Jump to content

Side Effects Of Dexamathasone Injection?


Recommended Posts

What should I be expecting? The vet mentioned extra drinking and peeing and eating, but I haven't seen any of those things yet.

 

Sam had an injection today. He hasn't been taking any anti-inflammatory meds since February (he has an ulcer). He's been taking gabapentin, methocarbamol, and tramadol to control his arthritis pain, but he's been waking up with very heavy panting.

 

His legs are moving better since the injection, and he's got better rear-end control when he stands and walks--much less wobbly.

 

Unfortunately, that's not really where the pain is. His problem seems to be higher up his back, at about T10, and he's just awakened with more of the heavy panting. (And he had his dinnertime pain meds 3 hours ago--but didn't actually eat any dinner. Skipping a meal now and then is not unusual for him, and he'll get more meds and more kibble in a couple of hours.)

 

Mind you, when he isn't lying there panting (something that happens a few times a day, but doesn't last very long), he's blissfully asleep, or walking out back with Silver and me, or trying to find peanut butter crackers to eat. He can be sound asleep, but if he hears cellophane rustling, he'll be at your side in seconds. The periods of panting are a very small part of his day. But he's not panting from heat: no tongue lolling out, and he's lying in front of a fan. Gums and tongue have good color, and his breathing is good--no sign of "roaring" when he breathes. His appetite for treats (though not for kibble) is still excellent, and he gets excited when he sees neighbors on our walks. There's just that heavy breathing--lasting for 10 minutes or so each time--that might happen two or three times a day. He's peeing and pooping fine.

 

I'm afraid we're getting to the end of what we can do for my old boy...

15060353021_97558ce7da.jpg
Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and
Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come.

Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016),
darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've seen the drinking, peeing, and eating. Not much else in the way of negative side effects.

 

But :grouphug

 

I have one in the same boat. :(

Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13), Grey Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09)
Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's not the tramadol. He's been taking it without a problem for a couple of years.

 

And, even when doped, Sam has a place on his spine that he reacts to when the vet tweaks it.

15060353021_97558ce7da.jpg
Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and
Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come.

Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016),
darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sam ate every bite of breakfast and lunch. I have room to increase his tramadol, so I'm giving him one in between mealtimes if it seems like a good idea.

 

His back legs are better thanks to the shot. But he's still not resting better--largely because he needs to go out to pee every couple of hours. :(

 

I'm just hoping that this one shot will calm things down in terms of his back pain.

 

I've just mailed off the written prescriptions for heartworm meds and thyroid meds to get refills for Sam. It's sort of an act of faith--that he'll still be around to use them.

15060353021_97558ce7da.jpg
Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and
Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come.

Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016),
darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we've reached the end with Sam. About an hour and a half ago, I gave him an extra gabapentin and a tramadol. He's not a dog that's had trouble with tramadol making him pant, but he can't get comfortable and he's panting heavily.

 

He still eats well. He still pops up to go out when I open the back door. He still comes and leans against me to be petted.

 

But he's not sleeping, he's spending more and more time each day awake and heavily panting (despite being maxed out on his meds). His breath reeks of ammonia. The steroid injection he had Monday has helped with his back legs, so he's able to rise more easily--but it hasn't had any impact on the pain that keeps him awake and panting. And we're not even sure what the pain is. There's some back pain (arthritis or disk), but I don't think that's the trouble since it seems to be a problem even when he's stretched out as comfortably as he can manage.

 

I wanted Sam to give me a clear-cut signal: to stop eating, stop getting up for trips outside. Or even just to not wake up one morning. Or wake up with legs that don't work. That's not happening, and perhaps that's best since it means I haven't waited too long. There are still things he enjoys. Those events are just hemmed in by too much pain.

 

But he's not going to get better, and god help me, but I can't let him get worse. I owe him better than that. Even if he should feel better in the morning, he doesn't deserve another night like this one.

 

He's stopped panting for now, but he's not sleeping. It's a quarter to two in the morning, and he's just lying there, watching me.

 

9461704224_9676aa5835.jpg

Earlier this evening...

 

I'll call his vet in the morning.

15060353021_97558ce7da.jpg
Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and
Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come.

Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016),
darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am so sorry. I think the ammonia smell has something to do with kidney failure, but others with way more knowledge will chime in soon. I went through something similar and it is so very hard. His body gave out before his spirit. My thoughts are with you.

gallery_16605_3214_8259.jpg

Cindy with Miss Fancypants, Paris Bueller, Zeke, and Angus 
Dante (Dg's Boyd), Zoe (In a While), Brady (Devilish Effect), Goose (BG Shotgun), Maverick (BG ShoMe), Maggie (All Trades Jax), Sherman (LNB Herman Bad) and Indy (BYB whippet) forever in my heart
The flame that burns the brightest, burns the fastest and leaves the biggest shadow

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:( I'm so sorry he isn't better. My heart goes out to you.

 

Does he have a history of kidney disease?

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in April, the vet called it "a kidney insufficiency." Not actually kidney failure, but lab numbers that were worse than the previous time on an old dog with aging kidneys. (Sam is 13.)

 

The ammonia smell was bad for a while back in April (it's why I took him in for lab work), not so bad for a while, and now is pretty constant when he's panting. But there hasn't been a problem with peeing when he shouldn't or drinking more than usual, or anything like that. Other than Monday evening (thru Tuesday morning), I didn't even see the increased thirst and peeing I expected from the dexamethasone shot. (The shot helped with his back legs for a couple of days, but his legs are wobbly and troublesome this morning.)

 

We both eventually fell asleep for a couple of hours last night (I was awake until nearly 5am), but he's awake and panting heavily already, and he woke me up about 15 minutes ago. Last night after 11:30, he had a methocarbamol, two tramadol, and three gabapentin, and he still didn't get comfortable enough to sleep until after 3:30. His legs are worse than they were yesterday, and he's having trouble picking up his back legs enough to get them turned the way he wants so he can lie down. He's had breakfast and just had his morning pills (two gabapentin, one tramadol, one methocarbamol, and his thyroid pill), and I'm hoping he'll rest a while until I can call the vet's office at 8. I'm not sure what time his regular vet gets in today, but I'd like him to be there if it's possible. But if the timing is bad, another vet will do. There's no one there that Sam doesn't adore.

Edited by KF_in_Georgia

15060353021_97558ce7da.jpg
Kathy and Q (CRT Qadeer from Fuzzy's Cannon and CRT Bonnie) and
Jane (WW's Aunt Jane from Trent Lee and Aunt M); photos to come.

Missing Silver (5.19.2005-10.27.2016), Tigger (4.5.2007-3.18.2016),
darling Sam (5.10.2000-8.8.2013), Jacey-Kasey (5.19.2003-8.22.2011), and Oreo (1997-3.30.2006)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Will be keeping you and your brave boy in my thoughts.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm so sorry. My thoughts are with you and Sam.

Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13), Grey Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09)
Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...