[sogo712]

What dose of prednisone can I give my 55lb mixed breed dog that is 13 years old for leg pain?

[labman]

Even if you have some on hand, I would check with your vet first. Prednisone is a powerful drug and needs the supervision of a medical professional as do all prescription drugs.

[RubyPitbull]

I am sorry but I cannot condone giving a dog any drug without it being prescribed by a vet for a specific problem. If your vet prescribed prednisone, and you lost the dosage info, call the vets office. A phone call won't cost you anything.

Prednisone is one of those drugs that I am very wary of with any animal. It is used in veterinary medicine but you need to be aware of the many negative side effects this steroidal drug can cause your dog. If your dog is suffering from arthritis, there is another, much more effective arthritis drug that vets are using now. I cannot recall the name of it at the moment, but the people I know that have used it on their older dogs have raved about how well their dogs have responded, and they are walking and acting like younger dogs again. Maybe one of our other members knows the name of the drug. If the name comes back to me, I will post back.

[labman]

I am sure the vets know the name.

[RubyPitbull]

I remember the name. It is Metacam. Another is Rimadyl. They are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. My friend's 13 year pitbull mix made a 180 degree turnaround on the Metacam. If the problem is that the vet charges too much for meds, you can ask the vet to give you the prescription and order them from online pet discount sites. I like Bullwrinkle's website for discounts on those drugs. Here is a link: Merial Metacam Dog Pain Medication! Save 40% On Metacam 100ml, 32ml and 10ml Dosage, canine metacam, dog metacam