Skip to content

Major behavior change after 10 years!! Help!

Behavioral Issues
  • Hi All!
    Wanted to give you an update on Joey! He is doing great in our new home and almost immediately upon arrival. There must have been something that changed in our apartment where he had suddenly developed so many problems. I did consult with a behaviorist while still in our apartment which helped me. He is now 12 and seems to have some increasing anxiety when we leave but behaves himself, uncrated, pretty well after we leave... a few times he has torn apart some papers but those were left as bait if he needed some release. He recovered from his tooth extractions. Thanks again for your interest and assistance! This is a great forum!
    Joey's Mom

  • So glad to hear the move into your new house has Joey all settled & Happy!

  • Thank you! I wasn't going to give up on him!

  • I have been wondering how Joey is doing--so glad he's doing well! Did you ever try Clomicalm? Should the need ever arise again, Trazadone is a very benign anti-depressant; It's used in elderly humans with heart conditions and has a pronounced calming/somewhat sedative effect.

    For anyone following the thread, Clomicalm is a re-patented version of clomipramine, an old tricyclic antidepressant. It is sold considerably cheaper for humans as Anafranil. It is an old tricyclic anti-depressant, seldom used in humans nowadays because of potential liver toxicity. In my opinion at best it's an ineffective cash grab, at worst it's dangerous. I would steer clear--there are much safer, more modern SSRI's available.

  • I did try Clomicalm but I don't think he was on it long enough or his anxiety level was too strong to see a change.
    He may have been in pain that I did not detect. I just never found a definitive cause. Sure wish they could talk sometimes!

  • @yodelma said in Major behavior change after 10 years!! Help!:

    opinion

    I'll keep Trazadone in mind for the future. He is managing pretty well for now.

  • Saw a new vet today for a check up...she suggested trying Prozac to treat situational anxiety. Thoughts?

  • Prozac made a big difference in Cara.

  • Prozac was a factor in the death of my beloved Thunder. Yes, it did work but the price both him and me paid was high. This happened back in 2003 and to this day I mourn for him.

    Kathryn

  • @rocky1 ...as i
    I wrote in 2016...I am sorry about your dog, but it's rare. Other drugs may be more dangerous and far less researched.

    DebraDownSouth Aug 28, 2016, 11:18 PM reply quote
    Rocky1, I am sorry about your dog, and absolutely liver is a KNOWN side effect, albeit small, with the drug. So anyone doubting you needs to do some research.

    However, your other information is a not accurate.

    first, no, clomicalm is not the doggy form of prozac.

    Second, 5-htp has toxicity also. Almost no drug comes without risks. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10863592
    Add to the fact that prozac has been used and researched heavily, whereas research on 5-HTP is scarce in humans and almost nonexistent in dogs beyond the toxicity above. "natural" doesn't mean safe.
    http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Hydroxytryptophan_(5-)

    In humans it also can cause liver damage

    Tryptophan use has been associated with the development of serious conditions, such as liver and brain toxicity, and with eosinophilic myalgia syndrome (EMS), a potentially fatal disorder that affects the skin, blood, muscles, and organs (see "Overview" section). Such reports prompted the FDA to ban the sale of all tryptophan supplements in 1989. As with tryptophan, EMS has been reported in 10 people taking 5-HTP.
    Side effects of 5-HTP are generally mild and may include nausea, heartburn, gas, feelings of fullness, and rumbling sensations in some people. At high doses, serotonin syndrome, a dangerous condition caused by too much serotonin in the body, could develop. Talk to your health care provider before taking higher-than-recommended doses.
    People with high blood pressure or diabetes should talk to their doctor before taking 5-HTP.
    If you take antidepressants, you should not take 5-HTP (see "Possible Interactions" section).
    People with liver disease, pregnant women, and women who are breastfeeding should not take 5-HTP.<<

    Clomicalm (clomipramine hydrochloride) is a tricyclic antidepressant and affects chemicals in the brain (serotonin)
    Prozac, fluoxetine, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant drug . Its FDA-approved veterinary formulation is known as Reconcile.

    Clomicalm slows the reabsorption rate of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, allowing their levels to rise in the brain. This drug is mainly used to treat separation anxiety. Prozac, on the other hand, works by strongly blocking the reabsorption of serotonin allowing more serotonin to be available for extended periods of time.
    http://www.ehow.com/info_12227764_difference-between-clomicalm-prozac-dogs.html

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10863592

    Prozac, clomicalm and 5-HTP can all cause liver issues.

    Debra<<<<<

  • @rocky1 I'm so very sorry for your loss. They become such a part of our souls. I've already had a few tears over just the thought of what it will be like without him.

Suggested Topics

  • HELP! I LOVE her, but..

    Behavioral Issues
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    1k Views
    No one has replied
  • Help!

    Behavioral Issues
    17
    0 Votes
    17 Posts
    5k Views
    KipawaK
    Kipawa went through a rambunctious stage at 13 months - he didn't do anything bad, but he seemed to be 'testing' who the boss was. He was reminded, consistently. (Grin) At 15 months he started to show very nice maturation qualities and a complete understanding of his place in our family pack. Be patient, be consistent, give him lots of exercise and really praise him when he is good.
  • Help….What do I do...

    Behavioral Issues
    20
    0 Votes
    20 Posts
    7k Views
    QuercusQ
    I agree with Debra…dogs who feel it is okay to growl and snap at their owners to get their way should not be sleeping in the bed. Paulajean, you can work this out...just get some good advice from a good trainer...she is not a bad dog, you just need a way to communicate to her that you are the leader :) Check out Patricia McConnell's book "How to Be the Leader of the Pack (and have your dog love you for it)" you can google it and find it at several different vendors.
  • Help for Max

    Behavioral Issues
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    4k Views
    AJs HumanA
    @lvoss: These behaviors are not necessarily "wanting to be the boss". Several of them seem to be resource gaurding behaviors, like what he is doing with your husband. I agree…and from what I'm seeing here, YOU are the resource. I'm not sure whether to train the Terrier part of him or the Basenji part of him. A behaviorist or professional trainer would have a better idea.
  • Strange Behavior need help

    Behavioral Issues
    7
    0 Votes
    7 Posts
    3k Views
    S
    I would also pump up her exercise…make your walkies longer and more frequent. A tired b' is a happy b.
  • Odd behavior change with guests

    Behavioral Issues
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    3k Views
    QuercusQ
    <> Cute! Good idea too! I am truly not offended :) I think I just misread the post. Nothing worse than giving advice when it wasn't wanted...and I felt bad that I might have stepped on your toes :)