Gabapentin. Gabapentin is a medication that can be used for several purposes, including seizure control, anxiety relief, sedation, and pain management. It's a common dog sedative for grooming, travel, vet visits, and other short-term events.
Benadryl: This mild antihistamine sedative helps keep your pet calm when it is nervous about clipping its nails. Melatonin supplements: Help regulate body rhythm and help calm down your dog. Natural sedation methods: Herbs like California poppy, chamomile, rosemary, or valerian are natural relaxants.
Dog sedatives can help aggressive or anxious dogs from grooming since this is not the best experience. It would be better to consult with your vet on what sedative is best for your pet. Your vet can tell you not just what sedative to use, but you can also learn the side effects of using it.
Use the visit to accustom your dog to the sights and sounds of the groomer, including the noise of clippers or dryers, and to practice being lifted on and off the grooming table. Be sure to follow up with lots of treats, so that your dog learns to associate the groomer's with good things.
Slowly start introducing brushing his coat in the more difficult areas first. These include around his face and ears, his paws, and his tail. Give him plenty of praise and treats to reward him for getting it right. Turn the clippers on if you are using them and let your pup get used to the noise.
Groomers might cover an aggressive dog's face with a towel while moving the dog. Aggressive dogs are restrained with a loop and most groomers have muzzles on hand for the toughest dogs. Neither of these devices will hurt your dog. Both ensure your dog stays on the table during the groom for her own safety.
Give your dog melatonin for a natural, over-the-counter option. This natural supplement that many humans take to help them sleep can be helpful for sedating dogs as well. If your dog weighs less than 5 kg (11 lb), give it 1 mg of melatonin. If your dog weighs 5–15 kg (11–33 lb), give it 1.5 mg.
Introduce Grooming
Offer a few treats so the dog begins to associate the grooming tools with good things. Slowly begin to use the tools as you would when grooming. Touch the nail trimmer to one of your dog's nails while you talk softly and give it a treat. Practice several times, and then work up to trimming a nail.
No groomer should administer sedatives to your dog unless a vet prescribed the drug for that particular animal. Doing so is in breach of the law!
Melatonin is a commonly used supplement among humans, and while most human supplements aren't safe to share with dogs, melatonin is on the safe list.
Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zenalpha (medetomidine and vatinoxan hydrochlorides injection) for use as a sedative and analgesic (i.e., pain reliever) to help keep dogs sedated and comfortable while undergoing exams or certain medical procedures.
Either treat your dog yourself with something special like licks of peanut butter from a spoon, or have someone else feed her treats. Work down the leg toward the paw as long as your pooch remains relaxed. Once you are able to touch her paw area while she stays relaxed, progress toward holding her paw in your hand.
Groomers use non-slip surfaces. To help dogs stand still and steady, groomers invest in special non-slip padding for appropriate surfaces such as grooming tables or bathtubs. It helps prevent fatigue which makes for a calm dog.
The Merck Veterinary Manual recommends administering 2-4 milligrams of Benadryl per kilogram of body weight, two to three times a day. However, this dosage can vary depending on your dog's medical conditions.
When giving melatonin for anxiety or as a sleep aid, the dose of melatonin is determined by a dog's weight. Some experts suggest giving a dog melatonin every 8 hours at a dose of 0.1 milligrams of melatonin for each kilogram of the dog's weight. Others suggest a slightly larger dose given once every 12 to 24 hours.
A pet salon is full of loud noises from the clippers and blow dryers. Dogs can become fearful of other dogs that are also there for a grooming even when dogs are kept separate. All these foreign stimuli can make grooming a traumatic experience for a nervous dog.
Try brushing them every morning before they have their breakfast, or before you go out for a walk. Slowly build up the grooming time until you are performing a full brush every time. Remember to keep you and your dog calm to help them become comfortable with the process.
Start with brushing or massaging an anxious dog. Let dogs investigate and sniff tools. Slowly introduce grooming tools; run clippers to get the dog used to the noise before using or use silent clippers that do not make frightening noises. Go slow, be gentle, make sure clippers and blow dryers are not too hot.
This medication will take effect quickly, in about 1 to 2 hours, and improvement in clinical signs should follow.
According to Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, the appropriate dose for dogs with sleeping disorders is between 3 and 6 milligrams . If your dog is suffering from anxiety disorders, then Plumb's Handbook indicates 0.1 milligram of melatonin per kilogram of body weight.
Melatonin is a natural sleep aid that can also help dogs with separation anxiety and stress. For dosing, the recommendation is 1 mg of melatonin per 20 pounds your dog weighs. It takes about 30 minutes for the effects of melatonin to kick in.