Dog's muscle wasting due to Steroids use. How to get it back?

[carolinagirl58]

Some may remember last month my Pit Bull Bailey injured her neck and had to go on Steroids. Well, her neck problem is 100% better, but she has lost a lot of muscle mass, a side effect from the steroids. It happend really quickly and I took her off the steroids early because I didn't like the way it was affecting her. She was in the wean-off stage anyway and is fully recovered so I felt like it was the best thing to do for her. Bailey has always looked like a male pit bull because of her muscle mass. Now, even the muscles on her head and cheeks are nearly gone. I can actually feel her skull and jaw bones. I can slide her collar right over her head now! She still looks good and feels GREAT, but this loss of muscle has me concerned. Now that she is off steroids, will the muscle return? Or will it at least stop declining now that she's off steroids?

 

[Orchid]

I would think her muscle will start to come back as she starts using her head and neck more normally again. If she likes to play fetch, the motions of the game should help with that. Glad she is feeling better!

 

[carolinagirl58]

She loves to play fetch. I just don't want her playing too hard yet. She hates chew-toys unless she is able to destroy them. She loves rawhide but I won't let her have it because it's dangerous. Maybe a nice deer bone to chew on would help muscle her head back up. Her legs still look pretty good, but you can tell she's lost muscle tone there too. She loves running so much. We used to run her on the side of the road (very secluded road in the country) but quit doing that after she cut her foot once. I wonder if she'd enjoy running on a treadmill? I know many dogs do. I might buy one and see if she likes it.

 

[SillyChicken]

start working her, walking, playing, chewing. Just like any body builder, you have to work the muscles to build them up. Set up a flirt pole for her or play tug, thats' a good muscle builder for neck, shoulder and jaw muscles.