5Thp

[NewGrey2017]

Hello all -

 

As our dog settles in, we've been having some issues with aggression, primarily fear based with a small amount of resource guarding.

 

I contacted our adoption group and they put me in touch with a (non-vet) behavioral person. This person did a phone consult with us and we both agree that our dog is stressed and that is leading to this aggression.

 

There were a lot of instructions.

 

One was to begin giving the dog a serotonin booster called 5HTP. So, when I searched where to get this, the first 30 threads were about how dangerous this product can be.

 

I'm going to go meet with my vet before I give the dog any of the recommendations, but I'm particularly leery of this now.

 

Has anyone out there used 5HTP and if you don't mind sharing, what were the results?

 

Thanks.

[NeylasMom]

I have not and there are plenty of neutraceuticals that can reduce fear and anxiety that do not carry risks. I have never heard of this being recommended for fear so red flags abound for me (I'm a professional trainer). I will ask on my listservs though. And I will PM you info on better options.

[GeorgeofNE]

Uhm, as someone who has taken antidepressants for a good part of my life, I can tell you I have never ONCE heard of anyone prescribing them for "aggression."

 

And any SSRI takes up to 4 WEEKS to work. If your "expert" didn't mention that, I'd find a new one lickity split. Sounds like she has a new toy in her box and wants to try it out on your dog.

[NewGrey2017]

We're meeting with the vet tomorrow and having a 5 panel thyroid test (another recommendation). As I said above, I won't do anything until I discuss it with the vet, but am overly cautious about this 5HTP.

[NeylasMom]

Uhm, as someone who has taken antidepressants for a good part of my life, I can tell you I have never ONCE heard of anyone prescribing them for "aggression."

 

And any SSRI takes up to 4 WEEKS to work. If your "expert" didn't mention that, I'd find a new one lickity split. Sounds like she has a new toy in her box and wants to try it out on your dog.

So while I'm not encouraging the OP to use the 5HTP I want to clear up a few things since dogs are not people.

 

MOST dog aggression is fear based. Dog's use aggression in order to make scary things go away when more subtle signals arent working or they feel they have no option to retreat. So using SSRIs and other types of medications that have been shown to reduce anxiety and lower atress levels is absolutely appropriate in many cases. There are a lot of factors that go into determining when a conversation with a vet about meds may be appropriate, but often we are looking at whether the dogs quality of life is poor enough to warrant them sooner than later (a lot of severe SA cases for example), whether we are not making progress with the behavior modification plan as quickly as we should be, or whether the dog is potentially a danger. Fully formed OCD behaviors actually require medication to treat. That gives you the gist.

 

As far as timing, the general rule is SSRIs take 4-6 weeks to take *full* effect, but you often can and do see more immediate results. I started on one not that long ago and got relief immediately. It was then a process if things stabilizing on that low dose and then bumping it up a tiny bit, but I got and continued to have considerable relief immediately. We observe this in dogs as well.

 

All that said, 5 HTP is not a pharmaceutical med. Generally neutraceuticals are in the can't hurt, might help category, but the typical ones we recommend are DAP, l-theanine (Anxitane), and Zylkene. These are products made for dogs and tested scientifically.