Valium Or Zoloft

[Guest killdawabbit]

Anyone have experience giving Valium Zoloft to their pooch. what's the mg/kg rate. I'd ask my vet but I'm usually the one stopping her from accidentally killing/ overdosing my pooch. I have both on hand

 

We have a 6+ hr drive tomorrow and I want him to not fill my car up with bucket of anxiety slobber.

PS its not car sickness. Its anxiety, he'll throw up and slobber in a still non moving vehicle.

[RobinM]

NO zoloft.

 

Only valium with vets OK. 10mg but please, check with your vet first. All it takes is a phone call!

 

have you tried natural remedies first?

 

ETA Zoloft is not an instant acting drug. it takes time for it to work. Weeks, not minutes.

 

Valium can be used as long as the dosage is not too high. Dogs metabolize valium completey differently than humans do. Call your vet.

Edited January 12, 2010 by RobinM

[CaliforniaGreys]

You might want to check that dose per your dog's weight

[Guest killdawabbit]

You might want to check that dose per your dog's weight

 

thats why I was wondering the mg/kg for sighthounds

[Guest killdawabbit]

NO zoloft.

 

Only valium with vets OK. 10mg but please, check with your vet first. All it takes is a phone call!

 

have you tried natural remedies first?

 

ETA Zoloft is not an instant acting drug. it takes time for it to work. Weeks, not minutes.

 

Valium can be used as long as the dosage is not too high. Dogs metabolize valium completey differently than humans do. Call your vet.

 

Zoloft (sertraline) takes 72 hrs to build up in humans. In canines it should be 24-48 (higher presence of ketones). The initial first week sedation effect can be immediately beneficial for anxiety. Sorry I'm a psycopharmacology major.

 

A word of advice "natural remedies" are sometimes more harmful than pharmaceuticals. Take for example Valerian. Extremely toxic on the liver in comparison to diazapam. Personally I'd feel more comfortable giving him a beer (not going to, just hypothetically saying); it would be safer on his liver. Diazapam is fat soluble so I'm unsure of the mg/kg on a lean muscled dog

 

As wonderful as my vet is she is the only one in the area. I had to explain to her why my staggy's lymph nodes swelled up from a round of panacur. She still swears to this day it was staph. Even though every month I put him on a round (we have a high tapeworm and round worm in this county) same thing happens. Bottom line she scared me out of $1500. She also had no idea why his growth plates were still open at 1 year. I had to explain to her dismay that it was because he was neutered at 9 months.

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

Zoloft is a godsend for me, as is Klonopin, but I have never given either to a dog. 10mg of Valium seems like a lot to me for a dog. I have horrific phobias of a couple specific things, and to get through them I am usually given 10 mgs, and some people take as little as 2 mgs. I only take it every few years when I am forced to encounter the thing I fear. I have severe, crippling anxiety every day of my life without benzos and 200mg per day of Zoloft, and I know they are life changing for me. I have heard of Xanax used in dogs. It works faster than Klonopin but it doesn't last as long. Zoloft and Valium are not related drugs at all.

[Guest Swifthounds]

A word of advice "natural remedies" are sometimes more harmful than pharmaceuticals.

 

Certainly true, but not all natural remedies are the same, either. Not all of them are Valerian based, but you have to read labels. I use Content-Um for nervous travelers with good results. I've also used Benadryl in the past. Acepromazine is sometimes also prescribed, though it can have the opposite effect of causing hyperactivity. That said, I would work my way through those options and through behavioral conditioning before I would move on to something like valium, which can have more lasting effects on brain chemistry.

 

In any event, I would advise a "practice" run with any sedative, so you know how the dog reacts - you don't want to risk an adverse reaction while traveling - though it sounds like that may not be feasible at this point.

 

Also, could be anxiety or could be excitement..

[RobinM]

Zoloft is a godsend for me, as is Klonopin, but I have never given either to a dog. 10mg of Valium seems like a lot to me for a dog.

 

it's not. It was what we gave 53 pound Polli. And we could repeat every 20 hours as needed.

 

AS stated above, they metabolize it different than humans. Most humans would be knocked out from 10mg, the dogs are not, just relaxed. They do get the munchies from it- it can act as an appetite stimulant... FYI

 

We currently give Elsie (65 pounds) 10mg of valium as needed to T- storms. Just calms her down. Nothing more.

Edited January 12, 2010 by RobinM

[romansperson]

We gave our hound JC Valium for a 4-hour trip. The vet told us 10 mg an hour before starting and 10mg every hour afterward (I guess dogs process it out much faster than people). It didn't help. At all. It would have been better if I'd taken it, . JC was anxious/carsick his entire life, and we tried just about everything (expect acepromazine, didn't want to go there). Sometimes all you can do is lay down a tarp and tough it out.

Edited January 12, 2010 by romansperson

[RobinM]

We gave our hound JC Valium for a 4-hour trip. The vet told us 10 mg an hour before starting and 10mg every hour afterward (

 

 

Now, that seems like an overdose, but I am not a vet. I was told no more than 20 in a 20 hour period.

 

That's a huge discrepancy.

[Batmom]

Ask your vet about trying Dramamine instead. Generally safe, often has a slight sedative effect (in addition to motion sickness component).

[Guest KennelMom]

We keep valium on hand. We needed it for a medical condition for a dog who's now at the Bridge and it also helps our blind girl in certain situations. It works on some dogs, not so effective on others. I'm not sure this is the proper application for zoloft, as that's generally intended to be a long term drug, not specific-event type drug.

 

Batmom's suggestion of dramamine is interesting...I'd consider that as well.

 

I'd ask my vet but I'm usually the one stopping her from accidentally killing/ overdosing my pooch. I have both on hand

 

I would seriously consider finding a new vet then.

[Guest budsmom]

10mg of valium is really not much for a dog. My Twiz was up to 30mg for her storm phobia, and it didn't do a thing for her. A trial run is definitely a good idea since valium may not be effective for your dog, like it isn't for Twister.

[RobinM]

If the dramaine is an option, I'd opt for that too!

[Guest Energy11]

I give 5 mg of Valium as needed for anxiety for mine. I have not heard of using Zoloft. Prozac is used, but that is a long-term medication for things like Separation Anxiety, etc.

 

Cari is sooo bad during thunderstorms, Valium is the only thing that works. She also needs 5mg prior to going to the vet.

[Guest killdawabbit]

Zoloft is a godsend for me, as is Klonopin, but I have never given either to a dog. 10mg of Valium seems like a lot to me for a dog.

 

it's not. It was what we gave 53 pound Polli. And we could repeat every 20 hours as needed.

 

AS stated above, they metabolize it different than humans. Most humans would be knocked out from 10mg, the dogs are not, just relaxed. They do get the munchies from it- it can act as an appetite stimulant... FYI

 

We currently give Elsie (65 pounds) 10mg of valium as needed to T- storms. Just calms her down. Nothing more.

 

valium is highly fat soluble xanax is more water soluble, hence why people have a harder time getting off xanax. I suspect lean mean greys would do better (less withdrawl) from valium. But I'm no vet