I have a 7 y/o Chihuahua mix weighing 11.5 pounds who was sick with a rash and fever in Feb that my previous Vet prescribed Cephalexin for. She was showing signs of lameness at that time but the Vet dismissed it as manipulative behavior. (Really?) The longer my dog took the antibiotic, the worse she became. She wouldn't eat or drink and was unable to stand after resting, but her fever had left. I took her to another Vet for a second opinion. She had fever that day so he put her on prednisone (5mg BID x 2 wks). After a week, she started improving. After she was weaned off the steroid, she did well for about 3 weeks then started declining again so I started her on Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM supplements. After 2 1/2 weeks, she started acting like her ole' self again but then experienced a sudden allergic reaction. She broke out in hives and her ears got red and swollen. The fever was back. The Vet put her back on the prednisone and insists that she has R.A. and will have to take the Prednisone the rest of her life. I think the allergice reaction was to an insect bite. She's outside a lot. She bounced back within 24 hours this time but I continued the steroid for 2 weeks as prescribed before her re-check. He has allowed me to wean her down to (1) 5mg a day, but insists I continue it for 4 more weeks then we can try 1/2 pill each day, eventually going to every other day. I worry about the longterm side effects of prednisone and feel the Glucosamine is working. He states that if we take her off the prednisone again and she has another relapse then there could be irreparable damage to internal organs. Should I insist on Xrays, or is a low-dose prednisone not harmful?