Our older Lab girl is on 0.63mg (2 and a half tablets) every other day of dexamethasone for back pain due to invertebral disk disease and spinal spondylosis (sp?).  It also helps to relieve her arthritis.  But it makes her pant and in this heat I worry; is the panting just a reflexive side effect?  Or is she actually feeling the heat more?  I am thinking the former as she started the dex-tabs last Fall and panted all winter.  Strangely, I do not see panting, or reduced heat tolerance, listed as a side effect on any of the websites I checked out but the Vet says that's what it is and also insists it is the best pain medication for her.

Does anyone else have a dog with this problem?  Are there any alternative meds. you know of?

The other alternative is prednisolone which is also a steroid,I have only used dexamethasone  on humans who have lung cancer and I am sure as these patients are already breathless they would not be given something which would make this worse.

Has your dog put on alot of weight as that is what can happen with steroids? This extra weight could then make the dog breathless and pant. The only side effect I have seen with dexamethasone is insomnia if the dose is given too late in the evening.

Just a few thoughts

Rhona

Thanks Rhona.  I specifically asked about prednisone (Canadian drug name) and my Vet still thinks dex-tabs are best.  They say the panting is physiological, she's not hot.  She has not gained weight, which is surprising given the dramatic reduction in exercise level, and has never been overweight.  Both dex. and pred. have undesireable side effects so I guess we balance the one against the other.  Jet gets the dex-tabs in the morning.