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Post by sueb on Nov 1, 2011 9:34:12 GMT
Oh dear that wretched time of year again.
Poor Brennan seems even worse this year despite: having a confident newish mate, building dens, using CD of fireworks to de-sensitise, not fussing him, copius amounts of rescue remedy, bioforce emergency drops, scullcap & valerian, going down to Broadstairs where its quiter than London, radios & TV turned up, closing curtains etc etc....
They were going off on saturday in Kent and he was so bad I thought he was going to have a heart attack....
....so off to the vets yesterday, I've given in and now have some valium!
( the vet recommended playing Alice Cooper and then Bach!!!)
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angela
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My babies
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Post by angela on Nov 1, 2011 9:58:30 GMT
oh Sue I do feel for Brennan. Charlie is really bad and luckily so far we have not had very many going off and the ones that have are quite a long way away. I have made Charlie a potion up of the Bach Flower and am giving him that, I also have got a Thunder Shirt (which I bought for Ruby) and shall be giving that a go on Friday and Saturday when the fireworks are going to be really loud.
Hope the Valium works ok for Brennan
Angela x
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Post by suethejam on Nov 1, 2011 11:11:55 GMT
Poor Brennan!
Ty does well on valium so I wouldn't worry about using it short term (weeks rather than months) bursts - it relieves their anxiety but also seems to affect their short-term memory so that they don't remember and escalate the trauma.
It doesn't seem to have any particular side-effects for Ty (other than calming and maybe drowsiness but hard to notice in dozy greyhounds) though when we were working out which dose was best to use we found that 25mg (recommended by vet) made him a bit wobbly. We now use 15mg twice a day (Ty weighs 37kg - he's a big boy) on the boat.
Although I'm sad for Brennan, your post did remind me that last year we had Ty on propranolol and phenobarbitone which we started weeks in advance to get him through. We haven't felt the need this year though we do have valium if needed (hasn't been necessary yet) because he's not too bad. I hadn't appreciated how much he'd improved - though that only applies when he's at home - he's still a total jellyboy away from home (i.e. on the other side of the garden gate) - fireworks or no fireworks!
Ty favours Florence and the machine!
Lou has valium for muscle spasms in her back and tramadol for pain (when she spasms) - she's totally blissed out on drugs and is full of goodwill towards her fellow dogs - nice!
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Post by prince on Nov 1, 2011 11:38:30 GMT
i`ve just had to go out and buy serene-um calm drops, last year prince was ok indoors, but this past week he has been a nervous wreck. taking him out in the day time he is not happy even a car door shutting makes him jump.
the past three nights i`ve had him falling asleep in my arms and needing reasurance.
has anyone used this product?
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Post by patricksparents on Nov 1, 2011 12:40:23 GMT
This just breaks my heart. They have been going off here since last week - Patrick is ok with them but does look a bit miffed that they make him jump. I've spent so many firework nights in the wardrobe with our various dogs I know how much your babies are going through.
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Post by katie on Nov 1, 2011 13:12:09 GMT
Our vet has now recommended drugs for Blaze, to avoid the quiverring wreck in the corner scenario whenever she hears any loud unexpected noises. They also recommended building a den for her to hide in whenever she is frightened so her crate is now shrouded in blankets other than the door area ,and she does seem to love going in there when she is alarmed. Hopefully these will help her ongoing.
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fina
New Member
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Post by fina on Nov 1, 2011 19:53:33 GMT
Hi,
I have just bought Dolly my greyhound the thunder shirt, it works really well and calms her down in fact she didn't need any drops at all, a very good investment.
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Post by andic on Nov 1, 2011 20:02:29 GMT
Erm, what's a thunder shirt?? Olly has been anxious with the really loud bangs so trying to do everything I can in prep for this weekend....... Think I may get the karaoke out, that'll drown the bangs out!!
Andi
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angela
Full Member
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Post by angela on Nov 2, 2011 9:29:30 GMT
Erm, what's a thunder shirt?? Olly has been anxious with the really loud bangs so trying to do everything I can in prep for this weekend....... Think I may get the karaoke out, that'll drown the bangs out!! Andi Angela |
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angela
Full Member
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Post by angela on Nov 2, 2011 9:31:54 GMT
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Post by sueb on Nov 2, 2011 9:36:54 GMT
Hi all
Thanks for your messages and advice.
