (quite happily) for just over a month. At exactly 2 a.m. on June 5, she woke me by crawling along the floor to my side of the bed. I believe she was coming to get me to see her through her transition. I turned the light on low, put on her favorite soft music and held her in my arms, in the comfort of our bedroom, until her heart stopped. It was the most agonizing 26 minutes of my life. I laid with her for an excruciating 7 hours until the cremation place opened.
Also in May, my 11-year-old Boxer/Greyhound mix, Zen, got 2 lumps that I had aspirated. Benign said vet. They got worse and now there are more. Got second opinion…that vet said he’d never seen anything like this before and charged a fortune for some antibiotics that did nothing. (PUBLIX and other grocery stores offer antibiotics for FREE…never pay for them at vet/doctor again…check your local grocery store!)
I went back to first vet and he was rather mortified when he saw Zen again. The tumors are large and ulcerated. Vet put him on low dose (10 mg a day) of prednisone and he is ok but we get more tumors all the time. Zen’s skin is a mess but he eats like a horse (always has) and his mind is clear. He is a little wobbly on his back legs but does not seem in pain. He lays around most of the time and his only noticeable side effect of pred right now seems to be heavy panting, which really scares me. Essentially, I’m just watching my darling Zen expire and my goal is to keep him comfortable and happy in his last weeks.When the time comes, if he does not go like Ling-Ling did, I will have someone come out to my home and let Zen join Ling-Ling at Rainbow Bridge.
I lost my job the day Ling-Ling was diagnosed (almost 6 months ago) and the only good thing about that is I’ve spent every day with my babies to make the end of their lives happy and comfortable. I’m poor in pocket but thankful for the quality time I’ve gotten to spend with them. Well, while I’m at this soul purging…my beloved sister (who helped me through losing Ling-Ling and whom I needed to help me through Zen’s last months) died 2 weeks ago. I’m trying my best to see the light at the end of this long, sad tunnel and turn the good times with my dogs and sister into happy memories. I just want you to know that YOU – reading this and experiencing your own painful loss – are in my heart.
Kat, my heart goes out to you, I am so very sorry for all of the heartache you’ve been through. Stay strong, the love of your animals will be with you always and help you through these rough times. Thank you for being there for anyone reading the post.
I am keeping you and your family in my prayers. I started giving Remy Life gold after he was diagnosed and he has been doing great. I also changed his dieat and pray to St francis alot. Please keep us posted. It sounds like you are a very strong person and good things are going to happen for you. The sun will shine for you again
Thank you Jerry and Stephanie for your kind words!
As an update: My darling Zen developed seizures on Tuesday. I took him to the vet and he prescribed Phenobarbitol (sp) saying it may not work. We gave Zen half a pill at vet and the other half at 10:30 that night. The seizures continued and at 2 am yesterday (just like with my Ling-Ling) the seizures worsened so much that I called the emergency vet and took Zen to be euthanized. I’m devastated.
I don’t know if the cancer went to his brain or if the prednizone caused the seizures. I guess it does not matter because he’s gone. I can honestly say that this experience surpassed Ling’s relatively mild passing as the most torturous night of my life. I love and miss them both. My house is no longer a home. My love and prayers to everyone who comes to this blog. Dogs are precious! Thank you… Kat
OH Kat, I’m so sorry to hear this, I can’t imagine what kind of awful heartbreak you must be going through. Please know that your dear Zen’s spirit will always be strong and in your heart. Never forget; True love never fades.
If you would like support, we are here for you in our Coping with Loss Discussion Forum OK? https://tripawds.com/forums/coping-with-loss/
Please accept my condolences, you are in my thoughts. I’m so very sorry.
Tomorrow afternoon my sweet, loving Sassy will be put to sleep. She has a tumor on the right side of her liver that’s 2 cms, 3 more spots on her left side. She has been herself up until Tuesday morning and has gone down hill. Her skin is yellow,she hasn’t ate since Monday,the tip of her tongue is dark red and her breath is pretty bad. She is on morphine until we take her tomorrow. I just couldn’t let her go today!!! I also wanted to bring her home so my male Taz and her could say their good byes. I’ve looked all over the internet to find something to take the cancer away so she can live! Vet said it’s gone to far and it’s too big. She would have been 9 years old next month and we’ve had her since she was 8 weeks old. I don’t know how I’m even going to get thru tomorrow! This is ripping my heart out!! I just can’t believe she got this bad in a few days. We thought she had a stomach virus but the sonogram today said differently.
Christine, I’m so sorry about Sassy. I can’t imagine how hard this must be for your pack, please know you are in my thoughts and everyone here at Tripawds. Feel free to come to the Tripawds Discussion Forums “Coping with Loss” section if you want to lean on us for support. May Sassy’s strength help you through this difficult time.
