I have searched for information on side effects (from the company), but cannot find any. I can only find information from other posters who have had similar problems.
In the meantime, what did we do? How long will this last? Should I call a holistic vet (none in my area)? Do activated charcoal? How much, how often and how do I get him to eat it? Please help.
Thank you.
Yorkie Mom (Indian Wells, Ca) on 03/30/2017
I have a 12 year old male Yorkie. He has always been a strong alpha dog. I've had him on an organic diet of meats and veggies for some years. He's one of those dogs that will eat anything and is always hungry. I had his senior checkup with blood test and X-ray at 11 yrs, all checked out well, though they said his liver was a little large. Recently had his 12 yr check up (new vet) and blood work done to have his teeth cleaned, again all good but he had developed a yeast both internally and externally and in the past 6 months had developed many skin warts. He has yeast breath, ears, skin, paw pads and raspy breathing (congested sounding) I took him to another new vet (local) and started with anti fungal shampoo.
He wanted to administer a cortisone shot but I resisted and wanted to try shampoo, Benadryl, plus Turmeric, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar in his food and go to just meats and green veggies. He got worse and was constantly restless and itchy and neither of us could get sleep. Back to the vet, anal glands flushed and this time a cortisone shot. Still has raspy breathing.
The shot provided some relief, more water drinking and urinating and I continued on the frequent antifungal shampoos. About 4 weeks later, he became very ill, 2 days of vomiting and diarrhea, became so dehydrated, I had to rush him to emergency (weekend of course) where he was given meds to control the vomiting and diarrhea and I've fluids. After getting ahold of his regular vet, he kept him for 5 days. Did X-rays, blood work, ultrasound - all clear with high white blood cell count indicating infection and high amount of new red blood cells. No clear reason as to what happen - no tumors, no cancer, no Cushings, no answers. I asked if it could be related to the cortisone shot with a answer of no. Stayed on fluids and antibiotics, back home with antibiotics for 7 days. A week later, yeast flare up as the shot had worn off and antibiotics didn't help, back to excessive scratching and sleepless nights. Back to the vet for a cortisone shot, it's been about 5 weeks now since the first, he gives a "low dose". Over the next 4 days, I have a zombie dog, lethargic, constant sleeping, excessive water drinking and urination, urine leakage, loss of appetite, refusal to walk outside, weeping eyes, still has raspy respiratory, tonight he vomited his dinner and no evening bowel movement. I added to his diet today - boiled chicken with cooked green beans, a mixture of pumpkin/apple/ginger/vitamins for digestive issues, added immunity blend of midicinal mushroom and a digestive enzyme with probiotics. Collidial silver to his water and a little later, a tiny bit of goat cheese with the charcoal powder in it. Maybe too much at once? I'm lost with what to do. I've read numerous comments here and I feel I have done wrong with the shots but he was in agony with itching. I know the shots are a band aid, was just hoping to calm his skin down enough to address the yeast internally with stronger natural protocol. The vet knew how reluctant I was about the shot but said it was a great drug when well managed.
What can I do now? How do I address the yeast internally that I am not already doing? Help, I can't lose him. Is there a way to test dogs for nutritional deficiencies and food sensitivities through blood work as they do with humans? My Naturopath ordered a nutritional analysis through a blood draw to the lab? Help please.
Cortisone Shots Can Also Be Good Jutta (Machias, Maine) on 12/20/2016
My dog has a lesion on lower spine and suffers greatly without a cortisone shot. She does not have a good chance of recovery and the shot makes her feel normal for a week til the next one. It buys her some time with a good quality of life. It won't last forever I know. Good for now.
Cortisone Shot - Possible Seizures and Stroke Side Effects Sandi (Youngstown, Oh ) on 09/02/2016
Not really sure if there is a connection here but I had two separate dogs of two separate breeds get cortisone shots for the disks in their backs, now the 1st dog (mini schnauzer) was fine for over a year after, until he started having seizures. The vet then gave him another shot for the swelling in the brain and he passed away a little less than 2 wks later. Now about a week ago my 2nd dog (American bulldog/pitbull mix) she is 13 yrs old and I noticed her having difficulty with her back legs. The vet also said it was her disks and gave her a shot and a prescription for methocarbamol. Then a week later she has a stroke. Please tell me if there seems to be a connection here. He also gave her another shot for the swelling in her brain after the stroke. I would really like to know if I am making a mistake going to this guy.
Cortisone Shot Side Effects? Nancy (Stratford, Ct) on 08/30/2016
My 5 yr old dog had bad skin itching and redness. Took her to vet who gave her a cortisone shot and cortisone pills 2 x daily for 5 days. Have now noticed that she is urinating at times when in my lap or I am holding her. Can this be from the cortisone?
Should I Be Treating Waning Symptoms of Cortisone Shot Side Effects? Jay (Phoenix, Az) on 08/11/2016
Hi, I have a boxer 3yrs old, and about 3 weeks ago she got bit on the tail nub and was licking it. It got irritated and sore, so we took her to vet. Vet gave her a cortisone shot and all good, until last week when she started having seizures and foaming a little at the mouth. After a minute or so she seems fine again. This has happened on 3 different occasions. Could this be due to the cortisone and since it's almost out of her system, should we just watch her close or try some charcoal to get the toxins out of her system?
