On ‘roids

Both of my dads are happy that I am in the tapering stages of Prednisone (AKA “Pred”) administration. Prednisone is a synthetic, steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. My vet/dad is using it as part of the therapy aiming to suppress my immune system from destroying my red blood cells (RBCs). Unfortunately, there are side effects of Prednisone that are both annoying to my caretakers and potentially unhealthy for multiple body systems. From a behavioral standpoint, I have am bouncing off of the walls! I won’t leave my Mr. Martian toy alone and love to squeak it until one of my dads then tosses it away for me to chase (see video below). [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uirFTxQ_kZM[/youtube] The Pred also makes me eat, drink, and urinate more. I constantly emptying my water bowl and usually make it outside to relieve my bulging bladder. From a health standpoint, the immunosuppressive effect of Pred makes me more prone to skin and urinary tract infections. Pred also causes liver cell inflammation, which my dad closely monitors for with regular blood tests. High dose or frequency of Pred administration can cause gastrointestinal abnormalities, like ulcers. Fortunately, I have only had to deal with a bacterial skin infection that resolved with antibiotic therapy. My dad is now starting to gradually taper my Pred dose and frequency. Ultimately, I will be taken off the medication over the next few weeks. I am also on an additional immunosuppressive medication, Azothiprine, which has lower potential than Pred to cause medical side effects. Also, it causes no behavioral side effects, so my dad is very glad that I can potentially stay on this drug as a long term means of controlling my immune system. I received both Pred and Azothioprine during my second occurrence of IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia). Ultimately, I was tapered off both of these drugs and remained symptom free for almost 10 months. To prevent another occurrence, I will likely continue to get a low dose and frequency of Azothioprine. Overall, I am doing great and am definitely showing signs of ongoing improvement. More adventures in the Los Angeles metro area to come soon.