Posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 17, 2003, at 6:28:18
In reply to Re: Nardil Itchiness! » ace, posted by Liligoth on October 17, 2003, at 5:56:06
Hi Lili,
I've heard about the recend trend in prescriptions of psychotropics for troubled animals (fluoxetine, for depression, and clomipramine, for separation anxiety, have made the headlines here... I don't know what the story is in Australia...). I was just wondering if you could tell me how your dog is doing on the clomipramine and what it's being used for? I assume separation anxiety since that's what it's so commonly prescribed here in the U.S. for (to dogs I mean, of course).
Our oldest cat (8 years) has been very sullen for the past several months, though she's usually so lively and extremely playful. Last visit to the vet about 10 months ago, we were told that she was an 8-year-old cat trapped in a newborn kitten's body, lol. We've always insisted on extensive tests at her biannual visits to the vet, and she's healthy as healthy can be. We're told that if she stays this healthy, we can expect her to live at least another 10 years, so we're sure it isn't old age that's causing the "depression". Anyway, I know these medications are prescribed for cats as well and was just wondering what your experience with a dog on clomipramine has been (though since she seems depressed, our cat will most likely receive fluoxetine if her vet deems it necessary to put her on medication).
The only thing I worry about is that a pet is unable to complain about side effects, and I surely don't want her to go on medication and suffer silently... of course that's assuming that animals are physiologically similar enough to experience all these same side effects. What are your thoughts on this? Or perhaps more importantly, how has your dog reacted? No weird, out-of-place behavior or anything of the like? I may as well say it -- this cat is my familiar. I'm a male witch and legally ordained High Priest of eclectic paganism... this kitty is my familiar... I'm just devastated that she's in her current state.
Also, I was wondering if you have any clue whether pets are limited to these two options... if not, I was hoping that a compounding pharmacy could prepare a dilution of a possibly less troublesome medication for our cat, though I can't imagine what that might be. She seemed just like her old self again not too long ago when we were having to administer pentobarbital by injection for a few days after she suffered a black widow bite and was in convulsions for a while. They had us administer the pentobarbital everyday for one week after the bite and during that time she was just... herself again.
I'd really appreciate anything at all you could share with me -- ciao! :-)
poster:Ame Sans Vie
thread:269510
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031015/msgs/270127.html