Can anyone help with info on the drug Clomicalm, its been prescribed for my dogs to help with a compulsive behaviour problem, I dont like giving my dogs drugs but I have been told it will do them no harm and will help to quicken up the problem of breaking the habit they have formed.

if you dont mind me asking whats the habit? and what did the vet say the drug will do exactly

They seem to have this compulsive staring and leaping at imaginary objects that only they can see. The vet put us on to a behaviourist who wants them on Clomicalm, its a drug that releases certain chemicals into the brain to relax and calm the dog making it easier to break a cycle. It is given to dogs who suffer from anxiety, although mine dont have this they say it will still work. I have just spoken to our vets and they want £220 for two months supply, why does it have to be so expensive especially if it does not work.

Hi Sandy. My vet put on of our dogs on Clonicalm for a month, though he wanted her to stay on it for 6 months!. But I said no, cos it was having no effect on her, BUT it was making me broke!!. My dog is an elderly corgi bitch, who suddenly started attacking one of our other bitches. As far as I know Clonicalm is for anxious dogs and she certainly wasn't that. If you do a web search you will find quite a bit of info. I have to say though, that I was not impressed by it. As to my dogs, I seperated them when we were out and in fact now they are friends again. Personally I think it was a dominance issue, with the younger bitch trying and succeeding in become top dog. Sorry that I cannot be of more help re your problem. By the way are they Border Collies?, as I believe it does occur in that breed.
Anna

Hi Sandy,
We have had two dogs on clomicalm . One for a year and one for six months. I would recomend it to anyone that asked. The problems were corrected with the drug and training...both had anxiety and behavioral problems. It seems to work only when it gets built up in their systems...our vet said three months . He also gave us the generic brand which was not near as expensive. ( clomipramine hydrochloride capsules). We were at our wits end with the two dogs.......now 4 years later we wouldn't know what to do with out them.

My dogs suffer with anxiety but i wasnt about to pay that amount of money i found that denes do herbal capsules for dogs who suffer anxiety £5.49 a tub and they actually work i think a lot of vets these days to be truthful just want to make money

The thing is my dogs dont suffer from anxiety they are fine in that area, I think I will try some other distraction ideas first and see if I can stop their compulsive behaviour that way, I certainly cant afford to pay out £320 for 2 months supply and it will almost certainly be a prolonged treatment so it wont stop their.

Sandie, Dorwest Herbs sell Skullcap and Valerian in liquid form or in capsules. My German Shepherd takes it for his tail chasing and though I can't say it has cured him it seems to 'chill him out'. I asked my vet about Clomicalm but in his opinion he advised he would only use it as a last resort. Clomicalm is a tricycline (I think that's how you spell it and I believe it's a form of anti-depressant) and if you search this on the web there's quite alot of info about it. I have found that if Foggy is, say in the kitchen, chasing his tail, I will ignore him, walk to another room and then call him in quite a high pitched happy voice. This usually brings him running to see what's going on and this helps distract him. Good luck with your dogs and please let us know if you find distractions for them that I can try too!

Thanks June, can you tell me where I can buy Skullcap and Valerian its worth a try, do you think its the same as Serenum, that is meant to relax dogs.
Sandie.

Sandie, Dorwest Herbs have a website site. I'm sorry I don't know how to do a link but it's www.dorwest.com. I have heard of Serenum but I don't know what's in it so wouldn't like to say if it's the same or not. Skullcap and Valerian tablets range from £6.30 for 100 up to £42.60 for 1,000. I was doubtful if they were working for us so I left Foggy of them for a couple of weeks and he definitely got worse. I don't know if these are the best you can get but they certainly seem to help us. Good luck.