Ace For Fireworks Phobia

[Remolacha]

I know some people have used ACE, for fireworks, SA, other things, and I know there are people who have had problems with it and don't like it. Of course, I don't remember any specifics

 

Fletcher gets more terrified of fireworks every year, and I have two big shows, one after the other, very close by on the 4th. I've tried all the non-drug and OTC stuff, nothing helps. So, I finally asked my vet for something, and she gave me ACE. She knows greyhounds, and has been Fletcher's vet for 5 yrs, but I'd still like some opinions/experiences. Thanks!

[greytdogsks]

Every pet is going to have a different experience but ... I, personally, did not like using it for my dog.

 

It was many years ago that I tried it. I can't remember the dosage of pills the vet gave me, but I was told I definitely needed to get him on them before the nerves ever started. So, about 8am on the 4th, I dosed him. He was O*U*T very shortly. Scared the **** out of me because I could holler his name loudly, and I could shake him and he didn't even flinch. However, within probably 2 hours of this, he was back up, trying to walk around, but was very 'drunk'. I decided I didn't want to just keep him 'out', so I waited until mid afternoon to give him just 1 more pill. It didn't knock him completely out and as soon as he heard any fireworks, you would never even guess he'd been given anything. I didn't dose him again that day.

 

For Lee, I'm guessing the only way I could keep him from reacting would be to keep him completely knocked out - and I'm not comfortable with that. So - for us, we try to go to the basement and turn up the TV. Doesn't work really well. It's not too bad when in the house, but I play heck trying to get him to go outside to potty.

 

This year, we're going to try a t-shirt (if I don't forget) and/or we may be at my mother's where, luckily, we won't experience many fireworks at all. If we stay here at home, it will sound like someone is bombing the neighborhood.

 

Good luck. As I said - every dog will have a different reaction/esperience however...

[Remolacha]

I don't like the idea of sedating him either, but it's the only thing I haven't tried. The reaction I am hoping for is sort of stoned , like he's laying on the couch and says "Whoa, dude, fireworks...whatever"

 

My vet said give him one about an hour before the madness starts. I'm thinking I might give him one sometime next week, to see how he reacts (when the regular vet is open!)

[CaliforniaGreys]

I won't use it and would ask my vet for Valium if something is needed.

I pm'd Kennelmom and asked her what her preference is and her explanation made a lot of sense to me and convinced me to use Valium vs Ace.

I won't even try to duplicate her explanation but I would pm her and ask, she's had plenty of experience and I trust her recommendation.

Edited June 29, 2009 by cbudshome

[Guest Energy11]

BOTH my vet here, and my former vet/employer in Florida, prescribed Valium, 10 mg, for thunder and firework phobias. I use 1/2, (5 mg) before I know a storm is coming, fireworks, etc. and it REALLY helps! I do NOT like ACE, and both a friend's grey, and one of mine, has awful experiences with it. Good Luck! HATE this "holiday," too. D

 

Every pet is going to have a different experience but ... I, personally, did not like using it for my dog.

 

It was many years ago that I tried it. I can't remember the dosage of pills the vet gave me, but I was told I definitely needed to get him on them before the nerves ever started. So, about 8am on the 4th, I dosed him. He was O*U*T very shortly. Scared the **** out of me because I could holler his name loudly, and I could shake him and he didn't even flinch. However, within probably 2 hours of this, he was back up, trying to walk around, but was very 'drunk'. I decided I didn't want to just keep him 'out', so I waited until mid afternoon to give him just 1 more pill. It didn't knock him completely out and as soon as he heard any fireworks, you would never even guess he'd been given anything. I didn't dose him again that day.

 

For Lee, I'm guessing the only way I could keep him from reacting would be to keep him completely knocked out - and I'm not comfortable with that. So - for us, we try to go to the basement and turn up the TV. Doesn't work really well. It's not too bad when in the house, but I play heck trying to get him to go outside to potty.

 

This year, we're going to try a t-shirt (if I don't forget) and/or we may be at my mother's where, luckily, we won't experience many fireworks at all. If we stay here at home, it will sound like someone is bombing the neighborhood.

 

Good luck. As I said - every dog will have a different reaction/esperience however...

I also use T-shirts and turn up TV/Radios, on my thunder/firework phobics.

[Guest KyGrey]

I have used Ace in the past on various dogs of mine and do not like the effects it has. I will try Melatonin and if that is not enough I will go to Valium. Try it out on a day there are no fireworks and watch the reaction to various drugs. Ace just makes them all loopy. It doesn't help to cure their fear of fireworks, storms, etc,...

 

During storms I use a t-shirt and melatinon on Lee Lee. He used to be really bad with his stormphobia and now he pretty much sleeps through them. I am so proud of my boy. Molly is now a different story. She used to sleep through them until Lee Lee would get so upset and pace and pant. Now she barks and barks trying to get them to go away. I give her Melatonin if the barking gets too bad. She really gets herself worked up if I don't give her anything but it will not be Ace ever again.

