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Melatonin And Thunder Phobia


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Steak has thunder phobia. He panicks as soon as it starts to rain. He paces, pants, and cries. He keeps us up all night long. Then as soon as the thunder starts he gets worse and shakes and cries. He does well in the bathroom or in a small hallway with a bed but he still gets up and down and paces. I have heard of people giving melatonin to help. Can you tell me what you do? I have a bottle of Melatonin 3mg tablets at home. They also have 25 mg of Theanine in them... is this ok for him to have? Is it ok to use during the day or should I just use it at night so that we can all sleep?

 

Help from a very sleepy mom!

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~Beth, with a crazy mixed crew of misfits.
~ Forever and Always missing and loving Steak, Carmen, Ivy, Isis, and Madi.
Don't cry because it's ended, Smile because it happened.
Before you judge me, try to keep an open mind, not everyone likes your taste.

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I know nothing about theanine, but I give 3mg melatonin to Dazzle if I know a storm is coming, and I also shut all the blinds in the bedroom, and turn on a white noise machine and a radio for her, to help drown out the noise. Then I ignore her as best I can, so as not to reinforce the fear. I think this has helped her.

 

I also give Tipper 3mg melatonin on nights when he is pacing and digging at the floor and can't settle (not out of anxiety, just old-man-related restlessness.). My vet said I could double the dose if need be, but so far I haven't needed to.

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~Aimee, with Flower, Alan, Queenie, & Spodee Odee! And forever in my heart: Tipper, Sissy, Chancy, Marla, Dazzle, Alimony, and Boo. This list is too damned long.

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I am ignoring... I may need to go get a white noise machine. At night the rain is all you hear so I guess that could help. I'll just run up to the store and get some regular melatonin for him. The thianine is supposed to help with stress :P I take it... But not sure if it is ok for dogs.

 

Do you give the melatonin during the day and at night?

gallery_12867_3348_20333.jpg
~Beth, with a crazy mixed crew of misfits.
~ Forever and Always missing and loving Steak, Carmen, Ivy, Isis, and Madi.
Don't cry because it's ended, Smile because it happened.
Before you judge me, try to keep an open mind, not everyone likes your taste.

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For Dazzle's thunder-fear, I only give it when I know a storm is coming, regardless of time of day. For Tipper's night-restlessness, I give it right before bedtime.

gallery_4518_2903_2157.jpg
~Aimee, with Flower, Alan, Queenie, & Spodee Odee! And forever in my heart: Tipper, Sissy, Chancy, Marla, Dazzle, Alimony, and Boo. This list is too damned long.

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Guest Energy11

Cari is the same! She is TERRIBLE with wind, rain or thunder. For HER, NOTHING except Valium works. I use Rescue Remedy on Staggerlee, who is not as bad. I have had good luck with the Rescue Remedy.

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I use it for Polo who is pressure sensetive,she knows a storm is coming up to an hour before it gets here. Even if there is no thunder or lightning. When she starts panting and pacing I give her one. In fact she will come and ask for it. I'll say do you need a pill and she goes to the med cabinet and looks up and waits for it.

 

Here is an article about Melatonin that I went by as to the amount and times.

 

www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com

 

I found a lot of good information in it and thought you might be interested in it and just maybe it might help.

 

Ruth in Idaho

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Guest goofydog

Get Em developed thunder phobia after 3 years with me. If I am home and can catch him before he ramps up(pre-storm) I give 1 5mg pill. If he has already gone into the pacing/dripping/whining mode then I give 1 5mg & 1 3mg. Then he spends the balance of the storm on the upstairs landing with the lights out and all doors closed. He is about 75lbs.

Good luck.

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Guest budsmom

I think I read somewhere that you can give 3 mgs up to 3 times per day. You might want to get a barometer and watch that and start to give it to him as soon as the barometer starts to fall. The sooner you can find something that will help him, the better. The longer they go without a treatment that works, the worse the fear gets. Twiz is so storm phobic it's awful, she pants and paces and shakes. I went through all the "natural" stuff and none of it did anything for her, so we've started the prescription stuff - the max dose of valium didn't even phase her so now we're trying alprazolam. The vet also told me to monitor her heart rate during these "episodes" because if it goes over 100 he'll give me something for that, also. I'm really happy to have winter, since it means an end to the thunderstorms for a few months!!!

 

ETA: the key is to give them whatever works before they get worked up, otherwise nothing will help

Edited by budsmom
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I know nothing about theanine, but I give 3mg melatonin to Dazzle if I know a storm is coming, and I also shut all the blinds in the bedroom, and turn on a white noise machine and a radio for her, to help drown out the noise. Then I ignore her as best I can, so as not to reinforce the fear. I think this has helped her.

 

I also give Tipper 3mg melatonin on nights when he is pacing and digging at the floor and can't settle (not out of anxiety, just old-man-related restlessness.). My vet said I could double the dose if need be, but so far I haven't needed to.

 

Same advice here.

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Just to add that one of the calming supplements that I sometimes use for my dogs contains L-theanine, so it must be OK for dogs. I've included a link to the supplement so you can see for yourself.

 

Kalm Aid

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When a relationship of love is disrupted, the relationship does not cease. The love continues; therefore, the relationship continues. The work of grief is to reconcile and redeem life to a different love relationship. ~ W Scott Lineberry

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Thank you everyone! He finally came out of the bathroom yesterday when it stopped raining. He stops eating when this goes on as well but he finally ate half of his dinner. It isn't raining this morning so I think he will probably eat his breakfast today.

 

I gave him a 3mg melatonin yesterday afternoon and it did seem to calm him. I had run up to the store and gotten some regular, plain melatonin tabs.

 

 

Just to add that one of the calming supplements that I sometimes use for my dogs contains L-theanine, so it must be OK for dogs. I've included a link to the supplement so you can see for yourself.

 

Kalm Aid

 

Thank you for this! The melatonin with thianine I got at Costco and was much cheaper than the bottle I got at the store. I think I will double check with the vet but this may be what I use. :)

gallery_12867_3348_20333.jpg
~Beth, with a crazy mixed crew of misfits.
~ Forever and Always missing and loving Steak, Carmen, Ivy, Isis, and Madi.
Don't cry because it's ended, Smile because it happened.
Before you judge me, try to keep an open mind, not everyone likes your taste.

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