why is my dog swollen?

[janiegrl48]

My 11 yr old toy poodle  was diagnosed with copd last month. He is currently on prednisone and theophylline. For the past couple of weeks, his belly has been very distended and hard to the touch. This is making his breathing more difficult. He is slightly overweight, so I have cut down his food intake. He drinks about the same amount of water that he always did, even thought the prednisone is supposed to increase his thirst. He is releiving himself regularly. His last checkup last month the vet told me that he had a good heart. What could be the reason for his swelling?

[Justine Lee, D.V.M., DACVECC]

Yes, a lot of what you are describing are signs of chronic Prednisone therapy - muscle wasting to the belly, a pot-bellied appearance, an enlarged liver as Dr. Coyner stated, increased thirst/appetite/urination/panting, etc. I'd start with a thorough physical exam at your vet, and some blood work (he'll likely have increased liver function tests - ALK PHOS) from being on chronic prednisone. They can also do x-rays or even an ultrasound if necessary to see what's going on with the abdomen.

If he truly has COPD, it's imperative to keep him "skinny" and his weight down - extra weight is a large amount of strain on the heart and respiratory system (resulting in pulmonary hypertension or "cor pulmonale."). Good luck!

[Kimberly Coyner, D.V.M., DACVD]

Potential causes for abdominal distention include an enlarged liver (due to prednisone), a mass/tumor, or fluid accumulation in the belly. An xray can be performed to find the cause for the swelling. You may want to consult with an internal medicine specialist (go to www.acvim.org to find one in your area, or ask your veterinarian for a referral) for other options to help his respiratory disease which may not have as many side effects as prednisone.
Good luck,
Kimberly Coyner, DVM DACVD