[seeh2o]

A vet, who I've since dumped, gave me Ace for one of my dogs in the past. I hated the effect it had on him. It appeared to me that he was still scared, but was so drugged he couldn't really move well. It made his lower eyelids droop so much that the red part showed, it was horrible. I wish I'd known about Valium then. I have some Valium on hand I can use if needed.

[Guest Winterwish]

As I understand what has been posted in the past about Ace from Burpdog,is that it does not reduce anxiety but rather,makes the dog unable to respond to it,which is not the same thing at all as an anti-anxiety agent,like xanax or valium for example.

If you have not tried a prescription as yet and are at the point of considering that,I would recommend going the way of a prescribed anti anxiety medication as opposed to Ace.

 

Edited because I see you already have Ace,but personally I'd not use it tho'.

Edited June 28, 2009 by Winterwish

[Burpdog]

Most people use valium or xanax (the latter prefereed)

[seeh2o]

Most people use valium or xanax (the latter prefereed)

 

I just recently heard that from a friend's husband. I've only used Valium, I'm really interested in leaning what the difference is between the effects of Valium vs Xanax? Could you share that with us, please? It might be worth asking my vet to switch. Thanks!

[Guest mountain4greys]

No drugs here, we just will put on a light, single layer cotton coat. It does the trick. The thing is, it works on some dogs, but not all. A tee shirt will have the same effect. Most people are pretty happy with it, and tee shirts and coats have no side effects.

[Guest KennelMom]

I would greatly prefer valium over Ace. I've seen dogs have a bad reaction to ace (the dog fights the drug) which is worse than any phobia reaction I've ever seen. I've also seen a greyhound sedated to a very scary level with only a small dose. Ace is a drug you can overdose them on and they don't wake up. Not to be used lightly with greyhounds, in my book. Ace won't necessarily make them less fearful...they may be just as afraid, but drugged to a point of being unable to actually display any fear behaviors.

 

I've never tried Xanax since valium has always worked great for our dogs that have needed it, but I'd look into that before giving ace. Basically, I would use ace in a non-fear/anxiety related situation where I needed the dog sedated/quiet and there were no other good options.

[GeorgeofNE]

Acepromazine is rather long lasting, and very strong.

 

I used to give it to my old dog for flights to Nantucket, but once he got to be 8 years old, my vet refused to give it to him. It's just too much. I certainly wouldn't use it if there were other options.

 

Sorry your dog is freaked out over fireworks. Must be tough.

[inugrey]

Most people use valium or xanax (the latter prefereed)

 

Dogs in our foster program who exhibit fears of storms/fireworks etc. We use Xanax. My understanding of Ace is that is "paralyzes" the reflexes/responses of the body but the mind and fear are still there. The dog looks calm but it looks calm because it physically can't exhibit the fear. The xanax relaxes the mind.

 

That is my layman explanation of what the vet said to me.

[Guest Winterwish]

I'm so curious why valium is preferred?

Xanax was prescribed to my bridge greyhound by the vet at the AMC.

Just curious why the preference for some since they're both benzodiazepines?

 

Xanax does come across as stronger in it's effect maybe that's why? and concerns about that? but this potency is exactly what is needed in a panic type scenario,which all too often a storm can be if it rolls in quickly and relief is very seriously needed.

Is the preference that valium may have a more subtle effect? thereby making it more amenable to being prescribed? Or is there an actual danger or some concern in using xanax?

I ask because i've seen it posted that a GTer's vet would "never prescribe xanax'',that's an important statement.

Edited June 29, 2009 by Winterwish

[Anne]

I use Ace for two of my dogs for separation anxiety and thunder phobia. There is nothing paralyzed about them at all ever. I have used it for fireworks phobia and thunder phobia for years and just started using it for the separation anxiety. My dogs are a little stoned maybe, but they eat their meals and when things quiet down they go outside and potty and then just come back in and lay down and go to sleep. I have tried everything from rescue remedy to holistic capsules and pills and liquids, to valium, to xanax, to prozac and others I can't remember right now. Ace is the most forgiving and the ONLY one that really works. I start the dosage titering at 2.5mgs and then 5 and then 7.5 and then 10 etc. and so forth, and I do this when I'm not leaving and we aren't having fireworks or thunder, it's simply to gage their reaction to the drug.

Currently I give my one dog 10mgs and another dog 5 mgs. and they both just chill out and don't let life bother them when I leave or when there are horrible monsoon storms here. My vet recommended that I go through the doses to find the right dose for them.

My one dog has separation anxiety so bad that she would frequently have bloody liquid stools a few hours after I had left her... there are 5 dogs here, so she's got plenty of company. It was getting so bad that I was afraid that she had ulcerative collitis or IBD. With the first dose of Ace, she had not had one single liquid stool or bloody stool, not one in over a month. They were happening 2-3 times per week. I cannot tell you what a relief it must be to her to not have the pain that these stools much have been reacting from or the anxiety and fright for her. And it's a HUGE relief for me too.