Christine, I’m so sorry about Sassy. I brought my beloved Ling-Ling to the vet thinking she just had a stomach problem and was devastated by the news that it was a tumor on her spleen. She left me in June and I still cry almost every day. I just want you to know that you are not alone — I understand and share your pain. -Kat
Thank you Jerry and Kat!
Bentley, my 7 yo Old English Sheepdog, was diagnosed with Lymphoma about 4 weeks ago and he has been on prednisone for 3 weeks now. He has definitely lost the pep in his step but he is still just as loving and cuddly as ever. Occasionally he will join play time with the other dogs but for the most part he doesn’t care to take part in their play. He drinks and drinks and drinks and he urinates and urinates and urinates. He often as accidents in the house even though he is let outside several times in an hour. If he begins to urinate in the house there is no stopping him. I will say “No Bentley!” but he just looks at me and keeps urinating. 🙁 However, on the plus side, the swelling of the lymph nodes under his neck went down within 24 hours of taking the meds and he always has an appetite. He doesn’t appear to be in pain, just more mellow. Once I know he is uncomfortable and/or in pain I will say goodbye :'(
Amanda, thank you so much for sharing your experience with prednisone and Bentley. I’m so sorry for the diagnosis but happy to hear that the pred is helping him. It does do great things for a lot of dogs and how wonderful he’s feeling better!
We wish you the best with things and please let us know if you have any questions. Visit our forums if you’d like, we’re here to help.
My dog was just diagnosed with Lymphoma and we are thinking of doing the predisone & chemo can any share there stories
Best wishes for you pup. Please consider posting in the discussion forums where you will find much more feedback and support from members.
Our 10 y/o golden retriever was diagnosed with liver cancer after blood work, x-rays and ultra sound and was refusing all food. We started her on prednisone,, along with a liver supplement and Wow, what a difference a day makes. She is eating again, and actually acting like she is always hungry now. The Dr. did not think she would live past 2 months, but right now, we are enjoying our time with her and she seems to be a lot more comfortable. I do not know how long this will last, but at least we feel she still have quality of life in her.
She started off will 2 tablets a day for 5 days and then decreases to 1 tablet a day which is today. Keeping my fingers crossed that she continues to do okay for as long as possible.
Rhonda, thanks so much for sharing your story with us. We are thrilled that your pup is doing so well! We send all our love for many good times ahead. Please keep us posted in our Forums, we’re here for you!
After my 12 year old yorkie’s lymph nodes were swollen and he had lost all desire to eat, the oncologist put him on prednisone. We monitored him very closely. Within a couple days his appetite started returning. The swelling actually went way down and in some areas went away completely. He’s eating regularly now. We do have to monitor his fluid intake. He’s still expriencing weakness and is a little wobbly on his feet but he’s looking much better and doesn’t seem to be in any pain or bad spirits. As an alternative I’ve been very pleased as it has allowed my dog to live out his days in comfort and with those he loves.
how long did they tell you that your puppy would live on predisone. need to know my golden yesterday started predisone.
Hi brenda, please post in the discussion forums where you are likely to receive much more feedback from others. The underlying need for a Prednisone prescription would be the determining factor in any prognosis, not the drug itself.
Jerry’s cancer (osteosarcoma) metastases had consumed nearly all of his lung capacity when we put him on Prednisone. he was already in a downward spiral, but it did improve his appetite and quality of life for the next couple months.
My beautiful Bernese Mountain Dog was diagnosed three weeks ago with lymphoma. He just turned 4. Are hearts are broken as we feel he has been jipped on life. We knew the bread had a short life expand but didn’t expect this. He stopped eating and just lay around. I noticed swollen glands in his neck and he was urinating in the house which was NEVER. He was also drinking more than usual. I thought it was diabeties, not the terrible news we received. He also took a 10 lb weight loss. The Vet prescribed prednisone. At first he was so sick and but then it seemed to kick in. So now he has been on it for two and a half weeks. He seems to be normal. We forget he’s sick and think they perhaps misdiagnosed him. But he isn’t the normal Aspen we no. He was a 100 lb lap dog and now likes to keep to himself. He never snapped for a treat and now does like food is everything to him. His personality has changed some. I feel the prednisone has extended his life, but as soon as we feel our dear sweet Aspen is suffering we will have to make that terrible decision. My mother passed away 2 yrs ago from lymphoma and prednisone helped her feel good …. normal able to eat some days. I don’t know how good it is for my dog or for my mom but it gave us some good days and time to say goodbye to our loved ones.
Please be sure to check the forum post linked to this story to read about others’ experiences with prednisone and cancer. Lots of good information there.