6 good tranquilizers for dogs & when to use them
- Veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic
- Updated: 2023-04-12
In this article we will tell you all the important facts and the best tranquilizers for your dog. In addition, for this article we have Advice from veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic obtained. Note: This article is written for the german country. So be curious.
Just like us humans, our dogs also get into situations in which they become nervous or anxious. That's where tranquilizers can help.
Is your darling often at home in a quiet environment or not used to car rides? If a birthday is coming up or a long journey is imminent, your dog may quickly start to panic.
Some possible anxiety situations may include:
- Events with noise
- Dealing with too many people
- Trigger situation due to trauma
- New Year's Eve noise
Whether your protégé suffers more from nervousness or fear is not only dependent on the personal character of a dog. The breed, experience and other factors play an important role.
An optimal solution to protect your faithful companion in stressful situations is the administration of Sedative for dogs. However, these can also bring some side effects. In order not to take any risks, let us inform you exactly.
When are sedatives advisable?
Please don't always reach for tranquilizers for your pet right away. Sometimes it is better to resort to an alternative.
Is your dog afraid of Car trips, you can start early to connect him to Get used to car rides. If he then has to ride in the car once, the acclimation has a positive effect.
To make sure your next trip to the vet isn't too stressful, you can start getting your faithful companion used to car rides today.
These exercises help
Set training times. Once a week is a reasonable workload. Take your dog with you regularly when driving and he will soon get used to it.
Start with small steps. First of all, put him in the car and calm him down for a few minutes. You can continuously increase the duration of the exercises after several attempts. For example, after you have been in the car with your dog for three minutes, the next exercise can last 5 or 10 minutes.
These exercises require patience. Don't expect too much at once and you'll perceive quicker feelings of success than under pressure. Of course, there are also situations that are difficult to practice. If you have a traumatized dog, it will be difficult to get used to it without professional help.
Then, as a last solution, the dog tranquilizer is an option. But which sedative is really suitable? What are the advantages and disadvantages? And what other measures can also help you?
Herbal sedatives
Few disadvantages are found in the sedatives, which consist of natural ingredients. Globules, Bach flowers & Co. are here the most widespread means.
In this section we want to introduce you to the different homeopathic and herbal sedatives for dogs. We will also show you the advantages and disadvantages of these remedies.
1. the insider tip: CBD oil
Not for nothing is the CBD oil the absolute insider tip.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a barely psychoactive cannabinoid from the female hemp. Medicinally, it has anticonvulsant, analgesic, anti-anxiety and sedative effects. When buying, look for a high quality oil.
2. valerian
Valerian calms not only us humans, but also dogs, cats and other living creatures.
The dosage for the dog depends on age, size, weight and the reason for the fear. Therefore, it is recommended that you contact your veterinarian in advance. He can advise you more precisely and tell you the optimal dose.
Valerian - unlike pharmaceutical tranquilizers for dogs - does not act directly and in full. Administered continuously, your dog will reach a state of sedation in the period of 5-7 days.
The danger here is that the drug is administered for too long. Valerian is not a universal solution. It is better to find the reasons for the anxiety situation and work through them in the long term.
3. hops
Hops have been used by us humans for a long time. This herbal remedy is also suitable for dogs. However it has not a strong effect. You best administer it supportively while you address the cause of the anxiety.
4. lavender with anti-anxiety effect
Lavender has a anxiety-relieving effect for dogs. Not only the fresh scent, but also the intake as a dietary supplement is in stressful situations helpful.
Unique stress situations - such as noise on New Year's Eve or birthdays - are wonderfully prevented. Lavender is best administered to your protégé as a tincture.
5. st. john's wort - against anxiety and depression
St. John's wort serves us as a last option before taking chemical drugs. But the herb has not only a mood enhancing and anxiety-relieving effect in humans - but also in our dogs.
The best effect is achieved in combination with valerian. Regarding the correct dose, it is recommended to contact your veterinarian beforehand. He will give you more information about the dosage once he knows the weight and size of your dog.
Caution: St. John's wort and valerian should never be combined with a pharmaceutical dog tranquilizer. The interactions are enormous and can be fatal.
6. bach flowers - against stress
As a last possibility and variant here is Bach flowers for dogs. Also helps well with anxiety and stress states.
Why pharma tranquilizers?
Pharmaceutical tranquilizers for dogs are usually made on doctor's orders.
For common stressful situations, the best case scenario is that you don't resort to them right away.
