Drooling Panting Urinating or defecating in the house Aggressive behavior Excessive barking Pacing Restlessness Depressed behavior Repeated or compulsive behavior
There’s also an injectable form of this medication, but this is not something you’d use at home. Your dog’s veterinarian might use it if they needed to sedate your dog for an examination or procedure. Only use ACP prescribed by a vet after they perform a thorough assessment of your dog. [4] X Expert Source Jamie Freyer, DVMLicensed Veterinarian Expert Interview. 8 October 2021. ACP may not be suitable for all dogs since it can lower blood pressure and some breeds may have an intolerance that could make them aggressive. If you have a flat-faced dog breed, they may have an exaggerated reaction to ACP, which may include collapse. If your dog is already agitated, anxious, or distressed, ACP may increase their symptoms rather than relieving them. Test using ACP beforehand if you plan on sedating your dog during travel to see if it works properly or causes hyper-excitement. Avoid using ACP on dogs during fear-inducing events, like thunderstorms or fireworks, since it doesn’t prevent them from feeling fear. The dogs will not be able to move, but they will still get distressed. [5] X Expert Source Jamie Freyer, DVMLicensed Veterinarian Expert Interview. 8 October 2021.
Your dog’s veterinarian may recommend a higher dose for a dog that is difficult to manage and a lower dose to a dog that less difficult to manage or that it is advanced in age. You may also need to administer a dose the night prior to when your dog needs to be sedated. Check with your dog’s veterinarian for specific dosing instructions.
You may also need to administer a dose of the medication the night before your dog requires sedation. Check with your dog’s veterinarian to be sure.
Do not exceed a dose of 4 mg of Benadryl per 1 kg (2. 2 lb) of body weight every 4-6 hours. [11] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
For greater effectiveness, administer the first dose the night before your dog requires sedation, then again 2 hours before it requires sedation.
This may be a good option if your dog is only mildly anxious and you want to help it settle down for the night or calm it down before a veterinary visit.
Although the way valerian root works is not fully understood, it seems to function in a way that is similar to benzodiazepines.
You could also try taking your dog to a dog park a few times per week so that it can play with other dogs. Just make sure that your dog is up to date on all of its vaccines before taking it to a dog park.
Repeat this each time your dog encounters the stimuli.
These products are available in pet stores and from online retailers.
You may try using Zylkene, which contains a protein from milk that has a naturally calming effect on anxious animals. Try diffusing or spraying Adaptil, which is a natural calming hormone for dogs.
