What are the possible effects of long-term treatment with prednisone?

[Tina]

Mouse has now been on prednisone for about 6 weeks as treatment for an immune disease in her bone marrow. And currently she's doing splendidly....playing, eating, running about madly! The dose was reduced today, and will hopefully be reduced again in 3 or 4 weeks as long as she doesn't relapse and get very ill with anemia again. The vet says that she will be on prednisone for life.....hopefully at a low dose......once they find a dose that she can remain stable on without causing relapse.

I'm worried as I have heard that there can be serious side effects when using prednisone long-term. Also, she is very young (she'll be one next Friday), and the vet says that she may not be able to handle the treatment for more than a few years......because of possible organ damage?

I could really use more info......and would like to know if anyone has experience of having a cat on prednisone long-term?

Thanks!

Tina

[candyshandy]

Fabes was on a high dose for the last year for hypercalcaemia. Unfortunately it has affected his kidneys but the hypercalceamia was causing more damage so it was the better of 2 evils.

You have to ask yourself what the alternative is - Fabes is on 3 weekly injections of epo hormone for red blood production as he went critically anemic 2 weeks ago (PCV 7%). Another chat with your vet may be needed.

Is your vet a specialist or general practice?

[Kay]

I have no experience of long term use of prednislone in cats but my mum has been on it for about 5 years now. She has since develoed Diabetes which the prednislone contributed to. I don't know if this is the case in cats but maybe worth asking your vet about.

[Tina]

Thanks for the responses!

Mouse is on 2.5mg a day of prednisone at the moment and we are hoping to reduce again in 3 or 4 weeks as long as the current dose doesn't cause relapse. I think there is no choice but to keep her on prednisone long-term as stopping the prednisone completely or getting the dose too low will result in her immune system again destroying the erythroids in her bone marrow (they create the red cells) and she would then become very ill again. Her red cell count had gone down to 5.9% (should be 35 to 45%) and she had an emergency blood transfusion in April just to keep her alive.....so I wouldn't want to go through that again!

My vet is general practice. Should she be seen by a specialist......and how do I approach our vet about it? I don't want to cause them offense, and they seem to be dealing with her condition well at the moment....though they don't really know much about it as it's very rare, so they can't provide me with alot of information.

[candyshandy]

I would definitely ask to be referred to a specialist - they have access to drugs 'normal' vets don't. They will also have seen this before and will know the best way to treat.

Fabes went to Uni of Liverpool but I'm sure there will be one closer to you.

Don't feel guilty about how your vet feels - they will understand that you want the best possible advice for your little one.

Are you insured?

[Kim]

Definitely worth going to a holistic vet. I understand your worry about long-term usem especially on a cat so young. Also worth doing a search on google for more info.

[Tina]

Yes, both of our cats ARE insured! Good thing too, as the blood transfusions, bone marrow biopsies (including surgery), and endless blood tests have cost over £2000 in the past 6 weeks! LOL!

[candyshandy]

I've claimed about £8500 in 18 months!

[Tina]

Oh Wow! I hope my bills don't get that high! I think we can only claim £4000 a year for each cat for any one illness! I can manage the cost of the blood tests she now has once a month and the prednisone is pretty cheap, so not claiming anything else for the moment in case we get back into large expenses if she relapses! :-)

[Elaine]

http://www.felinecrf.org/persuading_cat_to_eat.htm#steroids

My old fella Winston was diagnosed with CRF at the age of 18 and a half, the vet also diagnosed spondilosis and put him on preds for this. The vet neglected to tell me that this should have been a short term treatment and never mantioned reducing the dosage and taking him off them. Winston went on until he was 21 years old, I changed vets twice and the last vet was the only one to comment on the use of preds with him but by that time and taking his age into account, it was felt that it would be more detrimental to take him off them. Towards the end, he had CRF and hyper tension, he went downhill pretty fast on his last week so the dreaded decision was made to set him free.

[Sasadams]

Hi Tina,

Our cat Charlie was diagnosed with anemia in December 2006 when he was 9 years old. He too was really poorly and needed a blood transfusion, luckily we also have his sister so she was the blood doner cat. He was put on prednisone and over time they reduced his tablets to 1 every 3 days and he was doing really well. He didn't quite have the energy he used to have but never the less was doing well. Then at the beginning of March this year he seemed not himself and within a couple of days really went downhill. We took him to the vet and they did a blood test and we found out he had no red blood cells left in his body! He was so ill and there was nothing more the vets could do for him and we had to make the sad decision to have him put to sleep, the hardest thing I've ever had to do but knew it was the right thing to do as his body was just giving up. Charlie was an older cat, whereas your cat is a lot younger and stronger and will hopefully respond well to the treatment. With the treatment he had Charlie was given an extra year of life he otherwise wouldn't have had which I am so grateful for.

Sarah

[tilly]

Buster is on 7.5mg of prednisolone for ashma and has been since july is last year he seem to be fine it just make him drink more andeat more. but other than that not problems he is also going to have to be on it for life. Been toa specialist who put him on preds and have also been to two other vets and he has just been checked by the new vets no mention of long term affects.
Tilly

[TomJerry]

Jerry has just turned 2 year old and diagnosed with IBD. Prescription Hills food done wonders for his skin condition but required medication too.

He is on Prednisolone 5mg per day (half am half pm) seems to help but not totally stabalised has sick days now and again.

He would have a pretty miserable life without it I feel as when he is feeding well he takes the medication fine and gains a bit of weight. Also seems to be a happier cat.

After 2 weeks on this dose because he did so well vet advised to reduce to half a tablet a day and immediately had a relapse so loath to change for now.