We get asked this question a lot! And the answer can be tricky.
For one thing, WE ARE NOT VETERINARIANS. Every Dog's team of behavior professionals are experts in behavior, but not in medicine: so we can't tell you which meds to use, what would work best for your pup, or what doses are best. You should always, always consult with your vet before choosing to change anything with your dog's medications!
But fortunately, we brought in an expert in behavioral medicine to give us some great info.
Dr. Hee Young (Esther) Eng, DVM, is currently a second year resident working with Dr. Amy Pike, a board certified veterinary behaviorist at the Animal Behavior Wellness Center in Virginia, and gave an awesome webinar for us! Here's some of the most important info you need to know about behavior meds.
Medical until proven otherwise.
When we first start working with new clients, the first question is: "has your dog visited the vet recently?" Dr. Eng says the rule is "medical until proven otherwise."
Behavior changes are sometimes the first (or only) signs a dog will give us that something is wrong, even if it’s just a small behavior quirk that slips through the cracks. Pain itself can even change behavior by lowering a dog’s-- or human’s!-- capacity for tolerating triggers. For example, when we have the flu, we're much more likely to snap at a partner.
Medication is just one part of a treatment plan.
Medication is not meant to be the sole component of an effective treatment plan: Dr. Eng recommends a philosophy of management, modification, and medication.
Management:
changing the dog’s environment/situation to prevent the the problem behavior.
Modification:
changing the dog’s actual behavior through training.
Medication:
can even make your dog more responsive to training: by giving them enough of a boost to get out of that “fight-or-flight” crisis state, they can actually focus better and process what they’re learning.
What makes a dog a good candidate for behavioral medication?
The three main factors to take into account are the intensity, frequency, and recovery period associated with their triggers.
Is your dog experiencing a something like a phobia, where their fear is vastly out of proportion to the situation?
Are they getting triggered all the time, or just occasionally?
When they do get triggered, can they shake it off in a few seconds or does it take them hours to return back to normal?
These questions can help you figure out whether behavior meds might be helpful. These are great things to cover with your behavior professional (like a behavior consultant or a trainer) as well as with your veterinarian or a veterinary behaviorist.
Are there non-prescription behavior med options?
There are a number of non-prescription treatments that may help with behavior. Keep in mind that some products (like nutraceuticals) aren't regulated by the FDA (since they're not classified as drugs). Most of these non-prescription options are pretty safe and can be combined with other products (like medications). But they tend to be better options for dogs with milder symptoms, where pharmaceuticals may be needed for dogs with more severe behaviors.
Nutraceuticals
Nutraceuticals are supplements made from natural products and so they are generally considered safe, but getting a professional opinion is always advised!
Certain helpful nutraceuticals might include zylkene (found in milk, as in the classic method of drinking warm milk before bed when you can’t sleep) and anxitane (found in green tea, which increases serotonin and dopamine).
Probiotics
Probiotics can also be a good addition to your pet’s treatment plan (Dr. Eng recommends Calming Care).
Pheromones
Pheromones are natural products secreted as communication cues between dogs; specifically modern products use the dog-appeasing pheromone (dAP) produced by mother dogs to create a sense of comfort and security as her puppies nurse from her.
These pheromones can be distributed through diffusers, collars, and sprays. Diffusers- like the one engineered by Zenidog- are a great option, but can take 36-72 hours to build up in a room, so collars are another good choice that are also a faster-acting option. Sprays work quickly as well, but are less strong (but here’s a hack from Dr. Eng: they can be sprayed onto clothes 10-15 minutes before a potentially triggering interaction to make the target person seem more approachable!).
Some good FDA approved pheromone brands are Adaptil, Zenidog, and Thunderease.
What types of behavioral medications (pharmaceuticals) are there?
Situational Medication
Situational medications (also called short-term medications or event medications) are drugs meant to be used as-needed that take effect quickly and also dissipate quickly. These are often used for things like vet visits, thunderstorms, car rides, or other stressful events, and they tend to last somewhere between 6-12 hours.
Common situational medications include gabapentin (which can conveniently also alleviate some kinds of pain) and trazodone. Sileo, a third medication mentioned by Dr. Eng, is an as-needed medication that comes in the form of a gel rubbed into the dog’s gums (while the owner wears gloves!). It takes about 10-15 minutes to kick in, which makes it a good resource for unpredictable triggers like fireworks or thunderstorms.
Daily Medication
Daily medications are meant to be taken... daily! These meds are part of a dog's every-day routine.
Some FDA-approved daily medications include Clomicalm (a SNRI like Cymbalta or Effexor) and Reconcile (an SSRI that is the equivalent of Prozac). You may also see veterinary behaviorists prescribing other drugs commonly seen in human psychiatry as well: sertraline (Zoloft), venlafaxine (Efexor), etc.
Do behavioral medications have side effects?
Yes! Just like any other medication, behavioral meds can have side effects.
The most common side effects can be vomiting, loose stool, or lack of appetite, but in many cases this is temporary while the dog’s GI system adjusts to the new medication.
Occasionally, trazodone or benzodiazepine medications (usually used short term) can have a paradoxical effect and make dogs more anxious. This is why testing medications on a normal day before you need them is a good idea!
What about CBD?
Okay, now for the question everyone is asking: what about CBD?
Dr. Eng unfortunately reports that the current research does not support the efficacy of CBD as an anxiety treatment (although, it is beneficial for osteoarthritis pain).
Dr. Lisa Radosta, a veterinary behaviorist and researcher, ran trials with the CBD medication ElleVet and concluded that it can be helpful at high doses, but these doses can also create liver symptoms that are not- in Dr. Rodasta’s opinion- worth the risk.
We hope that in years to come, with lots of future research, CBD may become a useful tool in treating behavioral issues. But as of this webinar, the research doesn't indicate much benefit and there are still risks associated. Additionally, because CBD products are unregulated, it's very difficult to know what you're actually getting!
Conclusion
Behavioral medications can be a HUGE help for many dogs with fear, anxiety, and aggression. There are a number of options, from non-prescription options (great for mild cases) to situational and daily pharmaceutical medications.
If you think your dog might benefit from behavioral medications, talk to your behavior professional and your veterinarian! Whenever possible, wee recommend working with a veterinary behavior professional!