Is it okay for your cat to take Predisone for a long period of time?

Question

And if she takes it, is it harmful for her to miss a long period of time and then restart the medication?

Answer 1

Prednisolone can be quite harmful over time. The benefits must outweigh the risks. Why is your cat on it? This should be discussed with your vet. My dog was on it for many years to help with congestive heart failure. But it has to be carefully monitored by your vet., and other meds. may need to be prescribed along with it. Their may be a danger of water retention, so a separate water pill may have to be prescribed. In any case, it can be helpful to your pet, but like I said, it has to be carefully monitored. And yes, to stop the pred. it has to be gradually stepped down. Best to discuss this with your vet.

Answer 2

They gain so much weight while on it, even just two weeks can have their fat build up quidkly. There won't be firmness to it either, they'll feel smushy like a water balloon.

Vets don't recommend long periods of time for this, and you can't suddenly stop it either or the cat could have reactions (it also could trigger a diabetic condition in some cats). It has to be slowly weaned off gradually.

This is a steroid, and long term steroid use isn't good for any creature, humans included. It's best done under a vet's supervision. Anything longer than 2 months should be seriously questioned.

We had one cat on it for 2 weeks because of an asthma problem - it did very well clearing it up for her. And another cat was on it for a little over 2 months for a food allergy problem, who turned diabetic within a week of being taken off his last doseage. This is quite a common occurance, the diabetes thing.

Answer 3

Steroid treatments for any ailment are extremely sensitive and should be avoided if at all possible. Long term prednisone treatment should be the absolute last resort after a long string of second opinions and other options.

This question that you ask lacks about six paragraphs of information that would be required to give you a truly useful answer, therefor I suggest you schedule a consultation with your vet to discuss WHY you're giving the Pred, WHAT the side effects are, and HOW you can get your cat off of it if it is possible to do so.

Answer 4

Two or three weeks is long enuf. They can take it again after a while, 2-3 months , if they need to. The only thing you have to watch is DON'T just stop the medication. They have to be taken off slowly. If they have been on 1 pill aday for a couple of days give them a pill every other day for a couple of days, then 1/2 pill a day for a couple of days. Then 1/2 pill once a week and then you can quit. Sudden withdrawal can cause

Answer 5

If an animal is on steroids it is dangerous to stop the medication suddenly. The animal needs to be weaned off - under veterinary direction.

As to the long term effects, it depends on the cat's age, condition and health status and what the meds are being taken for. Prednisolone is not really for long term use.

Please direct these questions at the vet surgeon who has prescribed the medication as s/he is the only one in a position to give you the answers relevant to your cat.

Chalice

EDIT: Please do NOT take dosage advice from strangers over the internet. Only follow the advise of the prescribing surgeon.

Answer 6

No, not for extended periods of time.
Prednisone is a steroid, and is usually used to calm some type of inflammation.

Once whatever you're treating clears up, the animal is taken off the prednisone, but may have to begin taking it again if
the condition returns.

So- it's actually better to have "long breaks" from prednisone.

Answer 7

Maybe you could try to ween it off of her. Maybe it would do nothing. You never know becase those chemicals combinded create an unstable atom.

Answer 8

I don't think it is that harmful. She can get sick easier because it weakens the immune system. It also can cause weight gain.