Whole Dog Journal Clonidine, Xanax, Melatonin

[seeh2o]

I just pulled out my Whole Dog Journal for this month, there are some really interesting pieces in it this month. One article discusses using Clonidine (normally used as a blood pressure medication) instead of Xanax for fear-based behavior problems. I did a google search on GT and couldn't find any references to Clonidine, I didn't really see anything when I did a regular google search on it and greyhounds (granted, I did it really fast as I'm getting ready for work). Does anyone know if it is safe in greyhounds? I'm not thinking of using it for my dogs as they don't really need it, but it might be something to look at for those who have extremely fearful dogs (thunderstorms, etc).

 

Also, there is a comment by the veterinarian who discussed this (he is Dr. Nicholas Dodman from Tufts): "Dr. Dodman also uses melatonin for storm phobias. He says he give sthe standard human dosage, 3mg, to dogs weighing 40 - 60 pounds, but will increase that amount to 6 or even 9 mg as needed. Melatonin is a hormone that is very safe to use, he said you couldn't poison a dog with melatonin if you tried. It can be combined with other behavior-modifying drugs as needed."

Edited July 19, 2011 by seeh2o

[XTRAWLD]

I take melatonin when I can't sleep. It certainly relaxes you, and if I wake during sleep, I fall back asleep pretty quickly. If you read up on melatonin itself (I wikied it before I tried melatonin the first time, great write up), it is a naturally occurring thing in the body, and way better to use than sleeping pills. Some people do not have enough of it, or too much of it, and it directly affects your sleeping pattern. I don't know about the "you couldn't poison a dog with melatonin if you tried", but if 3mg works on a full grown human, I'd imagine that is enough for our greys. I've never taken more than the 3mg, don't see why a human would need to. I do agree that it is something to try for storm fear, since it is a relaxant.

Edited July 19, 2011 by XTRAWLD

[PatricksMom]

I've heard of using it in humans for acute anxiety--public speaking issues, actually. So it's not crazy to think it might work, although I don't know if it's been tested in dogs.

[brandimom]

We have been giving our 12 y.o. afghan 3 3mg per night for quite a while as she is senile and was wandering the house at night waking up the humans. She appears to be resting more and not wandering as much.

 

 

[Remolacha]

I tried it on Fletcher for his fear of fireworks, and didn't notice any effect, but I wasn't using that large a dose. Hmmm, may try it again, sounds like it couldn't hurt.

[JJNg]

One article discusses using Clonidine (normally used as a blood pressure medication) instead of Xanax for fear-based behavior problems. .... Does anyone know if it is safe in greyhounds?

Clonidine is a drug that is very new to veterinary medicine, so there's not much information about it's safety in dogs in general, much less greyhounds. From what I can find, there really isn't much info about its use for behavioral therapy, and even in human medicine, psychiatric uses are mostly off-label. Here's a link to the one scientific article I could find.

 

Based on the drug monograph and a search through vet forums, it looks like clonidine acts on the physiological responses to anxiety rather than being a mood-altering drug that changes brain chemistry. It decreases sympathetic tone resulting in a decreased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, etc.

 

Another drug that works along these lines that has been used for behavioral purposes is propranolol, a beta-blocker that decreases heart rate (usually used to treat heart conditions). Veterinary behaviorists don't seem to be using this drug much anymore. Clonidine seems to be a drug that more veterinary behaviorists have been trying recently, with fairly good results.

 

I don't have any personal experience with clonidine. I'm still more comfortable staying with the more familiar Xanax as my first line recommendation for situational anxiety. And for the cases where that doesn't work, I'd probably try trazodone next. Both drugs are very new to the veterinary behavior field, but there seems to be more information and cases to back up trazodone than clonidine at this point.

[CaliforniaGreys]

I think Jordan was using one of the beta blockers for thunder phobia with success but I do not remember which one. I think it was Inderal.

Hopefully she will see this

Edited July 21, 2011 by CaliforniaGreys