Hello,
I haven't been on here for a long time,hope your all ok x
stan my newfie had an ear in fection last Tuesday,went vets who gave ear drops,an anti imflamatory jab and a course of predisone tablets as his ear was swollen,hot,red and painfull.i went home happy,2am stan was distressed,i immediately felt him for signs of bloat and he wet himself and was very distressed as he is so clean and proud,let him out and he weed and was fine,the next day(wed)I called the bet saying I wasn't happy to give a full dose of predisone as worried it may react,(vet wanted the following,,,,,4 a day for 4 days and then 2 a day for the rest of the pills,in total 7 day course)so I put him on 2 a day(1 in morn,i in the eve) its been 5 days now,his ear cleaned up in 2 days,he is drinking lots and peeing lots and doesn't smell good and I want him off the predisone.now,this is where I need advice,on the bottle and by vets instructions,it says 4 a day for 4 days then 2 a day for the rest of the course,,,and that's it,,,,,nowhere does is state weaning him off,is this because its a lowish dose and short term,what do I do !!!!
thanks for any advice,very interested in your thoughts x
jo

Steroids are normally given once per day to get full effect, you don't say what dose each tablet is as they come in different doses. Very slow reducing of the dose is only needed when it has been a long term medication so what your vet has said seems reasonable for the size of the dog.

I would take a urine sample in when you go back to the vets to rule out a UTI. If the ear flares up again once steroids are out of his system you may need antibiotics orally/topically to knock the infection out altogether.

Apparently this applies to humans too. I have taken steroids for about a week and didn't have to have a weaning off period

thanks for responding,i find it hard as so many people give such different advice.i feel for him as he isn't himself on these pills,thanks

My bitch, as a very last resort has had 2 courses of these steroids recently as she has an ongoing allergy problem.

The first thing that my vet told me is that she will eat and drink MUCH more than normal, he was correct. Also she needed the toilet constantly and she also wet the floor, first time since she was a pup 8 years ago and she too, was horrified. Poor girl.

Short courses are normally prescribed to bring a condition under control quickly, as you have been given. As others have said, no weaning off required ;-)

I think if steriods are given to dogs, they normally recommend giving the dose in one go in the mornings.  You will be ok not having to wean your dog off them as its such as short dose.

We use this medication for an immune disease my little dog has.  The other poster was correct, it does alter their fluid (and food) intake and they usually loss control due to this.
I wouldn't be worried about stopping the meds due to such a small dose for a big dog.  I find vets use these meds when they don't know what else it could be.  Seems to be a 'heal all' medication?

my Newfie had exactly the same problem on them, he didn't have any accidents in the house, but was weeing constantly so didn't want to come in at all. I timed one of his wee's - 11 minutes continuous!! He wasn't himself at all on them and became a bit (a lot) of a wimp, scared of his own shadow, and needing constant cuddles etc. He was prescribed steroids for a flare up of his discoid lupus, but as soon as he showed signs of being more comfortable I took him off them because he has lived with this condition for 5 years  without too many problems but the new vet seemed to think that steroids for life was the answer, but he just wasn't "my" dog any more on them, now he's off them he is fine he will always look pink and scabby on his face, tail etc. but he's beautiful on the inside and anyone who doesn't like his appearance doesn't need to look at him! I was reported for ill treating him last year because of how he looks, wish people would talk to me rather than make anonymous calls to rspca.

The reason he wasn't himself was because they make him feel different.  It would be like us on 20 expresso's.  Shaky, alert, impending sense of doom.  No wonder they don't like them. 
But, steroids aren't all bad.  Given the choice between all these symptoms and taking steroids, I still have to give my dog steroids.  We just have to live with the symptoms.  We have no choice. 
And my dog will be on them for life.
Without steroids, my dog would be in so much pain from her immune system attack her, that she can't even lift her head.  I thank god every day for Prednisolone.

I had to stop giving my Chow this med suddenly. He too had all the side affects as your dog but in addition he became very aggressive, he picked scraps with all my other dogs, had my male pug by the scruff and was shaking him. He then picked a fight with my other Chow and got a bit beat up, had to stop the steroids so he could have the painkillers.
 
It was very distressing seeing him like this and in between his outbursts he was very scared, worried and confused.  It only took a couple of days to return to his normal cuddly self and luckily no hard feelings all round.

I think it affects different dogs in different ways.