Cortisone Shot Side Effects in Scottie Dog Peatstack (Isle Of Skye) on 06/21/2016
My dog had inflammation around a scar that was hurting her, so the vet injected her with cortisone, (she's a scottie dog - short, black) - walks to the jacked-up pickup truck and jumps in to the cab. I get her home, she can't walk with her right hind leg. By the next morning, her leg was getting cold and she was bleeding from her behind and in her pee. Now she's at the vet for observation; I expect I'll have to be putting her down tomorrow - as I don't expect this to get better when the cortisone wears off. I had no idea it could cause embolisms and kill a dog so quickly... or I wouldn't have casually let her get that injection... I had some myself in my foot tendon and it really helped.
Cortisone Shot Side Effects Dandylion (Ky) on 06/04/2016
Subcutaneous Emphysema, after cortisone injection.....could it have been the cause?
My 14 y/o chihuahua mix has snored for years and had raspy breathing at times, I wrote it off to asthma. My son and I have it too. Two weeks ago it got much worse, really loud snoring, more raspy breathing at times and sometimes if he ate too fast he would gag and throw up all his food, until I started giving smaller portions more times a day. Anyway last week I took him to the vet. He said it was not asthma, it was a problem with his trachea....my 16 y/o chihuahua coughs and gags ever since surgery a couple years ago, most likely caused by the intubation, vet then put him on Temeral-P 1/4 pill a day and I don't even have to give it every day to control his cough. It sounded logical to me, as they get older the esophagus gets "floppy" is the way I put it. This vet gave my dog an injection of steroids, I heard him say Venalog or Kenalog, in the back of the neck and Temeril-P 1/2 tab twice a day, which is more than I give my other chihuahua and he weighs more. Anyway 2 days later I noticed a puffiness across my dogs chest and the next day his face looks fuller, by the following Thurs, which was 5 days later, when we woke up he had a knot on his head that crackled when I rubbed it. The vet saw him again to explain that the shot did not cause any of this, this was called subcutaneous emphysema, air/gas under the skin, x-ray confirmed it. Had to take to another clinic for a digital x-ray, still don't know what it wrong. They are saying using a puncture wound letting air get trapped, or intubation, or a tear in the windpipe. Both vets seem to think it is a cancer mass causing the air to leak. My dog still eats, drinks and pees alots but that is because of the cortisone shot, no more extra loud snoring, no labored breathing. The most disturbing thing is the bubble on his head, cheeks and neck that crackles. I am not going to let them put him to sleep to do an MRI or endoscopy as long as he is not in distress and possibly kill him. From what I've read this subcutaneuous emphysema can dissipate on it's own, it is not getting any bigger, he is already 14 y/o, he did have a hoarse voice when he barked, but it has gotten better. I can't help but think the shot is what started this, even though the vet says it couldn't, over and over he said it couldn't. I'm out another $130 for additional tests as a result of new symptoms since his initial visit. The vet is very good and I really like him, he didn't charge me for the x-ray he took, but sent me to his other facility to get a digital so he could possibly see more.
No one will admit if something they do causes additional problems, except my vet that retired who told me that my other chihuahua's esophageal problem was most likely caused by the removal of the intubation tube because there was a complication and he almost died on the table. If anyone knows any reason for subcutaneous emphysema, air/gas trapped under the skin that crackles when pressed, please let me know. I sure hope I lost my dog last year to lung cancer and would not have known that if I had not had a necropsy done...three vets in three days told me seizures, congestive heart failure, after $500 of EKG and heart meds (took one dose before passing), x-rays, heart worm tests, CBC. On day 4, he passed away and the necropsy showed lung cancer at 9 y/o.
Should I Give Charcoal to Dog Who is Reacting to a Cortisone Shot? Peppie (Bradenton, Fl) on 06/01/2016
On Tuesday 5/24/16, My 4 1/2yo bluenose pitbull got his shots after skipping 1y. He got 3yr vaccines for everything including rabies except bordatella bc he HATES the vet visit and is aggressive toward other animals anyway so he was muzzled. He has allergies and had spots of hair loss, some sores and an odor so he got a shot for itching and antibiotic pills to take for 2wks. Needless to say he was extremely stressed by the visit. I gave him his monthly heart worm med, heart guard, the next day. On Thursday night I noticed he was laying on the bathroom floor which he never does. He was acting very odd, almost scared. I took him outside she seemed fine. He had been drinking a lot more water and peeing A LOT more. Back inside he acted strange the rest of the night and intermittently over the next day or so. He continued to drink tons and pee tons while not eating a whole lot. Tuesday night 5/31/16, he even peed in the house. He has also been panting a lot while at rest. At times he seems to be getting better but then I thought that before but he displayed symptoms again. Upon reading a few articles, the closest thing sounds like cortisone reaction. They say charcoal is the remedy. I don't know if he warrants administration of charcoal or not or if he is in any danger warranting intervention or not.
