Prednisone Dog Pain Medicine & Relief | Petco

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Vet Q & A
My dog is crying in pain and hunched; could it be prednisone?
It does sound like some kind of painful reaction. If he is otherwise normal now, I would just continue to monitor him. If it continues, have Jack re-examined by your vet to see if there is a medical cause for the sudden yelping. Side effects of prednisone can include anxiety or restlessness, and I wonder if that could be contributing to the new behavior.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog takes prednisone. Can I give Metacam or other pain relief?
Great question! No, you absolutely CANNOT give a steroid (prednisone) at the same time as a NSAID (Metacam). This is a very big no-no! This can cause huge, life-threatening side effects. He can take a muscle relaxant and/or an opiate along with the steroid. You should also you vet about these medications as they are prescription medications. All these medications work synergistically together. You should also consider acupuncture. It works wonders for these injuries. Hope this helps. Best wishes.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Vet Q & A
Can I safely stop my dog's prednisone after back pain recovery?
Hello, prednisone is a steroid that although beneficial for some things it also has alot of side effects and needs to be used carefully and under the instructions from your veterinarian. The dose Kitkat is getting now is higher than most other doses prednisone is used for. It should be fine to stop the medication now after today but monitor her drinking habits and overall activity. If she seems lethargic, not drinking or drinking too much, not eating, then she needs to be seen by her veterinarian immediately. Back injuries can recur, so in the future, before starting medications consult with your veterinarian first. Additionally. even though Kitkat is feeling a lot better, she needs to continue strict rest for at least 2 weeks to allow her back to heal. That is no running, jumping, or rough playing with other dogs. Hope this helps and best of luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Vet Q & A
My dog has a slipped disc. How to relieve pain and aid healing?
Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, intervertebral disk disease is the bane of all long backed dogs. The key to recovery is pain medication either in the form of a steroid like prednisone, or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as rimadyl, carprofen, metacam, etc. & STRICK rest. Ace must not jump, run, or be at all active while trying to heal. It can take 3 weeks for the disk to heal. You can apply alternating treatments of heat & cold by warming a sock with rice in the microwave ( make sure it is warm & not hot ), using it on Ace for 10 minutes, then apply a bag of frozen peas for 10 minutes. You can do this twice a day, but make sure there is a towel between the heat & cold, & move the application frequently to prevent hot or too cold spots. If Ace remains painful, you can ask your vet for an appropriate additive to Ace's medication. A muscle relaxant might be appropriate, or additional pain medications in the form of tramadol or gabapentin. These things take time. Hopefully, he will feel better by tomorrow. Take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Vet Q & A
My old dog has arthritis. Should I increase prednisone or try Metacam?
Hello. You can wean her off the pred onto the Metacam , or you can add additional pain medications such as tramadol or gabapentin. I, personally do not like long-term prednisone because of the possibility of side effects, but even Metacam can cause some issues. Regardless of what you & your veterinarian choose for Sydney, make sure periodic blood work is run to pick up any early signs of problems. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
Updated on September 24th, 2025