Anxiety medication

[SteffiS]

Toffee is having a particularly difficult week, it’s a combination of a bitch in season somewhere local (I don’t actually know this but his howling in the early morning makes me think this ), sudden rise in the number of walkers with groups of dogs, and a growing number of entire male dogs (obviously I’m guilty of this too). Also, of course, he was attacked by another dog earlier in the year - quite unprovoked, it ran out of its front door and jumped on him.

He is much more anxious than usual, particularly in the morning, struggles to concentrate on me and doesn’t even seem to want his treats. I don’t want to go down the chemical castration route (or actual castration), and I have dealt with this before with him and he generally comes out the other side and we have six months or so with him being his normal exuberant self before this happens again.

I was wondering, as it seems so much worse this time, whether there is anything to be gained by giving him some over the counter calming medication. It's something I’ve always felt unnecessary before, but I’m trying to put myself in his shoes (so to speak) and thinking that level of stress can’t be very good for him.

I guess this is just a very long-winded way of asking for advice.

 

[kateincornwall]

Poor love x Dorwest Herbal for dogs make a skullcap and valerian tablet that seems to help some dogs , have a look on their website , they are very helpful , I hope you can get help for your dear boy xxx

 

[Cath]

I have used a Adaptil calm collar on Fred. It works for him, but I know it doesn't work on all dogs. I think it is worth a try @SteffiS
Shop around for it, below is just to show you what I am talking about, but you can get them cheaper. Its the postage on the one below;
Toffee will need, Medium/Large Dog (Up to 62.5cm) Fred has all his equipment too.

Adaptil Collar - for Calming Dog Behaviour

Adaptil Collar - for Calming Dog Behaviour - using the dog's body heat, the Adaptil collar diffuses the reassuring pheromone and is ideal for socialisation, training and boarding kennels. Improved new adjustable collar design helps the collar stay in place—the maximum comfort to wear 24/7.

www.petdrugsonline.co.uk

 

[SteffiS]

Thank you, I will look into both of those

 

[HAH]

Thank you, I will look into both of those

@SteffiS I’m sorry Toffee is having a hard time at the moment. A lot of these things sound like they might be flexible and non-permanent, and it’s a lot to be reckoning with at once. I think a good behaviorist would be my first port of call - they can help advise on medication, alongside your vet, and the right person will be expert in helping you and Toffee manage a combination of challenges. It feels more likely to succeed than picking a medication that might help - the Animal Behavior Training Council has a good searchable database of behaviorists alongside trainers: ABTC – Animal Behaviour & Training Council

 

[Jacqui-S]

@Beanwood also mentioned something herbal in Flicka's thread....

 

[SteffiS]

Thank you @Jacqui-S I knew I’d read something somewhere but couldn’t find it - I’ve got it now .

 

[SteffiS]

@SteffiS I’m sorry Toffee is having a hard time at the moment. A lot of these things sound like they might be flexible and non-permanent, and it’s a lot to be reckoning with at once. I think a good behaviorist would be my first port of call - they can help advise on medication, alongside your vet, and the right person will be expert in helping you and Toffee manage a combination of challenges. It feels more likely to succeed than picking a medication that might help - the Animal Behavior Training Council has a good searchable database of behaviorists alongside trainers: ABTC – Animal Behaviour & Training Council

My gundog trainer also does behaviour training and is listed on that site. She did quite a lot of work with Toffee before she accepted him for gundog training. Her opinion is he has the canine version of ADHD and she has really helped with his management. She has suggested he may benefit from veterinary prescribed medicine but I’ve always been reluctant to go down that route as the techniques she has given me have always worked previously. It’s just this time he is particularly affected.

I have decided to try the Skullcap and valerian recommended by @kateincornwall first, if there isn’t any improvement I will go back to Katey (trainer) and discuss it more. As it seems to be cyclical it’s always difficult to tell what has helped to improve his anxiety. Interestingly enough, although he was very stressed at the time, he seemed to recover quite quickly from being attacked. I think its the combination of things that are going on now that has made it so difficult to deal with this time.

