Is this going to hurt her?

[Glacier]

There are some risks with long term use of any medication including pred. She will likely need regular liver panels at least if she has to stay on the medication for life.

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library...one/page1.aspx
Here's a link with some pretty easy to read info on the use and risks of prednisone.

My Sleet used to take prednisone for allergies in the summer. She had such radical side effects that we found a different medication. Still a steriod, chemically very similar to prednisone, but Sleet processes it differently. It's not quite as effective or as quick in relieving her symptoms, but she has no negative reactions to it.

My Goldie is on pain control medication for life. It is quite likely that eventually the pills will damage her liver. She gets blood work every six months. Without the pills, she was a miserable creature who lived in isolation and was unpredictably aggressive. Goldie's life is likely to be shorter because of the pills. I'd rather have her live a shorter, happy, pain free life than a miserable long life.

You need to talk to your vet and decide if the risks are worth it. What's the reward for you and the dog in using the meds? Is her quality of life improved with the medication?

[coco-bean]

Is this something that could be genetic? I mean could her parents passed it off to her, the people we got her from had been breeding yellow labs for 8 years, problem free! or is it just every so often dogs have this happen? Im worried...i mean com'on how likely out of 10 or 11 pups that we just happen to grab the one that has health issues that cost us hundreds? haha, thats just the luck huh!
Edit: Im kinda curious as to why they just cant give us medicine to clear up whatever she has? I know this is to help her inflamation but it's not making it go away, there has to be something to just cure it!!
Out of all the dogs in the world, i can not be the only owner who has had this problem!!!

[coco-bean]

Another question...What do you think about maybe a Protein suppliment? Like a vitamin sorta...that she can take instead of taking meds. If a protein deficiency was the problem, maybe a suppliment would be better for her?