Side Effects of Cortisone Shots Jaya (Dubai ) on 03/16/2016
Side Effect - I wish I had time to read this site on side effects of cortisone before it was administered to my poor baby. I have a 1 year old french bulldog, bruno. On 12th March 2016 we took him to our local vet to vaccinate him for rabies and distemper. He took the 2 shots like a brave little boy and our vet even listed the side effects of both. As soon as we reached the parking lot, he vomits all over the back seat of my car. We ran in and called the doctor who immediately scooped him up and took him back inside. Unfortunately, without giving us too much info on what he was about to do - he administered Cortisone shot. Bruno seemed dazed after that but we thought it was because he was weak and so brought him home. He hasnt been the same since then. He drank almost 3 liters of water in 24 hours and accidentally pees all over the house. Even though he is house trained. We punished him yesterday but didn't for one second think it was the cortisone effect. Then last night I stumbled upon this site and realized the side effects match Bruno's current situation. We've called our vet's office 3 times since morning - still waiting to hear back. Why dont they list pros and cons before administering cortisone? Surely as pet parents we have a say in this matter? Im really dreading what the results will be and Im praying whatever it is - is temporary.
Serious Cortisone Shot Side Effects on Young Dog Ryan (Lebanon) on 02/12/2016
My vet prescribed my dog an anti-histamine that contained 0.25 mg of Dexamethasone for an allergy my 1 year old female American Pit Bull Terrier was having (pimples and rashes on chest and chin). He had her on two pills (morning and night) for 10 days. After the 10 days elapsed the pimples and rash somewhat dried up. I had no idea what I was really giving my dog and boy do I regret it tremendously. After about a week the pimples and rashes returned. He told me to put her back on the anti-histamine (called Histamed-F), and after about 2 days all hell broke loose. My dog started drinking excessively and subsequently urinating constantly, it goes without saying she urinated in the house more times then I can count. I discontinued the medication and called my vet immediately. He called me in for a blood test and told me her blood sugar was very high (around 300) and that she either has diabetes or Cushing's disease. Bear in mind this is a 1 year old American Pit bull that gets at least an hour of high activity everyday, running, swimming, hiking, and play dates in the garden on almost a daily basis. I feed her grain free food as well (recently switched to raw as to keep down sugar levels). So as you can imagine this was devastatingly shocking for me. He then performed an ACTH stimulation test by injecting her with some more hormones (again I was an uneducated person wanting my dog to get better), to see the reaction of her adrenal glands. It turned out negative. It has now been 2 weeks after the shot and all medication was stopped and my dog is still officially diabetic (sugar level still at the 300 mark). I've left the old vet and the numerous opinions I've received since are to wait for some time longer to see if the drugs administered are the reason for her current state. I know for a fact that they absolutely are. The question now is did they permanently damage my dog or is this something that could in fact be temporary. This agonizing wait for answers and for my dog to get better is making me lose hope on a daily basis. Whatever ends up happening, I will never ever allow any use of steroids in my dog unless she is on the brink of death. Cause nothing can warrant what is happening to my dog now, especially not a measly skin infection.
Seeking Help for Cortisone Shot Side Effects Janette (Dover, Tn) on 02/08/2016
I took my Bassett Baby Girl in for a sprained paw...yes she is 12 but still ran and played and rolled on the floor...They gave her a cortizone shot....10 days later...her hip had lost muscle mass and she could not walk good. Her hip kept giving out on her. Took her back to vet and they did xray. They said she had a bad disc. They put her on steroids and temadol for pain. I believe the shot did the damage to her hip. Until the shot Baby Girl never had any issues. She was healthy as a horse. I have to place a towel under her pelvic area to help her up to do her business. I researched and had to put her on pepcid to stop medicine from upsetting her stomach and I put her on milk of magnesia to help her go to the bathroom without straining herself. Now she won't eat...pain meds taking her appitite but she has to have them. I feed her baby food through a syringe. She is depressed. I am ordering her a furbaby wheelchair as soon as my taxes come in this week. She has grit and has not given up and I am not going to give up either. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Cortisone Shot Side Effects in Cat Adam T (Wa Australia) on 08/25/2015
Cortisone killed my cat. Had a growth is his throat which was tiny, got bigger I think due to an injection given to him by a home vet . I think once it got air all the cells spread and got bigger. Despite this he was still his normal self and played outside and ate heaps etc. Heaps of energy. The first shot he stemmed fine . Had another shot a week later. That was the end of him. The next day he wasn't making any noise and just slept all day. During the next few days he was really bad , not eating, not moving, looking depressed and rapid breathing. One night he could barely sit up, drooped over. The 4th day his body split open , looked like a burst tumor. My boy went berserk with the " immunisation " never seen him like that. He must have known that was going to be his downfall. The cortisone set him off and I know for a fact that was what made him Real sick because he changed completely for the worse after it.
Cortisone is horrible. Don't get it for your pet. It kills them.
