Dog, steroids & cats

[AwkwardPaws27]

We introduced our cocker spaniel to the family last year (he is 11 months). He started off doing really well with the cats; we used baby gates to give the cats the whole of upstairs as a peaceful space, used lots of treats for cats & pup when they were calm around each other. Older cat kept her distance as pup is understandably bouncy, but would walk past him if he was in his bed / laying down. Younger cat regularly got in bed with pup & washed him...
Pup has been unwell for a couple of months & been diagnosed with IMPA. He is being treated with high dose steroids. He spent a week in hospital, has developed some separation anxiety and now wants to chase the cats & barks at them.
Unfortunately he chased them a couple of times when he came home (we were too lax as he had been so good before, big regrets!), and the cats now run and sit behind the stairgate when they see him. They will sit on the stairs a few feet from him, so are wary rather than really scared.
Has anyone had any luck reintroducing an adolescent dog to cats? Beyond preventing chasing & reinforcing good behaviour with treats, is there anything I can do?
I don't know if the behaviour changes will resolve once he is weaned off the steroids, but he's such a different dog now, so anxious & barky.

I can't give any advice about the chasing cats unfortunately.

But BiteyDog has had many vet admissions and also a period on a very high dose of steroid which did affect his behaviour.

We were warned about thirst and hunger on steroids but not behavioural issues where he would stand in the corridor and bark anxiously. That stopped after we stopped the steroids.

We also have had behavioural issues after admissions including anxiety. To be honest we still have some of those issues but manage them as best we can.

Sorry I don't have any real practical advice but just wanted to say I sympathise.

Steroids can change behaviour, but in my experience (dog with IMT) hyper/reactive behaviour settles as the dose reduces.

My lovely gentle boy had a fight with our older dog when he was on the highest dose after a week in a specialist hospital. I was devastated and we had to keep them apart with dog gates, which was tough as they were actually very bonded and it did make them unhappy, but we couldn’t take the risk. Vet said classic ‘Roid Rage’.

His dose was tapered very slowly, with several set-backs/relapses along the way, but once we reached alternate day dosing he was back to himself. He was eventually kept on low dose steroids with another med alongside them. He was ill for just shy of 2 years before we lost him. The fight was first week out of hospital and thankfully, they never had another fight and life settled back to normal.

Thank you both so much. No one had mentioned behaviour changes as a side effect, I found some mention online but hearing first hand experience is really reassuring.
AwkwardPup is on limited exercise (due to the IMPA) so trying to use kongs & puzzle feeders to keep him mentally stimulated.
We'll keep managing/preventing interaction with the cats very carefully, and hopefully once he Is off the steroids or on a lower dose he'll be back to his usual happy self.

@AwkwardPaws27 If you are on FB, I can highly recommend this support group. It was initially set up for people with dogs that have IMHA, but also supports people whose dogs have other AI diseases. I have a seen a few with IMPA on there. They are really knowledgeable and supportive. I would never have got through my boy’s illness without them.

No one had mentioned behaviour changes as a side effect, I found some mention online but hearing first hand experience is really reassuring

Yes we weren't prepared for the behaviour change either. Coupled with the hunger and being 'off his head' on steroids that was when ours wolfed down a rag which we didn't know about until it caused an obstruction and needed emergency surgery

Thank you Dizzy, I'll check out that group.

Oh no Bitey! I'm keeping a close eye on him - he had diarrhoea last week and I do wonder if he wolfed down something he shouldn't have.