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With the fireworks about to begin, do any of you use melatonin to calm your dogs?
I want to try this, and would like to hear from those who have used it to calm their animals.
Thanks.
I've never heard of that, but Benadril can help calm them. My dog had skin issues until we got her diet figured out and moved away from an area with a lot of fleas, and I used to give her Benadril for itching and it pretty much put her to sleep and it's safe. I forget the dosage, but you could ask your vet or see if you could find the dosage online.
My dog is pretty much bomb-proof, so fortunately we don't have to worry about the fireworks really. It bothers me more than the dog.
What I am reading about melatonin is encouraging, but I just wanted to know what those who have used it say about it.
Actually melatonin is in just about every sleeping pill on the market.
I is the main ingredient in sleeping pills.
It has been used in pets for a while now, according to what I read.
I've used Happy Traveler for dogs for fireworks and thunderstorms. It has Valeria Root, St. Johns Wort and a couple other ingredients, it worked well. I haven't tried Melatonin but if you do you might try starting with a smaller dose than recommended so you can see how it's tolerated. Mine only needed half the dose of Happy Traveler to take the edge off.
Bob my parents lived near Disneyland so almost ever night at 9 PM ( I think earlier in winter) their were fireworks and her two dogs would freak out so she started using Melatonin. It worked great but the secret is to give it about 45 minute to and hour before the fireworks as given once they have started does not work.
4th of July was the worst as the neighbors behind her always had the illegal professional fireworks and set off a show of about 20-30 minutes length. My mom even called the police about it as they would be out looking for such fireworks but they never did anything about this guy. We heard he had connections in the police department so perhaps that is why year after year he did his shows. So Thank God my mom decided to use the melatonin.
You might want to put some rescue remedy in the dogs drinking water to help keep him calm all day as I know where she lived kids set off the legal ones all day long then before all the professional fireworks give the melatonin.
Thanks for posting this, Calguy. It was timely as I am currently looking for situational solutions for my dog's anxiety; which is the dog groomer. She hates her extremities being brushed/clipped. She may have had a bad grooming experience once upon a time and just as she was finally getting over her anxiety hump with her most recent groomer, this groomer recently went off the grid. She was a mobile groomer so I can't drop in to the shop. Anyway, I am back on the hunt for another groomer who will be kind and gentle, loving and patient. But I don't want my baby to be anxious either with someone new.
I left a message at my vets office asking for Josie's vet to call me back. I am going to ask about melatonin (how she feels about it, what would be the correct dosage for Josie's weight, etc) and hopefully a groomer recommendation.
I know.... it hurts so much to see our babies fearful and anxious.
Thanks for posting this, Calguy. It was timely as I am currently looking for situational solutions for my dog's anxiety; which is the dog groomer. She hates her extremities being brushed/clipped. She may have had a bad grooming experience once upon a time and just as she was finally getting over her anxiety hump with her most recent groomer, this groomer recently went off the grid. She was a mobile groomer so I can't drop in to the shop. Anyway, I am back on the hunt for another groomer who will be kind and gentle, loving and patient. But I don't want my baby to be anxious either with someone new.
I left a message at my vets office asking for Josie's vet to call me back. I am going to ask about melatonin (how she feels about it, what would be the correct dosage for Josie's weight, etc) and hopefully a groomer recommendation.
I know.... it hurts so much to see our babies fearful and anxious.
Google "melatonin for dogs", and it will give the correct dosage according to the dogs weight.
Some other interesting facts as well.
I use it on my brothers dog and had a german shep that had severe noise phobia that i would use it bn on for storms and fireworks. Vet recommended it. Safe for healthy dogs. If your dog is on other meds (besides flea and tick/heartworm meds or is elderly/pregnant, talk to your vet.
Dosage is 1 mg per 20 lbs of body weight for dogs up to 60 lbs. (20 lb dog gets 1 mg, 40 lb gets 2 mg, 60 lbs gets 3 mg. Dogs 60-110 lbs get 3 mg. Giant breeds can get up to 6 mg.
Give 20 min before sunset or at first sign of a thunderstorm. It doesnt make dogs dopey, but they just don't care. No side effects to it.
Just be aware melatonin comes in 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 mg strengths in bottles that all look alike. So know what you are buying. And for best value, if you have a 20 lb dog, you might want to buy 2 mg tablets and cut them in half. The price for 1 mg vs 2 mg tablets is almost the same, but you will get twice as many doses out of the 2 mg. For a 40 lb dog, get the 4 mg, and cut in half. For 60-110 lb dogs get the 6 mg and cut in half.
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