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Concerned about my dog loss of appetite while on prednisone. My dog started taking prednisone on 4/22/2008.?
The dose is 20 mg. She was on 1 1/2 tablets for the first 10 days, then 1 tablet for the next 10 days, and now we are at 1 tablet every other day for 14 days. Then she will do 1/2 tablet every other day until 3 months. My concern is, at first she would eat all of her food. She was not begging for more but she would eat 2 meals a day no problem and would lick the bowl clean. Then, I started adding chicken and brocolli, and spinach to her food and she ate it up. All of a sudden, she didn't want that. I put chicken and spinach in with her kibble just like before and she didn't want to eat it. I started to give her canned food and at first she had no problem eating it right away. Now, she's not eating that. I have to entice her to eat by putting chicken or turkey in her food and she still don't eat much. Prednisone is suppose to stimulate appetites, that's why I'm worried. She goes to the vet on Wed. She had a mast cell tumor. I thank God it hasn't come back. N E suggestions on what to do?
6 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
#1 Follow the Prednisone instructions as you have been. Do not stop, change or alter it. Prednisone is a steroid that when on it you have to be weaned of as your veteriarian has prescribed.
My greyhound was on prednisone (along with other wicked medications) for nearly a year. Prednisone really increase the appitite to almost insatiable levels. She was always hungry and begging. This cause weight gain, belly fat and a loss of muscle mass. We had to limit & control her food.
Perhaps now that you dogs doses are being reduced she just isn't as hungry "feeling" anymore. Brocolli & spinach in her food may just have been something she had to suffer through to satisfy that uncontrollable prednisone "hungry."
You see you vet again on Wednesday, she probably won;t starve until then so I wouldn't worry. Ask the vet then. It took our greyhound quite awhile to get back to normal feedings & eating schedules after she was off the med.
- Starsfan14Lv 71 decade ago
I don't think it will cause loss of appetite. My mother has been on it for almost 20 years and she has never lost her appetite. My beagle has been on it before as well (because of cancer) and he has never had a loss of appetite.
I know the pills themselves are very bitter (my mother has told me as much) so perhaps the flavor of the pills is causing her not to want her food. But most likely it is another problem completely. Talk to your vet. Maybe since you added the chicken and broccoli she has gotten more particular with her food. Good luck and I hope you find out the cause
- Anonymous7 years ago
My dog is 10 years of age. He started taken Prednisone on Aug 19, 2014 due to having Malignant Lymphoma, (cancer in the lymph nodes) Just one day before of finding out he has cancer, his appetite was great. now he doesn't want to eat (ANYTHING). I'm extremely worried since we can feel his bones. I have tried many different foods for him, broiled chicken, rice, yogurt, cheese, peanut butter etc....... And on top of it all. He is blind. If anyone has any suggestions please comment.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Prednisone is a steroid, if the condition this steroid is being used to treat is worsening, then this might be affecting your dogs appetite. See your vet and stop adding things to your dogs diet, do dogs eat broccoli? probably not!
- 1 decade ago
Sounds like she's just holding out for something better all the time! She knows that if she doesn't eat, something better is going to land in her bowl!
Quit giving her anything but dog food (Dry). Put the bowl down at her scheduled feeding time. Leave it down for 20 minutes. If she doesn't eat, pick it up. DO NOT GIVE HER ANYTHING ELSE (No Treats, nothing). At her next scheduled feeding, put the bowl back down and again, if she doesn't eat it in 20 minutes, pick it up. Repeat till she eats.
An Adult dog will not starve itself if food is available to it. When she figures out that holding out won't get her something better, she'll eat it - Might take a couple days for her to get good and hungry, but don't give in!