Medication Update for My Anxious and Reactive Dog (June 2023)

Today, I picked up Lucky’s third pack of Fluoxetine (Prosac), marking exactly two months since she started taking this antidepressant. So, I’d like to share our experience so far. (For more insight into my decision to use medication, check out our “FYI” story highlight.)

Before sharing the progress, I’d like to emphasize that our routine and lifestyle have remained pretty much the same aside from adding a pill to Lucky’s breakfast. We’ve been combining the pills with training exercises, socialising with different people and dogs, training in cafes, and inviting various guests over.

It’s hard to gauge the day-by-day progress, but when I compare us to two months ago, we’ve come a long way. Lucky still pulls and reacts to triggers, especially when walking with friends or family, but these behaviors have improved: they are less frequent, less severe, and shorter. I’ve also noticed a decrease in her shadow chasing (OCD), even with more guests over.

Seeing Lucky becoming calmer, happier and genuinely curious about some things during our walks that used to scare her brings tears of joy to my eyes 🥹 It gives me hope that she can experience happiness in the world like other dogs.

I was hesitant to share our experience because my goal is NOT to encourage everyone to choose this path simply because they are facing difficulties with their dogs. However, for those whose dogs struggle with severe anxiety or mental instability, our journey might provide valuable insights.

This being said, medication alone isn’t the magical solution. In our case, it has mainly made our trainings easier and more effective. I don’t plan on keeping her on antidepressants for an extended period, the aim is to continue with our trainings and ultimately reduce and eliminate the need for medication.