Macrolone Side Effects

[kimgnz]

Hi All,

I am hopng I can find some information to help me out. My Labrador is currently on Macrolone tablets to help with some skin irritation he has. He has been on them for 4 days and yesterday and today we really noticed some changes in him. The vet warned us that he will be hungrier but to be honest with him being a labrador this is not a side effect we have noticed! He seems very flat and lethargic and has also been drinking and urinating excessively (and pooping - 4 stops on tonights walk).

I am very concerned about him at the moment.. to give you some history. 2 weeks ago he had a grand mal seizure, our vet ran some tests which came back showing he was pretty healthy and we were told to keep an eye on him and let the vet know when/if he has another seizure. We then gave him a bath later that day as he had pooped and peed during the seizure and had been lying in it for a bit.. I now think this is what has caused the skin irritation as he started scratching after and it got steadily worse. (We wont be using the same shampoo again - The vet has given us some oatmeal shampoo to try for next time)

So I am hopeful that the lethargy etc are related to the macrolone. I haven't had any lucking googling for marcolone side effects so I am hoping someone on here might know..

Thanks,

Kim

[emilee]

Macrolone is micronised prednisone which is a corticosteroid, side effects listed below

• Side effects seen in dogs include polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, poor haircoat, GI disturbance, diarrhea, vomiting, weight gain, GI ulceration, pancreatitis, lipidemia, elevated liver enzymes, diabetes mellitus, muscle wasting, and possible behavioral changes such as lethergy or hyperactivity.

• Polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia may be seen in dogs even on short-term therapy.

• Corticosteroids can cause or worsen gastric ulcers.

[Athena GSD]

Hi kimgnz,

It is hard to say what the cause of the lethargy is. Macrolone is one of the many trade names for the steroid drug prednisalone or prednisone. Try googling either one of these and you will find a lot of information.

This group of drugs basically supplies cortisone to the body. Its desirable effect is reducing inflammation but it commonly causes your dog to drink, eat, poo and urinate more. They can also put on weight. Long term use can cause hyperadrenocorticism, an excess of cortisone. This would be very unlikely in only 4 days of use. The really important thing is to NOT SUDDENLY STOP treatment because as you give the dog cortisone its own natural supply reduces. You must wean them off it gradually to allow the body to increase its production.

If you have concerns about your dog I would strongly advise you to contact your vet and discuss any problems with them. I would never change a dosage of medication or treat your own dog without talking to your vet first.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

[kimgnz]

Hi Athena and Emilee,

Thank you for your responses. I am going to give our vet a call this morning. I think I am extra worried about him at the moment because of the seizure and its just so sad seeing him so lethargic when he is normally so bouncy.

Thanks again,

Kim

[aniangel]

prednisone is known to alter moods in humans and dogs, due to the fact that it is a drug that crosses the blood/brain barrier, but that is usually a side effect of long-term usage. i would double check with your vet, escpecially since you don't know what caused the seizure....