New Drug Helps Prevent Noise Anxiety For Dogs
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – For the first time the FDA has approved a new medication to help dogs control their anxiety and panic attacks during noise events.
The drug is called Sileo, and it's only available by prescription through your veterinarian.
Diane Montero of Fort Worth has two Australia Shepards and says one of her dogs Rudder suffers from extreme anxiety caused by loud noise event like thunderstorms and fireworks.
Montero said, "his whole body shakes and I feel so bad. I just try and give him comfort. I just hold him."
Dr. Jason Doolittle, the medical director at VCA Fort Worth Animal Medical Center says Sileo works to calm the dogs anxiety so it doesn't feel the new to run away, hid, or hurt itself by running through windows and into objects.
Dr. Doolittle said, "Instead of being a sedative it becomes an anti-anxiety medication."
Sileo is administered through the dogs mouth and applied to it's gums about 30 minutes before a known noise event. The effects are said to last between 2 and 3 hours.
Dr. Doolittle added, "They're moving around they are alert. They are paying attention but they are just not anxious", about the dogs mood while under the effects of Sileo.
This is the first time the medication is available, and it's just in time for the 4th of July weekend where fireworks are known to spook countless of dogs that end up running away out of fear.
The cost is anywhere between 40-50 dollars a dose depending on the veterinarian.
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