You can ask your vet about alprazolam (Xanax), fluoxetine (Prozac), or Clomicalm. Also, see below for more information:
Behavioral Medication - What You Need To Know
(Compiled from Various Sources)
Enlightened Canine Consulting
www.MaryAlversonAnimalTraining.comPlease consider: Behavior modifying drugs (BMDs) should be used in conjunction with a sound behavioral modification program in place. BMDs do not cure behavior but may help make a dog more amenable to training, or “buy time” when a dog is in a precarious situation. A guardian should use drugs under the supervision of a qualified veterinary behaviorist and work at home with a trainer/behaviorist.
What sort of problems should BMDs be used for? Separation anxiety, severe fear or aggression, a problem which makes a behavior modification program impossible to start, abnormal behavior, obsessive compulsive disorders, when a behavior modification program is not progressing as planned, or when the dog’s quality of life is made so poor by the condition as to seriously impact his/her comfort ability to exist in the environment.
Side effects: All BMDs have side effects, from mild to severe. Most can cause lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, and appetite change. It is IMPORTANT TO NOTE that anxiety, agitation, and aggression have been reported as adverse effects for all commonly used BMDs.
Contraindications & Warnings: When heart conditions are present, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) should not be used. Dogs taking TCAs should be monitored carefully when under anesthesia. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) should never be combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or TCAs. Other medications can alter a dog’s ability to metabolize BMDs or vice versa. Ketoconazole, used to treat fungal/yeast infections, can impair the breakdown of TCAs, and cause toxic level buildup.
Over the counter or herbal/homeopathic medications can also cause drug interactions. Tryptophan or St John’s wort and SSRIs can cause serotonin syndrome.
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to be sure your veterinarian knows ALL medications and supplements - prescribed and otherwise – that your dog is taking.
Important information: SSRIs or TCAs can take several weeks to start showing results in the patient. In humans, approx. 33% of patients do not respond at all to a given medication. Similar studies have not been done in dogs, but it is safe to assume that results would be similar. Several medications may have to be tried before results are seen.
Only 3 BMDs have been approved for use in veterinary patients: Clomicalm (clomipramine) and Reconciles (fluoxetine) for separation anxiety, and Anipryl (selegiline) for canine cognitive dysfunction. Often, medications are prescribed “extra-label”, in other words, for use other than intended by the manufacturer. For this reason, extensive tests may not have been done to test the validity or safety of the drug in the veterinary patient. Such drugs have been used for years successfully, but it is important to understand this aspect of BMDs.
Where to go for veterinary help: Many vets are not trained in behavior or BMD application. For this reason, if at all possible, you should seek the help of a board-certified veterinary behaviorist or at the very least a vet who has a special interest in and has studied behavior and BMD application.
You may locate a board-certified vet. Behaviorist by going to:
www.dacvb.org/about_us/diplomates_copy_1/ Or you may locate a vet with special interest in behavior by going to:
www.avasbonline.org Vet to vet consults may also be a possible choice when a board certified vet or vet with a special interest in behavior is not available.
Veterinary behavior specialists:
1) Dr Tracy Kroll – Red Bank Veterinary Hospital
2) Dr Emily Levine, Fairfield – 973-226-3282, elevine@animalerc.com (board cert.)
3) Dr Karen Overall – University of Pa., Phila, Pa. – 215 - 573-2893 (board cert.)