I want to make him feel better without suppressing his personality and I will work hard to achieve that because he is such a lovely boy.

 

[Selina27]

I want to make him feel better without suppressing his personality and I will work hard to achieve that because he is such a lovely boy.

I love this Steffis , Toffee is a lucky boy. I hope you can achieve this goal.

 

[Loraseal]

Have you thought about asking a holistic vet about medicine? He is very lucky to have you. I have a huge soft spot for Toffee!

 

[JES72]

Nutracalm might help. Hope it’s temporary.

 

[SteffiS]

It’s like a switch has been turned - before the skullcap and valerian has arrived Toffee is back to normal (well Toffee's version of normal ).

The only change I can think of is that I’ve made a point of taking him on quiet, people free walks. We've had a couple of river bank walks where we’ve also sat quietly watching the river for a time, I took him to his favourite swimmy fetch place, although not so quiet as he chased a deer through the reeds. But nothing else has been different.

This morning the group of 5 dogs, which includes 3 snarling German shepherds, came towards us and Toffee sat quietly and waited, accepting his treats and more or less ignoring them. Complete change from last week. If only I knew what goes on in his brain , but I shall appreciate the calm while it lasts.

 

[Cath]

Wonderful news, well done Toffee

 

[edzbird]

It’s like a switch has been turned - before the skullcap and valerian has arrived Toffee is back to normal (well Toffee's version of normal ).

MAybe it was simply down to a bitch in season. Come on Toffee, let us know

 

[MellowYellow]

MAybe it was simply down to a bitch in season. Come on Toffee, let us know

Yes, I was thinking that too.

 

[SwampDonkey]

My hammer headed black dog becomes very switched off to me. I often find that a bis. has been around. There's some very thoughtless people around who think it's ok to walk their girls around busy areas when they are flagging

 

[HAH]

It’s like a switch has been turned - before the skullcap and valerian has arrived Toffee is back to normal (well Toffee's version of normal ).

The only change I can think of is that I’ve made a point of taking him on quiet, people free walks. We've had a couple of river bank walks where we’ve also sat quietly watching the river for a time, I took him to his favourite swimmy fetch place, although not so quiet as he chased a deer through the reeds. But nothing else has been different.

This morning the group of 5 dogs, which includes 3 snarling German shepherds, came towards us and Toffee sat quietly and waited, accepting his treats and more or less ignoring them. Complete change from last week. If only I knew what goes on in his brain , but I shall appreciate the calm while it lasts.

Could he have had a very full stress bucket, for whatever (probably multiple) reasons? So now you’ve had some lovely quiet decompression time, he’s much more able to manage more difficult situations like snarly GSDs - I guess close monitoring of trigger stacking and doing targeted decompression activities will show if this is likely.

 

[SteffiS]

Could he have had a very full stress bucket, for whatever (probably multiple) reasons? So now you’ve had some lovely quiet decompression time, he’s much more able to manage more difficult situations like snarly GSDs - I guess close monitoring of trigger stacking and doing targeted decompression activities will show if this is likely.

This is what I think - normally he takes around 3 weeks to recover from an episode like this. I've read a lot about trigger stacking recently and hopefully some of the things I applied were responsible for the quick turn around this time.

 

[Selina27]

I've read a lot about trigger stacking recently and hopefully some of the things I applied were responsible for the quick turn around this time.

Well done Steffis.
Cass had a couple of "twitchy" weeks when she seemed to me reacting (barkinG) at every little thing, even if it was me another room. There have been new people and a strange dog or two in the environs of our house, comings and goings etc - just when I was thinking I needed to reaacquaint myself with trigger stacking she has settled down again!

 

[SteffiS]

@Selina27 Sometimes you just wish they could talk to us in English (but mostly you’re glad they don’t - all the moaning about when is it dinner time?, am I getting a walk anytime soon? ).