Teddy is finally going on anxiety meds..

[SirTeddykins]

I'd hoped it wouldn't come to this but I've known since he was four months old that he had separation anxiety and it's escalated to the point that he's inappropriately pooping/peeing when I'm away.

So, the vet has suggested Clomicalm which I can see has been suggested by other vets for members here but there doesn't seem to be any posts about the long term success.

He'll be seeing a behaviorist, too.

Aw, Teddy.

[richards6402]

Oh my gosh, I was just doing a search on YorkieTalk to look into calming meds. Rescue Remedy doesn't work so I am talking to the vet tomorrow to see if he can recommend something for one of mine. I am going to ask him about Clomicalm.

[Yorkiemom1]

Bless his little heart.....I hope you can help this precious baby conquer his fears/anxieties/demons.....it breaks my heart......they try so hard to be the very best they can be, and sometimes they just need a little help......good for you tending to this baby's needs! Please keep us updated on his progress!

[yorkiemini]

See hope this helps him!
This is a human drug called clomipramine or anafranil which is a very effective OCD medication. Let us know how it works.

[Scoobstersmom]

Is Clomicalm only for separation anxiety? Does it take a while before it starts to work? My little guy has horrible storm anxiety. I hate medicating him for it but the anxiety is so bad it causes him to vomit. He has IBD and the anxiety is a huge trigger for his IBD. Our vet never mentioned Clomicalm. Our little guy is on Xanax for the storm anxiety. It's only 'as needed' though. If there was something milder that would work, I would gladly switch.

Diana

[yorkiemini]

I am not a vet, so I only know about the humans - but clomipramine works fairly quickly, maybe not as fast as Xanax. With comipramine in humans we always have to watch for weight gain, diabetes, and drowsiness. Xanax is not known to cause the weight gain and drowsiness, however, Xanax is a benzodiazepine and therefore addictive and cannot be stopped quickly if they have have been on it a long time (however, not got to stop anything someone has been on a long time). Most of these issues have a lot to do with dosage and such.

When Cali was attacked by the hawk several years ago she was quite anxious - kept looking for something to come at her from above - I used low dose Xanax for about a year and a half while we worked through it, and weaned her off slowly and we did just great! Liquid Xanax is very fast acting and easy to give, but expensive, the pill is much cheaper but Cali liked the bubblegum flavor with the liquid . Some pet folks keep it around for 4th of July and New Years Eve scare for their dogs - and storms. Seems I hear most use Acepromazine for storms, but that may be vet preference.

Xanax can be used intermittently better than clomipramine in my opinion but many folks do use it intermittently successfully.

Good luck! We so hate to see our pups miserable.

[Scoobstersmom]

Thanks for the info Yorkiemini. This little guy was a shelter rescue so we don't have background for him, but he not only has storm anxiety but raindrop anxiety. Even a gentle spring shower will send him into the corner cowering and shaking and trembling. Good thing we live in Phoenix where it rarely ever rains. He is a big boy at 15 pounds, and 1/2 mg of Xanax is usually enough to calm him down. I don't know if that is considered a low dose or not, as dogs metabolize it so differently than humans. I know it is addictive, but he doesn't take it often enough to worry about that. It rarely rains two days in a row here except during our summer monsoon season, and otherwise we can go months at a time with no rain at all. I guess Xanax is the best option for him.

Diana

[Wylie's Mom]

Hey, nothing wrong *at all* with using meds...that's what they're there for after all. And for many dogs, meds are little miracles for them bc they do have something awry chemically, and the meds help mitigate that situation. It can be amazing for them, and for you too.

I hope he does just awesome on them!!!

[yorkiemini]

At the height of Cali's anxiety we were giving it 3 times a day. It worked wonders and we had no problems with it. I am so thankful for it because she could not eat or sleep and felt she had to watch for Hawks all the time and protect me and her from them.

I would not hesitate to use it again if needed! We were so lucky!