Common situations are those that your dog encounters more often in everyday life. The risks of such frequent administration of pharmaceutical agents otherwise outweigh the benefits. Therefore, it is especially important to weigh.
A pharmaceutical dog tranquilizer can be used in the following situations:
- upcoming operation
- medical interventions
- severe pain
- serious illnesses
- enormous stress situations
- Physical dependence
- Drowsiness
- Nervousness and restlessness
- Aggressiveness
- Risk of overdose and thus a burden on the liver, kidney and gastrointestinal tract.
The correct dosage
Depending on the product, supplement or remedy, the administration options also differ. For example, if your product is a tincture, this tincture is added to the feed. A look at the enclosed manual will inform you about this in more detail.
After you have decided on a sedative, you can search the Internet for suitable products. These products usually include instructions to help you learn how to administer them. Otherwise, you can again consult your veterinarian on this point.
When placing your order, be sure to check the Quality of these sedatives. A look at the ratings is often enough here. These should be predominantly in the positive range.
What else is important:
In certain situations, there is the possibility to resort to so-called skills. These skills are completely harmless and are neither chemical nor natural.
1. familiar smell
If your pet is panicked or afraid of certain situations, it is recommended to put a piece of clothing with a familiar smell near him. Most often, the smell of the owner has the best effect.
2. pressure
If you often notice that your dog gets scared while walking, you can resort to skills that work against fear with pressure. A special dog shirt is the best solution for this. The tight shirt makes your dog feel more protected and safe.
3. hearing protection and blindfold
A frightened or panicked quadruped is overwhelmed with the many stimuli. In addition, different stimuli with noise, smells or other impressions can increase the fear in your quadruped.
Hearing protection and/or blindfolds offer the perfect solution, to hide some stimuli for your darling.
However, these products should not be used for the first time when your protégé is already in a panic situation. This will cause the fear to intensify, causing your dog to engage in avoidance behavior.
Get your dog used to the hearing protection or blindfold so that he is already familiar with it before a stressful situation occurs. The best times to exercise are when your pet is is relaxed and feels safe.
4. desensitization through "stimulus CDs
You might realize that there is no universal solution to the dog's anxiety. At best, you should identify the reasons that are responsible for your darling to react panicky, fearful, nervous or even aggressive.
The next step is a DesensitizationDesensitization is a method that allows your dog to get used to the stimuli that cause fear. Desensitization is especially useful in stressful situations where noise is the triggering factor.
Is your dog afraid of thunder and lightning, shooting sounds or screaming? Then get yourself a CD on which the fear-inducing sounds can be found. On the Internet you can often find products that play the common sounds. "Stimulus CDs for dogs" or "Sound CDs for Dogs" helps you as a term in the search.
However, you should not use these noise CDs too late. Your protégé needs patience, quiet and time to get used to fear-inducing noise. If New Year's Eve is coming up, you should get your dog used to it at least 3 - 4 weeks beforehand. Ideally, you start with this training about 2 months before New Year's Eve.
Frequently Asked Questions
The doctor Dr. Edward Bach is considered the inventor of this therapy, which uses individual essences of plants. Bach flowers are different plants, which are very strongly diluted and then mixed with others. Thus, they can be used for a wide variety of applications.
Since Bach flowers are a homeopathic product, there are basically no side effects. Your dog could at most have an intolerance or allergy to the ingredients. In this case, the Bach flowers must be discontinued.
CBD oil is extracted from the cannabis plant and is sold as a dietary supplement for humans and animals. It is not to be confused with THC or hemp oil.
CBD oil is not a cure, but has a soothing effect against a variety of symptoms such as:
- Signs of aging such as osteoarthritis, arthritis
- Anxiety disorders
- Immunodeficiency
- Complaints of the digestive system
- Loss of appetite
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Skin and coat problems
There is no fixed dosage, because it depends on the size of your protégé and the reason for taking it. Therefore, you should ask your vet which dosage is the right one.
Veterinarian’s Recommendation
Of course, there are always situations where a pharmaceutical sedative can be resorted to.
If your dog is in a lot of pain or has a one-time extreme stress moment waiting for him, you can sit down with your veterinarian and discuss administration.
Fear serves as a useful instinct.
If your furry friend often suffers from anxiety in apparently harmless situations, you should get to the bottom of it. If necessary, you can desensitize your pet with various therapies, solutions and exercises.
I am a veterinarian and writer on animal health topics. Animals are my passion, and it is my personal goal to create medically accurate articles and videos to educate pet owners as much as possible.
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