Heart murmur after Prednisone in dogs

The FDA has received 90 reports of heart murmur in dogs after Prednisone. That is 1.0% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.2% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

90Reports

83%Marked serious

5.6%Recovered

40%Died or euthanised

18 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

13 21%

1–2 days

4 6.5%

3–7 days

6 9.7%

1–4 weeks

14 23%

Over a month

25 40%

How the animals did

Recovered

4 4.4%

Recovered with lasting effects

1 1.1%

Still unwell when reported

29 32%

Died

14 16%

Euthanised

22 24%

Not known

20 22%

Problems reported at the same time

43 48%

42 47%

37 41%

35 39%

33 37%

30 33%

26 29%

23 26%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Prednisone reduces inflammation and immune activity.

Steroids commonly cause increased thirst, urination and appetite, especially at higher doses.

Questions owners ask

Can Prednisone cause heart murmur in dogs?: 90 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 18 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Heart murmur with similar medicines

Heart murmur after Dexamethasone 26 reports · 1.0% of its reports

All reported side effects of Prednisone in dogs · Medicines most reported with heart murmur