"So is the dog-anxiety crisis real...Either humans are stressing dogs out so much that they truly need prescription meds, or owners are putting their dogs on unnecessary psychoactive drugs to address annoying but normal dog habits." www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv... - ThreadSky

neillewisjr.bsky.social • 498 days ago

"So is the dog-anxiety crisis real...Either humans are stressing dogs out so much that they truly need prescription meds, or owners are putting their dogs on unnecessary psychoactive drugs to address annoying but normal dog habits."
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/dog-anti-anxiety-meds-treatment/675715/?utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_content=true-anthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin

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ramblecamble.bsky.social•498 days ago

Our rescue mutt came to us at 6 years old with a lot of trauma, so we did give him Prozac for a bit to aid us in initial behavioral to deal w/ anxiety/fear responses. True to this argument though, vets really pushed medicating him forever but what he really needed was the training w/temp meds.

andyluttrell.bsky.social•498 days ago

I've been enjoying the Atlantic's recent hot takes on dog ownership.

See also this one by @olgakhazan.bsky.social: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/people-who-hate-dogs-reddit-dogfree/675372/

neillewisjr.bsky.social•497 days ago

Haven't seen this one but will take a look!

jinxungoh.bsky.social•498 days ago

I've dogsat for a few people now and yes I'm always shocked to learn about the dogs' anxiety/ depression medication... as much as I love dogs, I don't think I'll ever get one and this article just affirms that...

bskybymidge.bsky.social•498 days ago

Haven’t read the article but it seems more people than ever own dogs but don’t necessarily know how to care for them. Nor are many work schedules compatible with providing adequate care. And there are breeding issues, etc.

bskybymidge.bsky.social•498 days ago

Full disclosure: I recently started my 12-year-old basset mix on Prozac bc he’s likely developing “doggie dementia.” It has improved his quality of life and, truthfully, mine. He was having anxiety attacks almost every night that were not attenuated by walks, diet, OTC meds/remedies, etc.

lakens.bsky.social•498 days ago

Is this for real? Do Americans really give even their dogs drugs? I find this nearly impossible to believe. The answer to the question is the second option, obviously - might even hold for many dog owners ;)

rifka.bsky.social•498 days ago

I’m afraid it’s entirely true. I’ve met some such dogs and people

neillewisjr.bsky.social•498 days ago

Yea, a lot of dogs (and some other pets) are medicated here for various forms of anxiety. As I've heard more and more people talk about this, I wondered about why. Fascinating article.

lakens.bsky.social•498 days ago

I have never heard of this. Although, there is a drug you can by to calm dogs down during fireworks. I guess it is just a step beyond this.

lakens.bsky.social•498 days ago

And I was walking my dog yesterday, and a person said to the dog owner of a very fanatically barking dog that a little bit of THC would calm the dog right down. So maybe it is starting here as well :)

erinwestgate.bsky.social•498 days ago

I own high-drive goldens…they’re a LOT. I enjoy that (smart, motivated, trainable!), but they’d be a disaster for most people. They need a job, and if you don’t give them one, they’ll…choose one. There’s a saying in dog sports about “too much dog” (esp for new or pet owners)

(Photo tax)

jonathancorbin.bsky.social•498 days ago

My first dog was a 2-year-old rescue. He had really bad separation anxiety and would wreck our house when we left. We tried everything. We finally gave in and used fluoxetine. This lasted maybe a year until we were able to take him off of it and he was fine after that.

jonathancorbin.bsky.social•498 days ago

I was the 3rd person to adopt him. Had I not stuck with it, he would've ended up being euthanized.

A paywall stops me from reading this, but I'd like to know if the author considered the alternative for many of these dogs.

jonathancorbin.bsky.social•498 days ago

The real problem is that we have too many dogs. The choice is often between killing them, keeping them in a shelter forever, or a less than ideal home environment. My dog was an apartment dog for most of his life. Not ideal, but far better than any of his alternatives.

neillewisjr.bsky.social•498 days ago

Yea the too many dogs issue where the author landed as the core problem that leads to all of these other issues.

neillewisjr.bsky.social•498 days ago

This is something I've been wondering about over the past few years as I've heard more and more people describe their pets using language from psychopathology.

roguehci.bsky.social•498 days ago

I'm strongly against pet ownership, especially when it's in environments where they are bound to be unhappy (cities etc.). This is one of the reasons.

rifka.bsky.social•498 days ago

gee the mini cheetah you trapped in your apartment is depressed? how could this be,

louwojcinski.bsky.social•498 days ago

We've had five dogs total (currently three). One was a rescue who had been abused as a puppy. And he was on meds. Mostly to lower the anxiety to a level that he could learn alternate behaviors. So sometimes you need it. For us, we frame things as "are we meeting the dogs needs?"

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