Long Term Medicating For Extreme Storm Anxiety

[pipppy]

Our 16mth germ shep x had a very nasty time in a storm here yesterday, he injured himself in quite a few places and on top of that ran himself so exhausted that his muscle started breaking down and he was peeing blood and his kidneys were not in great shape.

After a trip to the vet, a drip, steroids and antibotics injection whe had a long discussion with the vet on what we can now do to help our boy. He is currently on valium in the short term and the vet has suggested a long term course of treatment with a different drug ( which i am now struggling to remember the name of.) However she has suggested that as we are rapidly approaching/in the middle of storm season and fireworks season and the long term meds will take some weeks to kick in we should use valium or xanax as the need arises (she has given us detailed dosages and instructions) and start long term meds when storms and fireworks have settled a bit.

His anxiety has been increasing steadily over the last few months and we have done everything suggested....no fussing or rewarding anxious behaviour, distraction etc. We have been very aware of not making the problem worse. It was just that no one was here yesterday when the storm hit, and it was a particularly nasty one, and so all hell broke lose. We had tried desensitisation also but he wasnt at all phased by recorded thunder/fireworks.

We have now started using Dog appeasing pheromone in the house, ( he spends afternons and evenings inside) vet has also suggested vitamin B and camomile tea in his drinking water but thinks his problem is now so severe he will need long term medication.

Anyway, sorry about the waffling on but basicly i am very interested in hearing from people who have had success from medicating for this problem when it is very severe.

[Staff'n'Toller]

If it is Clomicalm then please proceed with caution before you start.

The problem is that alot of Vets dish it out because they can, when it really must be combined with a behaviour modification program/desensitisation program to get the full benefits. Quite often dogs and cats go on it and get good results, that eventually wane over the months without changing the dogs association to the fearful stimulus whilst the drugs are working.

Clomicalm can also permanently alter chemicals in the brain.

Please ask your Vet for a Veterinary Behaviourist Referral, if you want to PM me I can tell you where they are in your State. I know for sure because I have been told first hand, that there are other drugs and combinations of drugs that work more effectively than Clomicalm for phobias and anxiety.

If this anxiety is escalating, you may be doing your dog a big disservice by not seeing a Veterinary Behaviourist.

Mel.

[pipppy]

Thanks Mel, gees i just cant remember the name of the drug, clomicalm, hmm i am just not sure if that was it, i was a bit overloaded with info last night and am due to go back to see the vet in a few weeks to review the situation and discuss options.

Your comments are exactly what i am looking for, i need to here views and suggestions as i am in a bit over my head with this and want to make an informed desicion, i will pm you for some more info. thanks!