Side effects of prednisone? Gassy / loose stool?

Wally came in a few hours ago with a runny mess down his behind, and he's been gassier than usual since he started the prednisone Sunday evening for his eye. I called the vet and they said to start him on the weaning, so move down to 1/2 a 5mg. pill a day, from doing it 2x a day. And to call tomorrow night if he still has the runs.

I'm just curious if any of you has experienced this with your pug, as my guys haven't ever been on an oral steroid before?

I've done some reading and it seems it is a side effect...I'm glad I'm weaning him off, although he has stopped squinting, and his eye looks less red/inflamed inside the lid.

Thanks!

Tyson has been on prednisone since April for his Addison's Disease (and he will be on a daily dose for the rest of his life). He's never had diarrhea or anything like you've described. I know that increased hunger and thirst-therefore urination-are typical side effects.

A quick google search shows this:

[b]Side Effects[/b]



• Systemic side effects to corticosteroids are
generally dependent on dose and duration of treatment. Short-term use
of prednisone is unlikely to cause adverse effects. Adverse effects are
more common in animals on immunosuppressive doses.

• Side effects seen in dogs include polyuria, polydipsia,
polyphagia, poor haircoat, GI disturbance, diarrhea, vomiting, weight
gain, GI ulceration, pancreatitis, lipidemia, elevated liver enzymes,
diabetes mellitus, muscle wasting, and possible behavioral changes.
• Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia may be seen in dogs even on short-term
therapy.
• Although cats are less likely to develop side effects than dogs,
occasionally polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, weight gain, GI disturbances
and behavioral changes occur.
• Corticosteroids can cause or worsen gastric ulcers.

The most common side effects of prednisone, in my experience, are voracious appetite and tremendous thirst. I haven't seen diarrhea or gassiness, but I don't see why that couldn't be a side effect. Especially if he's drinking large amounts of water or gulping his food down quickly.
Gastric issues aren't listed a s a possible side effect in short term (or long term) usage, but I imagine every dog is different in their response.

I agree that all of my dogs who've been on prednisone before haven't experienced that. Now I'm counting how many dogs that has been... almost all of them.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your experience. He is drinking and peeing more, which I expected, as for gulping his food down: . He is a Hoover every day.

At least he seems to feel o.k. He just had another loose stool, so I'll go out with him in the a.m. and see how he is then. Let's hope it's better. If not better tomorrow eve., I'm to call the vet. Argh. We have been to the vet so many times in the last month! I hope this clears up!

Pugsly took pred for 4 years non stop and never had any diarrhea or stomach problems.

I did want to mention that Tinker began having diarrhea last Thursday the 3rd and has continued to have it. He is now on meds, but a couple of fecals showed no signs of giardia or parasites. The doctor thinks he has a case of gastroenteritis. I know someone who has two pugs in the Chicago area that also came down with diarrhea for about a week.

Thanks. We went back to the vet yesterday (6th time in exactly a month--poor Wally!) and he does have a bacterial infection. The vet agreed it's not the pred., but we're weaning him from it. He has 2 antibiotics, bland food, plus a cream for the bald patch on his cheek (which may be the result of everything that's been going on w/ his eyes.) He's a mess! The good news is, he acts like he feels fine--still spunky, still eating/drinking, peeing, etc. The vet said it could take a few days for his stool to firm up.

The bummer is, he's also gassy, and when he has gas, he also, well, let's just say, it's messy. The rugs have been picked up in the kitchen!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience. I had 3 hours of sleep for my first day of school yesterday and am going a bit crazy!

I hope he feels better. One of nipra's fosters just had 5 of her foster pugs have diarrhea and vomiting.

Poor Wally, I hope he's feeling better soon.

Thanks. Wally has turned the corner, I think, but now Emmet is sick! I'm going to start a new thread b/c I learned something I didn't know.