Skullcap and valerian

[Freshstarts22]

Has anyone tried this with a nervous dog? My dog has been on fluoxetine for about a year. Hasn’t really helped with her fears but I think it has calmed down some undesirable behaviours which are probably linked to anxiety.
At the moment there is a real problem getting hold of it and the price has gone up from £23 to £86!
I need an alternative.

I use it with my dog but I am not sure it is a suitable alternative to fluoxetine and think you should ask your vet.

The evidence based on valerian is a bit patchy, partly of course because there's little incentive to trial a drug worth so little. But at the same time the effect size seems small. My perception is it helps take the edge off my very busy working lines collie.

But if your dog had severe reactivity or anxiety before fluoxetine was offered it might not do much.

It is pretty benign though with few interactions and no toxic effects. Introducing it, tapering fluoxetine to see the response and just maintaining the valerian and skullcap if your dog stays stable should be safe.

I have used it and think it works, but wouldn't say it's an alternative for fluoxetine.

The problem is I can’t getThe fluoxetine. Just managed to get a bottle at the increased price of £86 but she’d had to go over a week without it and the same is likely to happen next month. I noticed she’s been more unsettled without it but not massively stressed or anxious.
Maybe I’ll ask the vet if there’s an alternative to Fluoxetine.

Fluoxetine comes in liquid and tablet format so worth seeing if the other is more easily available and getting the vet to prescribe it. If you haven't already investigated, getting a prescription from the vet and taking to a pharmacy is a much cheaper option for meds that are available for humans ☺️

Have a look in to Nutracalm, it's much more powerful than V&S but really easy to get hold of.

If you decide you want to try it, buy it online rather than through your vets as it's much cheaper

We use S&V for our dog that hates the car. It works wonders. I start dosing him two days before a long journey, keep it up while we’re away and for two days after we get home.

I’m not sure if it would have the same effect as a long term thing though, as he’s not a nervous dog per se, he just doesn’t like travelling.