Cairo, 8 year old staffordshire bull terrier just diagnosed

http://www.medicanimal.com/setSessio...Z&locale=en_GB

it is much cheaper with a prescription from your vet.

Thanks for that - I got his first lot from the vet (nearly fainted at the price) but I started getting prescriptions and get them from either Medicine4Pets or Animed. Animed are slightly cheaper but the service at Medicine4Pets is excellent.

It's almost half the price of getting it from the vet - it's actually shocking how much more expensive it is from the vet.

Just know it is not your fault about Cairo, I know you love and care for him. Dechra certainly is hurting a lot of dogs by not changing their instructions and updating things the way an responsible company should. The vet, now there I have a problem. They should be keeping abreast of the changes as we are if they are treating dogs using this drug, there is no excuse for their ignorance. As far as the vet not being swayed, she does not have a life outside her office with this dog. So if things go wrong, it will be you that is impacted not her, so if it were my dog I would not allow her to do this. She has already made many wrong decisions that could have been fatal. I would tell her if she cannot compromise after all the errors she has made I would go to someone with a knowledge of this disease and that is willing to work with you. This is your dog, not hers so you will have to put your foot down, as far as her making final decisions. There are many vets that know very little about this disease and it's treatment, I have one of them. My dog would be dead if I let him make the decisions. Instead we go over what is going on, and after I consult with everyone on this panel, I then make the final decisions. He knows it must be that way, and believe me anyone on here can tell you how many times I have gotten into it with him over my Tipper. I know when he is wrong and I must face the facts and confront him with the issues. It is not fun let me tell you, but I do what I have to do. You are the only advocate for Cairo so please consider what I have said. I only say it out of my deep love for all animals, and don't want you to lose your dog, not to blame you. Blessings
Patti

buying vetoryl from the vet is indeed very expensive. lots of bonus for the vet selling it at those high prices. half of it is profit.
glad you found a cheaper way to buy vetoryl.

I've had a good talk with my mum and said to her that when he goes back on Friday, if the vet won't listen to us, we need to try and find a vet that will. We're a bit restricted here as there are only two other vets local to us and I've not heard great things about them. There is another vet miles away but he might be worth speaking to.

I just want to check though - the vet has increased his prednisolone to 10mg twice a day - for a 60lb dog, is that OK?

His stools are a bit loose - not diarrhoea - just a bit squishy and he is absolutely stinking - could it be the pred causing that?

He's still not managing much of a walk and we're not letting him go far - just enough to toilet then home again.

I will have to let someone with prednisone experience answer your question. I believe you are doing the best thing for Cairo searching out a new vet. I am so sorry he is not feeling well, but he has been through a lot, and to his credit survived all this. Hopefully he will be on the mend soon and you will be able to get him straightened out. He is a beautiful dog and looks like he kept most of
his muscle. I am sure everything will work out once he gets to feeling better and
gets on the correct dose. Blessings
Patti

"I dose prednisone or prednisolone at 0.1-0.2 mg/kg/day. If the dog develops polyuria and polydipsia (PU/PD) or any other signs of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome, I would lower the dose as needed. I rarely, if ever, give a higher dose than 5-mg per day to ANY dog. The 5-mg dose is the average human maintenance dose, and we see very few dogs that weigh over 70 kg."

I found this on one of Dr. M. Peterson's blogs as a response to a question on Addison's topic. I know Cairo is not yet proven permanently Addison's but he's having an Addisonian crisis, right?
20mg daily seems a lot. Is this 10mg BID for a short term use? How many days are you supposed to give it to him?

Yes, he had a crisis - his cortisol levels weren't even registering when they were checked on Friday last.

He got a steroid injection on Friday night and then he was started on 5mg once a day on Saturday but he wasn't picking up so we took him back to the vet on Monday and he had his electrolytes checked and the vet gave him another steroid injection and said to increase the pred to 10mg morning and night until he goes back on Friday - they don't want to have him on that any longer - so it'll be 3 days on 20mg and then on Friday, he'll get the 10mg in the morning and then he's at the vet.

He's certainly peeing for Scotland at the moment but we knew that he would with the steroids.

I'm now just questioning everything after what's happened to him. I didn't know how quick he would pick up after starting the steroids but I don't want him to be getting too much either.

If he's on a high dose of steroids, even for 3 days, would he need weaned down off it?

We're a bit dubious about giving him 10mg in the morning and at night. He's had 10mg this morning but we're thinking of not giving him the night time dose and changing it tomorrow to 5mg in the morning and 5mg at night.

I don't know what to do.

We're even wondering if once he's off the steroids if we should get a different vet to retest him for Cushings.

I think I would get another vet to test him. This vet seems to have really messed all this up and I would not be trusting her. Remember to feed him and Vetoryl given, then the test within 4-6 hours. I take my Tipper at the same time of day every time she is tested. I don't have experience with prednisone, so I cannot speak to that question. I would start off new with someone else willing to listen to your concerns and willing to work with you. I am so sorry you and Cairo are having a bad time. My Tipper has some issues this morning too, so I am watching her for signs she is too low. Blessings
Patti