I think that with Brennan there seems to be a culmulative effect re loud noises, with each episode making him worse (started off this year with the gunfire at the Essex show, with him & Blaze doing a sterling job of rocking Pat's RGT trailer with their shaking!!), so if the Diazepam does also help him loose the memory of bad exepriences I think that will help break an ever worsening cycle.
I was working late yesterday, but when I got in he had been given a tablet as the family had heard fireworks sort of in the middle distance (even one only just audible is enough to set him off) but not sure whether he had actually heard the fireworks through the radio, so difficult to gauge reactions vs dosage.
But he was in his den in the kitchen and was chilled out and fine, Nelly was in there with him! (Even though she is not scared of fireworks, she gets unnnerved by seeing the quivering jelly boy and has worked out what causes it. She wants to be with him, she so loves that boy!)
Thanks for the info re Ty's doasgae, Sue, that will help with getting it right on the night, I think. The vet has given us 8 x 10 mgs tablets for this week, so that will see him through. He recommends using if needed, one first then another half if needed but no more than 2 in 24 hours. We're supposed to give one before everything kicks off, but at this lead up time its hard to know when they'll go off, which for me is the worst part.
Good luck with Charlie, Ty and Blaze and Prince and all their other very nervous chums at this time of year.
Let us know how the thundershirts are, Angela, I'm interested to know and sounds like it's been good for Dolly. ( Andi, I don't know much about them, think its a coat they put on which acts as a sort of compression which calms them, and I think there is a link elsewhere on the forum).
Prince's Mum, I haven't tried serene em, but I did find Rescue Remedy worked to some degree last year -for storms not fireworks- (but with 3 pippette-fulls not just 4 drops!) But Bren's fear is so bad this year, no altenative remedies (even several together) are going close to even taking the edge off it, hence valium!
We're off to Kent again this weekend, there are plenty there, but it's really like the blitz here and there is also a HUGE display more or less at the end of our road on saturday!
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Post by prince on Nov 2, 2011 15:09:36 GMT
been using serene um now for two days, and have noticed a little differance, taking prince out this afternoon with sarah and baby. a few noises have made him a little nervy but not as bad as he has been, and looking in the air not as much. so hopefully by the weekend it should take full affect.
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Post by Ian on Nov 2, 2011 21:46:28 GMT
You should come and live in Devon Sue, very few fireworks have been heard here although there are a few displays organised for this weekend. We're going to one at Emmas school on Friday night. No one's got any money here you see to waste on Fireworks! Strange how some dogs tolerate them, Sean is really outstanding with loud noises and has a high resistance to them disturbing his sleep, also one of our cats (Casper) has been know to actually leave the house where we used to live despite the fact that 'Global Thermonuclear War' was going on outside. Hope your dogs all have the best fireworks night possible, perhaps it'll get rained off!
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Post by sueb on Nov 3, 2011 9:29:28 GMT
You should come and live in Devon Sue, very few fireworks have been heard here although there are a few displays organised for this weekend. We're going to one at Emmas school on Friday night. No one's got any money here you see to waste on Fireworks! Strange how some dogs tolerate them, Sean is really outstanding with loud noises and has a high resistance to them disturbing his sleep, also one of our cats (Casper) has been know to actually leave the house where we used to live despite the fact that 'Global Thermonuclear War' was going on outside. Hope your dogs all have the best fireworks night possible, perhaps it'll get rained off! One day Mark, we hope to move to Devon, regretably not yet, (but in the meantime, holidays there & lots of looking at properties on the net!) Sean is such an incredibly laid back dog and Casper, well he sounds plain mad- Lol! Hope you all have a good time at the display. |
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Post by prince on Nov 3, 2011 13:02:07 GMT
wishing that it does rain, just been told a big firework display is happening down old leigh 5.30 saturday (not far from where i live) ggggrrrrrrrrr
first time last night in a week prince went out for a short walk instead of my husband taking him in the car to a quiet area to relieve himself.
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