[yorkiemini]

Ha ha ha - and when I got the citation and court date for allegedly killing a protected species I though I was going to have to start taking it, too

[SirTeddykins]

Thanks all for your support. I have to admit that I was upset that Teddy's condition is something which requires med assistance. Despite my science background, I still feel like I could be unwittingly contributing to the problem or just too ignorant to find the solution. I don't know if that makes sense or not but I decided that, no matter what I feel, it's Teddy that has the anxiety and needs the help so I got over feeling sorry for us pretty quickly.

As far as I'm aware, Clomicalm is different from other SSRI's in that it inhibits the reuptake of serotonin i.e. his brain doesn't allow for the 'feel good chemicals' to circulate to the right places or for long enough before being swallowed back up. So, unlike other SSRI's which inhibit the release of certain chemicals and, thus, cause drowsiness, Clomicalm just promotes good feelings. I guess this is also the reason why it isn't as addicting and doesn't have the withdrawal effects seen with other meds.

There are no guarantees that it will work but I'm hoping with behaviorist assistance + meds - we're on the right track to help him stop suffering.

[SirTeddykins]

Meant to add that the vet recommended that we try these meds out for 2 weeks to see if he suffers the most common side effects which are vomiting and diarrhea. If he doesn't, then we'll just maintain the meds whilst we get the behaviorist scheduled in and talk to her about her training suggestions + meds etc. I'm going to be working closely with this team to ensure everything is done correctly and consistently.

I'll keep you all updated. Again, thanks for the support. This is a trying time for me which makes me feel silly since neuroscience/psychology is what I know! It seems harder to deal with it firsthand, though... this is why I like the research and not the counselling....I NEED THE COUNSEL.

<hugs to you all> x

[yorkiemini]

Misty,
You are correct clomipramine is a pretty potent seratonin reuptake inhibitor. And the active metabolite is a potent norepinephrine/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor. Like all tricyclic antidepressants they are frequently associated with weight gain so frequent weight checks during treatment are important.

Dry mouth and constipation are not uncommon, and can go along with the increased appetite. Sedation, fatigue and drowsiness are notable side effects however after taking it for a while that can improve.

Hope it works well for you folks. There is nothing worse than watching our babies suffer. While I was working with Cali's anxiety I was using exposure and increased exercise. While this was going on it increased her confidence which was a major boost for us. As her confidence grew she got better a dealing with the anxious moments -- of course that night have backfired since she now thinks she can handle anything . The bigger the better!

[pstinard]

I'm sure you've read this information about clomicalm on drugs.com:

Clomicalm - FDA prescribing information, side effects and uses

Clomicalm is a tricyclic antidepressant. It has some side effects, which are listed in the article, along with the percentage of dogs that experienced those side effects compared with placebo. At least there is a picture of a Yorkie on their 5 mg. tablet bottle .

IMHO, the side effects are relatively mild, so it may be worth giving it a try, but watch Teddy carefully for side effects.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by SirTeddykins

Meant to add that the vet recommended that we try these meds out for 2 weeks to see if he suffers the most common side effects which are vomiting and diarrhea. If he doesn't, then we'll just maintain the meds whilst we get the behaviorist scheduled in and talk to her about her training suggestions + meds etc. I'm going to be working closely with this team to ensure everything is done correctly and consistently.

I'll keep you all updated. Again, thanks for the support. This is a trying time for me which makes me feel silly since neuroscience/psychology is what I know! It seems harder to deal with it firsthand, though... this is why I like the research and not the counselling....I NEED THE COUNSEL.

<hugs to you all> x

Awh Misty I am just reading this now. been absent for a bit. I think you are doing the right thing in exploring meds and also coupling this with a behaviourist. You know that sometimes as dog owners and trainers we contribute to the problem in ways that we never recognize or see. I sure know I have done that with my group. I know that because I work with a great trainer - who sees things I would never see on my own.

Misty you are for sure doing what you can do and I do so hope that it will be successfull.