Guest SillyDog Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I've got an older guy (11-ish) who isn't very comfy on car rides. He tries to stand up most of the time and it really wears him out. Right now the longest trip I regularly take him on is 30 mins, and I'm thinking that might be too long for him now because he arrives looking exhausted and pants a lot. Well, at some point, I'm going to be doing a big move (more than a couple of hours away probably) and I was wondering what options there are for sedating him enough so that he's a bit more relaxed. I'll go to our vet about it when it's time, of course, but I'm kind of curious now. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greensleeves Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I would start with a mild sedtive like Benadryl or Dramamine (both of which are OK for most greys). Ace is a pretty strong sedative, especially for an older fella who may not be used to it. We had Whistler on Ace when he was much younger--but he was unusually sensitive to it. We gave him something like 1/4 of a 10 mg pill (which was like the dose for a Yorkie), and it would knock him out for a full day (not truly unconscious--just out of it). We finally stopped giving it to him once after he fell asleep in the back yard and couldn't get up again. We ended up replacing his Ace with Benadryl, and he always got Dramamine on car trips (b/c he got carsick). Another option is to start with the very mild Bach's Rescue Remedy drops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KennelMom Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I don't like to use Ace. Given it a couple times and was terrified (small doses) - one of ours fights it and completely freaks out even worse than she would have without it. It's not recommended to be given to boxers because they can die from it (I know one that did). It just makes me too nervous to use, especially in a senior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SillyDog Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Cool -- benadryl or dramamine for a longer trip and I'll try the Resuce Remedy on our shorter trips around town. Somehow I didn't think Ace would be a good thing for my old (not really) P-man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lat41065 Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I am also against using ACE unless nothing else works you can also try melatonin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burpdog Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Try a couple of bendryl first. If you do have to use Ace, use 1/4 to 1/3 of what the vet doses to start with. Quote Diane & The Senior Gang Burpdog Biscuits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I don't like to use Ace with greys--really slows their already slow heartrate-it can also backfire and produce the opposite effect. Here's a FYI--never, ever use it on a dog that has a history of seizures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LynnM Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Talk with your vet. I always keep acepromazine in my first aid kit, but that doesn't mean it's right for all situations. It's good points are that it does have a huge dosage range and that it's not a controlled substance. The downside is that the dog MUST be kept in climate control (can't get too hot), that takes a while to clear a dog's system, it takes some trial to figure out what dosage an individual dog needs, and that frequent users do develop a tolerance (require more). I was glad I had it on hand when Louis broke his leg. It's not a one size fits all med, but it does have its purposes. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tenderhearts Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 My vet used Ace on my bridge girl when she had the happy tail injury and we were trying to get her to leave the sutures/bandaging alone after the first amputation. It knocked her out, and I personally won't use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RICHandJUDE Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I have used Ace on both of my 5 year old greyts. They are both very afraid of thunderstorms. I give them each a 10 Mg tablet. It seems to calm them dowm within a 1/2 hour. I have tried other remedies but Ace seems to work best. I have had no problems with it. In our experiences, it doesn't seem to knock them out for a long period of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madeara Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I have done the benedryl with Darius but I found out that for long rides like to Dewey we leave after work and when it is dark out he lays down and forgets about it all. He is always fine coming back from where ever we go. Can you move him at night? Quote "To err is human, to forgive, canine" Audrey, Nova, Cosmo and Holden in NY - Darius and Asia you are both irreplaceable and will be forever in my heart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BauersMom Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I was glad I had it on hand when Louis broke his leg. It's not a one size fits all med, but it does have its purposes. Lynn I also had to use it with my broken legged foster, and it was a huge help. We didn't have any side effects and it didn't knock her out. Quote With Buster Bloof (UCME Razorback 89B-51359) and Gingersnap Ginny (92D-59450). Missing Pepper, Berkeley, Ivy, Princess and Bauer at the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SillyDog Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Thanks, everyone. I'll start experimenting with short drives & benedryl or melatonin now to see how he does. That way, if neither are effective, I'll know before talking to the vet about something stronger. He's in really good shape for 11-ish, but since he's anxious about riding, a day-long car ride would be very rough on him without some sort of chemical help. I just love my PrancerMan, and I really wish he'd just settle down in the car, but it's not part of who he is! Ideally, we'll be moving from Austin, TX to somewhere around St. Louis at some point within the next year, so this helps me plan for making him as comfy as possible. My girl, Carly, will sleep the whole way, no doubt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awkwanett1 Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 A vet used as on my foster greyhounds for his dental...it took 2 FULL days before he fully came out of it...never again will I use ACE on a greyhound. ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SillyDog Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Well, I'm not sure I'd use Ace for this because of what everyone's sharing and plus, it'd be an extended period. But, like I said I'll try benedryl and melatonin and see if they help enough. If not, I'd be ok with putting him on Xanax (or something similar) for a few weeks to help him out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest longdogs Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 Actually, ACE is probably a reasonable choice but it depends on your dog. It is a safe drug but makes them very groggy. If your dog is likely to try to stand it may not work out well. I tried sedating William on a long trip when I also had a couple of cats (in carriers, completely inaccessible to the dogs) with me. All went well until one of the cats started to yowl. The rest of the journey was a nightmare because William wouldn't lie down and could barely stand. Incidentally, he is absolutely fine on long trips now with no sedation (and no cats...