Edited June 29, 2009 by Anne

[MandysMom]

This article was brought up in an earlier thread about storm phobias. When I talked to my vet about it, she told me that the author is one of the most respected veterinary behaviorists around. I hope it helps you help Fletcher.

 

Storm Phobia

[HeidisMum]

Heidi has a major storm phobia. She is petrified of just rain and wind, nevermind thunder or fireworks. Each year there are firworks about half a mile from our house. I plan to leave town while the fireworks are happening. Our vet also prescribed ACE for Heidi, but the more I read about it the less I actually want to try it. I figure we can't avoid thunder, but we can predict fireworks and avoid them.

 

Would leaving the area with Fletcher during the fireworks be an option for you instead of using drugs?

 

Let us know how he makes out.

[Guest Winterwish]

This article was brought up in an earlier thread about storm phobias. When I talked to my vet about it, she told me that the author is one of the most respected veterinary behaviorists around. I hope it helps you help Fletcher.

 

Storm Phobia

 

 

MandysMom,that is the best article I've ever read on how to treat thunderphobia. Thank you for posting that!

Edited June 29, 2009 by Winterwish

[Guest budsmom]

Another one here with both storm phobia and fireworks phobia. I have used Ace in the past on my cats, and I won't use it on anyone anymore. It does just "paralyze" the animal so they are unable to react to their fear, it doesn't work on the actual emotion itself. I've got Valium for my girl now, haven't had to try it yet, but am much more comfortable with that than Ace.

 

Have you tried plain Benadryl? Sometimes that will make them sleepy enough to be able to get through stuff. Didn't do much for my girl, but it's easy enough to try.

[Anne]

This article was brought up in an earlier thread about storm phobias. When I talked to my vet about it, she told me that the author is one of the most respected veterinary behaviorists around. I hope it helps you help Fletcher.

 

Storm Phobia

 

I've read this before and it's a very good article. I did try Xanax for storm phobias/separation anxiety and we were up to the 1-1.25mg level without any results at all in my worst dog (60 pounds). For long term use for separation anxiety it would have to be given every day, twice a day and I really hate to drug two dogs, even when I'm not going to be gone, every single day.

 

I honestly don't see the paralytic response to ACE unless you go up to the 25mg dosages, and then maybe and I don't have to give that much. But my dogs get up and react rationally to normal stuff like someone knocking on the door, eating, going out to potty etc. but just don't seem to care about me leaving or about the thunder or fireworks with the ace.

 

I'd really rather not have to drug them at all, but this has been such a HUGE improvement with the poop issues that I can't see not using what is so obviously helping them, especially the one with the bloody stools. So at this point, Ace has been a Godsend for my dogs.

[Batmom]

I would want to be home with the dog the first time I used Ace, and I would start with a very very small dose. As Anne notes, it can work well ... but it's one of those drugs that can produce highly variable, creepy, and sometimes downright dangerous reactions.

 

Hugs and best luck with your phobic dog.

[Guest BiancasMom]

I agree with everyon else. Ask your vet for a prescription for valium. You can get it at any drugstore (I go to Bartells). I tried Acepromazine and it didn't work. Ace is only a sedative, does nothing for anxiety. My dog was just a "drunk" anxious dog with the ace on board. With the valium she was much better! Valium is also cheap!

[Guest Winterwish]

Xanax is what was prescribed to my greyhound by the vet at the AMC and was very helpful.

Edited June 29, 2009 by Winterwish

[Guest KennelMom]

I honestly don't see the paralytic response to ACE unless you go up to the 25mg dosages, and then maybe and I don't have to give that much. But my dogs get up and react rationally to normal stuff like someone knocking on the door, eating, going out to potty etc. but just don't seem to care about me leaving or about the thunder or fireworks with the ace.

 

We do keep Ace on hand and have/will use it. I think you took the absolute right approach by dosing the drug at the lowest and working your way up to find the right treatment dose for each dog in a non-anxiety situation. I guess my biggest hesitance in making it my "go to" drug for anxiety (or anything, really) is the difference in reaction between dogs to the same amount. Our tiny 50lb Hanna can take a large dose and is fairly unaffected other than being a bit more 'chilled' and less active, while our much larger,70lb, boy Caesar was knocked on his @$$ for an entire day on a lower amount. Haley had such a bad reaction to ace (she was terrified...her eyes were bugged out, heart racing but she just laid there and wouldn't/couldn't move) that she had me in tears and I swore I'd never use the drug again (but...I've since come around to realize that there can be a time and place for every drug). I just don't like Ace's unpredictability...I've given it to, oh, 9-10 or so hounds over the years and seen quite a bit of varying reactions. Strong reactions to low doses and weak effects on larger doses. But, it can be helpful for some dogs, as you've experienced.

 

I think people have to talk to their vets and may have to try a few things until they find what works for their pup.

Edited June 29, 2009 by KennelMom