Clonipramine / Colmicalm

[Busderpuddle]

Ok, I finally broke down and put Ruby on the Colmicalm yesterday that our vet gave us a month or so ago. Her S.A. was getting really bad to the point of her shaking, panting and drooling when she would see me get my purse. I thought I would give it a try, and if it makes her life easier, great. I gave her a 50 mg. capsule yesterday. I thought she seemed more playful and a bit more "wound up" than normal. This morning I put the capsule in her food along with the usual water I put in it and I saw her kind of picking around the pill. A few minutes later I notice she is ready to come back inside and for the first time in 7 months, my girl did not eat all her food but the capsule was gone. I know it didn't have enough time to dissolve so she must have eaten it. She has never been a picky eater and has never left a morsel so now I am worried about her lack of appetite. I finally got her to a good weight and I am afraid she will lose it. Can someone tell me their experience with this drug? Does their appetite return ? It said that they may have lethargy (lol...how would I know?), loss of appetite, diarrhea, etc.....so far stool looks normal but it's only been a day. She is happy and tail is wagging like normal. Thanks !

OOPS........this went to the wrong Forum. Sorry.

Edited January 16, 2011 by Busderpuddle

[FountainLady]

She could of bit into the capsule and found the medicine bitter, and since it was in her food bowl, she associates the yucky taste to being the remaining dog food.

 

They will leave a bowl of food if they think it is "bad".

Try giving her the capsule in a big wad of peanut butter, it's best if you can get them to swallow it without chewing it.

 

 

If medication is placed in the food bowl, and the dog bites into the capsule a few times and it is bitter, it can make a dog very wary of what is in their food dish.

[macoduck]

Clomicalm doesn't work instantly. The drug in Gracie's system took a few weeks for us to see a noticeable change. She had been in extreme destructive/self-destructive mode prior to that.

I'd say that at about the 3 week mark we were able to do the alone training and see that she was actually beginning to understand what we were trying to teach her.

 

Keep the dosage at whatever your vet has prescribed. Do not stop it cold turkey as it must be gradually tapered off. Keep doing the alone training.

 

Gracie was on Clomicalm for a total of just over 3 months. We never had a need for it again.

 

Wishing you good luck with your Ruby...

 

Editing to add: I never trusted putting it in her food. I always just popped it down her throat.

Edited January 16, 2011 by macoduck

[Busderpuddle]

For some silly reason it never dawned on me that the capsule might make all of her food taste nasty. DUH.

Yesterday I wrapped it in some cheese and she gobbled it right up. Will stick with that or the peanut butter. I am really hoping that she doesn't need to be on it very long so it is encouraging to hear that Gracie wasn't on it too long. I have done the alone training a few times but it just isn't working. My poor girl. I sure hope this helps her.

Appreciate the comments and help.

[Maddiesmom]

Maddie was on it as well when I first got her over 5 years ago. It was the last resort - she was on it for 2 or 3 months as well. I put it in pill pockets and she gobbled it up and I also used peanut butter as well. We still use it but only when we are travelling and when we stay in hotels.

[seeh2o]

Carl was on it for about 5 months, it was a godsend. Macoduck is right, it takes about 3 weeks to get up to a therapeutic level in the bloodstream, when they are take off of it, it is also a gradual process. Carl and I did lots and lots of alone training, obedience classes, etc. when he was on the therapeutic level, it helped tremendously. In retrospect, I probably should have left him on it for another month or two, but it all worked out. He still has some low level SA from time to time, but he's been doing well for almost 2 years off of it.

[Willowsmum]

Hello, I'm new here as well. Our Willow had terrible SA same as your dog, and we tried everything short of "voo-de-doo" before we broke down and went for the clomicalm.

She is doing much better! We started alone training right away and had a DAP diffuser the first two weeks as well. We hand feed the pill hidden in peanut butter so we know it went down in one piece. The main side effect we have seen is she seems to drink more water and subsequently need to go out a few extra times to recycle it.

It isn't magic- she still whimpers and clearly prefers neither of us leave, but (knock on wood) she has accepted it and gone back to sleep most times we go out. We are just over the 1 month mark. DH has a business trip this month, so we will keep her on it at least another month, depending on our vet's advice. (I hate when he travels, too bad I can't have some for myself as well!!! :0. )

Good luck!

[seeh2o]

Just to clarify, like Willowsmum, we started the alone training way before he was up to a therapeutic level, had been doing it before the chlomipramine, but it really "took" once the meds kicked in. The obedience training was during therapeutic levels. It really helped him understand how to "be".

[Guest Swifthounds]

The clomipramine needs to build in her system, so you aren't seeing it's side effects after one or two doses.

 

I would not ever place medication or necessary supplements in food. Most things that aren't tasty are better done as pilling so you know they got the dose and with a tasty treat afterward as a reward, lest you essentially train the dog that their food tastes bad.

[Busderpuddle]

Thank you again for the advice and comments. Ruby took her pill this morning without a hitch (hidden in cheese) and gobbled up all her breakfast. So far so good.