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemandvm Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 Acepromazine is a drug that we know Greyhounds are sensitive to. You generally have to use a much lower dose then you would use with otehr breeds. It is really not a good medication to use for fear induced problems (thunderstorm phobias, etc.). The drug is strictly a sedative. The idea of using it for thunderstorms is that it makes the dog too sleepy to care about the storm. It can work great wtih very mild fears. Think of it like if you were watching a scary movie but were erally tired... you may fall asleep b/c the movie wasn't so scary to keep you awake. Now imagine you are very sleepy and get dropped into a pit of snakes/spiders/scorpions/whatever REALLY scares you. No way are you falling asleep. Now... imagine that you were drugged so you are scared out of your mind but you can't make yourself "wake up"... you feel almost paralyzed to get away from your fear but you are every bit as scared as if you were not drugged. This is why it is not recommended to be used with fear induced behavior... you can actually exacerbate the fear. Drugs like Xanax are better options as not only are they lighter sedatives but they also reduce anxiety. For really bad fears... dogs are best treated with a combination of drugs like prozac or clomicalm with Xanax. Quote Bill Lady Bella and Sky at the bridge "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." -Anabele France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Winterwish Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 (edited) Acepromazine is a drug that we know Greyhounds are sensitive to. You generally have to use a much lower dose then you would use with otehr breeds. It is really not a good medication to use for fear induced problems (thunderstorm phobias, etc.). The drug is strictly a sedative. The idea of using it for thunderstorms is that it makes the dog too sleepy to care about the storm. It can work great wtih very mild fears. Think of it like if you were watching a scary movie but were erally tired... you may fall asleep b/c the movie wasn't so scary to keep you awake. Now imagine you are very sleepy and get dropped into a pit of snakes/spiders/scorpions/whatever REALLY scares you. No way are you falling asleep. Now... imagine that you were drugged so you are scared out of your mind but you can't make yourself "wake up"... you feel almost paralyzed to get away from your fear but you are every bit as scared as if you were not drugged. This is why it is not recommended to be used with fear induced behavior... you can actually exacerbate the fear. Drugs like Xanax are better options as not only are they lighter sedatives but they also reduce anxiety. For really bad fears... dogs are best treated with a combination of drugs like prozac or clomicalm with Xanax. Thank you so much for posting that! I always felt that's why I would not give it too,exactly that! But thought it'd be shugged off as an odd or ridiculous way of thinking about it. Maybe you can also do an increase in positive reinforcement training too to build up tolerance for it. Edited August 18, 2008 by Winterwish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SillyDog Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 Thanks again for all the great info. I really appreciate the help from all of you. I know the move is a ways out, but I'll feel better about it if I have a plan for making it as good an experience for Prancer as possible. The thing is, he's not afraid of riding in the car. He loves going places. He has never hesitated to get in the car. It's just that he's normally an anxious guy. He really sleeps a lot less than most greys I've known. He likes being aware of what's going on. He's a watch dog grey. In our normal life it's not a problem and may even contribute to his spryness. In the car, he tries to stand up for too long -- longer than his hind end likes. To give you an idea of his personality, he doesn't like thunder, just like a lot of dogs. But, he doesn't have a phobia -- no hiding, pacing or anything other than getting up and barking at the thunder to make it go away. I always say he's an anxious guy, but a brave guy! So the car problem isn't a phobia. I'd say it's closer to stress and/or overstimulation. I think he stands up because he's so juiced up and wants to see what's going on. (Sometimes he barks at the horses we see on the way to the vet -- he really hates horses.) That's why I was wondering what to try/what to talk to our vet about. He's too old to be stressed & overstimulated for hours on end -- and it won't be good for his arthritis. Whether he's phobic or stressed/anxious, it's sounding like a Xanax type therapy would be the best way to help him out for a really long car trip. It would also probably help in general with the stress of moving -- the packing & the disruption. Instead of making him drugged out it'd just help him deal with the excitement better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 I give Paul a dose of Rescue Remedy about 1/2 before the car ride and a second dose just before we leave. It kicks in about 10 minutes after we start the trip. He loves to get in the car, looks forward to it, then just pants and drools the entire trip if I don't relax him a bit. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LynnM Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 You might also try Dramamine or Bonine (meclizine). It could be that he's a tad motion sick and hesitant to settle. Both are quite safe. Consult with your vet for dosages and maybe give it a trial run (give the med, give it time to take effect, then go for a relatively long- 1/2 hour or so- drive) to see if it helps. Then again, some dogs just don't settle in the car. Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feemandvm Posted June 17, 2007 Share Posted June 17, 2007 You might also try Dramamine or Bonine (meclizine). It could be that he's a tad motion sick and hesitant to settle. Both are quite safe. Consult with your vet for dosages and maybe give it a trial run (give the med, give it time to take effect, then go for a relatively long- 1/2 hour or so- drive) to see if it helps. Then again, some dogs just don't settle in the car. Lynn Certainly worth a try. One added bonus to Acepromazine is that it does have some anti-nausea properties. However, it does have the drawbacks I listed previously. The main drawback of Xanax is that it has a short duration of action and a HUGE dosing variance. You may have to repeat it every few hours and it may take awhile to figure out exactly what the "best dose" is. A Dog Appeasing Phermone (DAP) is something that could help, although like Rescue Remedy, is only going to be mild in effect. Quote Bill Lady Bella and Sky at the bridge "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." -Anabele France Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PNWtrillium Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Haven't read the second page yet, but I agree wholeheartedly with Dr Feeman. I had a Collie on whom I used Ace for July 4th and New Years Eve -- until I heard that perspective. Next time I watched my Collie closely and that was indeed what was happening for her. As for the question at hand (for which I think OP already has her answer), I've used Vita Treat PetCalm on my grey. It makes her drowsy and she just sleeps through the boomies, which would otherwise significantly scare her. http://www.nutritionnow.com/pets.htm and http://www.nutritionnow.com/order.htm Good luck with your move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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