Dog anxiety and behavior
5 questions from dog owners about behavior, aggression and calming medication, each answered in writing by a licensed veterinarian. Got your own? Ask a vet.
Newly adopted dog barks and lunges at one dog on walks: is it aggression?
Sorry to hear you're concerned. It could be a multitude of reasons. Many dogs get something called barrier aggression where they're only aggressive when on a leash or behind a fence. Others become territorial of an area they've decided is theirs. They could also be in a protective mode over you. Positive reinforcement is the best way to get behavioral changes and exposure to situations with corrected behavior. I can't tell you the solution without seeing the situation playing out, so finding dog training may be beneficial.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM
Trazodone not helping much for a pet that has to travel on board muzzled
Sorry she is giving you concern for a flight. Trazadone is tricky to medicate. It needs to be given at least 2 hours before the exciting or stressful event. It also regularly needs to be given the night before or morning of the event as well. If trazadone isn't enough, go to your vet and there are several other medications that can be added to be a good anti-anxiety regiment.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM
Is 6 mg of melatonin safe for a 15 lb dog before a nail trim?
I advise that melatonin supplementation may not be enough for your dogs relaxation. There is not established evidence for it's efficacy for general anxiety which a nail trim situation would cause. I would try to see a veterinarian that is able to prescribed medications that can address your situation.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM
Puppy's behaviour getting harder to manage as she grows up with an older dog
Sorry to see you're dealing with a difficult situation. Do you know if she turned out to be bred? Unfortunately, this type of situation requires a lot of details of the dogs environment and potentially video evidence of described behaviors. I see this is for another owner's dog, so this may be difficult to assess. Positive reinforcement is the mainstay for correcting behaviors and consulting veterinarians and behaviorists is never a bad idea.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM
Trazodone for dog aggression: what if it seems to make things worse?
Sorry to hear about this situation with Bhodi. A thing about trazadone is the timing of dosage before stressful events or situations. It is regularly recommended to give 1-2 hours before an event. That can be frequently difficult to predict so the efficacy of trazadone can very widely. Likewise, dogs will know they are affected by the medication and can react with more aggression if they're uncomfortable with how they feel. Tricyclic antidepressants, GABA agonists, and phenothiazines are other drug classes veterinarians will reach for. I'd reach out to your vet again for further recommendations.
Answered by Dylan Wilson, DVM
Veterinarians on PawsRx are independent professionals, not PawsRx employees. Each is solely responsible for their own advice and clinical decisions. PawsRx does not review, endorse, recommend, or guarantee anything a vet or any other user posts, and does not practice veterinary medicine. Answers here were written without examining the animal, so they are general information rather than a diagnosis, and they are not intended to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. In an emergency, contact an emergency clinic.