Guest maelynnie Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I have a beautiful girl who will be 6 on July 18th and she is getting more and more depressed each day. First it was the storms and last night was horrific and then she dislocated her toe and my husband died in January so she has really been a mess. The vet gave me a prescription for prozac 10 mg. but I haven`t started it yet because I don`t like giving a dog meds. She is already on thyroid meds. Any suggestions on the prozac, side effects etc. Thanks for any info, Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maelynnie Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I have a beautiful girl who will be 6 on July 18th and she is getting more and more depressed each day. First it was the storms and last night was horrific and then she dislocated her toe and my husband died in January so she has really been a mess. The vet gave me a prescription for prozac 10 mg. but I haven`t started it yet because I don`t like giving a dog meds. She is already on thyroid meds. Any suggestions on the prozac, side effects etc. Thanks for any info, Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 Dogs can get chemical imbalances the same as people, that require medication to even out. Why would you want your dog to be deressed and anxious when you can easily help her??? Don't expect miracles, even if you do give her the medicine. It can take 2-3 weeks for it to develop a constant theraputic level in her system. And, also like with people, some drugs work for some dogs and some drugs won't. Prozac is the easiest place to start since it already has a canine counterpart - clomicalm. All other anti-anxiety drugs are off-label uses of human medicine. You may also need to adjust the dosage level once it's begun to take effect. She will likely be lethargic and have some decreased appetite until her body gets used to the dosage. Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BooBooMama Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I have a beautiful girl who will be 6 on July 18th and she is getting more and more depressed each day. First it was the storms and last night was horrific and then she dislocated her toe and my husband died in January so she has really been a mess. The vet gave me a prescription for prozac 10 mg. but I haven`t started it yet because I don`t like giving a dog meds. She is already on thyroid meds. Any suggestions on the prozac, side effects etc. Thanks for any info, Lynn I know you are worried about your little girl but did you ever think that maybe she is worried about you? These are very sensitive dogs. It could be that she is sensing your own hurt, loss and pain and reacting to it. Both of you need to start visiting with people and start living again. Take a yoga class to de-stress and see if she starts to come around when you are more relaxed. In the meantime do give her the meds. If she seems too lethargic you can always ask for a lesser dose. Take care of each other and try not to be stressed. Much warmth, Gigi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kydie Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 dogs are very smart, and can sense what you feel too, just as with humans, walking her can help too, yes it is not a cure, as the meds can help, but walking can help you both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandimom Posted April 26, 2010 Share Posted April 26, 2010 I see you are pretty new here at GT and I just wanted to say "Welcome" and glad you have joined our family. I am so sorry to hear that you lost your husband. Depression does bounce off of us to our pets. They do pick up our energy whether it is positive or negative. I do agree with the other post about maybe walking more together. I have not dealt with depression in a grey but my friend has and uses rescue remedy on the paws and also melatonin 3 mg. in the evening. I know you will get some good information from others on this board. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your little girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncan41 Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 I am sorry that you and your pup are having a rough time. Welcome to the GT family. I hope that spending more time with your girl will help ease her fears. Was she especially close to your husband? She may be reacting to the dramatic change to your "pack" and needs extra reassurance that you will provide for her. Whatever the reason, I hope she will begin to come around soon. Quote Linda, Mom to Fuzz, Barkley, and the felines Miss Kitty, Simon and Joseph.Waiting at The Bridge: Alex, Josh, Harley, Nikki, Beemer, Anna, Frank, Rachel, my heart & soul, Suze and the best boy ever, Dalton.<p> ....for all those hounds that are sick, hurt, lost or waiting for their forever homes. SENIORS ROCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatricksMom Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 If you think it's situational--i.e. she's depressed by what's going on, I second the advice to take care of yourself (which I'm sure you need and I know you deserve) and try to get her out more--maybe you two could take an obedience class together or try an agility class, or even take up regular walks in the park or visits to a dog park--just something fun to do together. But if she needs the prozac, there's nothing wrong with that. Lots of us humans need antidepressants too. If you think the storms in particular are upsetting her, there are probably better short term medicines to use for those, something to talk to your vet about. Quote Beth, Petey (8 September 2018- ), and Faith (22 March 2019). Godspeed Patrick (28 April 1999 - 5 August 2012), Murphy (23 June 2004 - 27 July 2013), Leo (1 May 2009 - 27 January 2020), and Henry (10 August 2010 - 7 August 2020), you were loved more than you can know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest maelynnie Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Thank you for your replies. I know walking helps because we always walked a mile each morning but she has a dislocated toe and has to rest her foot. It has already cost me a small fortune in doctors and xrays but is still swollen and tender but as soon as I can we will walk again. I try taking her on car rides a few times a week and that stresses her also. She is a very quiet nervous pup but I love her. I guess I will try the prozac for a month and see how she does. Thanks, Lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 I agree that you need to use the prozac. I understand your reluctance to drug your dog, but I do know for myself that it can be a miracle drug. I am very sorry about her poor foot--that does not help her mood at all. Can you think of something that might engage her mind without her using her foot? Maybe something like she and you sitting on the porch together watching the neighborhood, or a good chewing bone, or a nice brushing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbullwinkel Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 I am sorry you and your pup are going through this..I have being going through a similar situation with Garry recently. Always a nervous, shy dog, he recently became very depressed. We started him on prozac and I started behavioral work with him..yesterday he went in to have a big corn surgically removed (very painful, as your dog). It turned out he had a large tumor on his toe (toe was removed).. The vet is thinking the pain was adding to his depression...so this might relate to your dog and the toe problem as well. Hopefully it will heal soon. Giving something to help isn't a bad idea, though the prozac takes a while to show if it will help. I am sorry for your loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SusanP Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Even though she has every reason to be a bit depressed, please don't rule out other physical causes. I'd take her in for a checkup and bloodwork to be on the safe side, and discuss meds for depression with the vet while you're there. How is she behaving? Is she eating normally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAVED2 Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 Thank you for your replies. I know walking helps because we always walked a mile each morning but she has a dislocated toe and has to rest her foot. It has already cost me a small fortune in doctors and xrays but is still swollen and tender but as soon as I can we will walk again. I try taking her on car rides a few times a week and that stresses her also. She is a very quiet nervous pup but I love her. I guess I will try the prozac for a month and see how she does. Thanks, Lynn her dislocated toe should be rested , not walked except on leash for at least 6 weeks to heal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest krystolla Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 The non-medication tricks for fighting depression are exercise, regular healthy food and regular healthy sleep. If you can't walk her yet, maybe you can substitute mental exercise like training new tricks (appropriate to an injured dog, of course) or offering problem solving like kong toys. The car rides are a good idea too, assuming she's not a stressed traveler. As someone who has been on Prozac I can tell you the side effects weren't all that bad for me. I had a bit of appetite change (I couldn't tell I was hungry until I flipped over into starving) but that was about all. Less sleep disturbance than the depression was doing to me already. I had more problems when I stupidly decided to stop taking Prozac without stepping down the dosage Chances are you'll just need to leave her on the Prozac long enough to get out of the hole she's in now -- a bit more time between the bad incidents in the past. It takes a while to build up in the system, so it's not like taking a "happy pill" or drugging her into being happy. It's more like giving extra iron to a dog needing red blood cells. Prozac doesn't make you happy, it allows you to be happy in situations that would normally make you happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted April 27, 2010 Share Posted April 27, 2010 What are you expecting the Prozac to do for her? Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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