West Seattle Blog...

WSB Forum » WSB Reader Recommendations

(8 posts)

St John's Wort for dogs?

Started 2 years ago by JoB
Latest reply from Lena

JoB
Member Profile

We are still struggling with our little abused rescue shiba Yuki and have decided to take the next step into medication in the hopes that it will help him clear the next hurdles...

has anyone had any experience with St John's Wort and dogs?

or Sam-e. it is currently used mainly for liver support in dogs.. but is actually produced in a canine friendly dose.

or other medications for anxiety/aggression?

good or bad, i really want to know.

if you want to email me privately you can reach me at joanne@brayden.org

Posted 2 years ago #
hammerhead
Member Profile

Although I am NOT a vet. . I used sam-e on my cat who recently passed from liver failure. Lena who is an accunpuncturist vet for animals would really know the answer. Rescue remedy is safe to use on pets. lena@lenamccullough.com there might be a small consultation fee. better safe than sorry and she might have some alternatives for you

Posted 2 years ago #
LisaM
Member Profile

I have used the homeopathic drops (you can get at Next to Nature) for my dog's seperation anxiety and it definitly takes the edge off.
I have also used a product with "triptophan" - can't remember the name, but I think I got it at Pet Elements.
The homeopathic meds work really well for lots of stuff on my dog - fleabites, etc.
Good luck!

Posted 2 years ago #
Lena
Member Profile

Hi JoB,

I'm a holistic vet in west seattle as mentioned by Pamela above.

I have used SamE many times for liver and joint issues but not for it's more anti-depressant properties. It is very safe.

I have not used St. John's Wort since I am mostly a Chinese herbalist. I know people do but if you decide to use it a couple precautions - it can effects the way the liver processes other drugs so if Yuki is on anything else you may have to alter the dosage and it can cause the same photosensitivity issues as in people (in dogs mostly sunburned noses).

I've seen and had a lot of very positive results with both my own and client animals with the flower essences for anxiety/fear. FEs can also help with aggression but mostly if it is more fear motivated. I work mostly with the Bach line.
http://www.bachcentre.com/centre/remedies.htm

Sometimes diet switches can also help with aggression and anxiety. Especially to whole foods, raw foods or high quality canned foods.

I have also seen positive results in my own animals and clients animals with some of the shamanic/energy work that Rose DeDan does.
http://reikishamanic.com/

Quick note on Tryptophan (same thing as in turkey). Occasionally long term administration of tryptophan can can neurologic symptoms. I still use it but something to look out for.

Good luck. You're dealing with difficult issues.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

lenamegan..

we used Bach flower essences with Yuki shortly after we adopted him. I didn't see any real result from them then but it is possible they were helpful. We attributed much of his early progress to the other rescue we adopted at the same time.. who turns out to have some fairly complicated issues of her own... but the flower essence could have set the stage for his progress.

We used time release quiet moments with L-tryptophan for a few months and i thought at the time that it might have helped a little. We stopped using it because of concerns about neurologic conditions.. he was chasing his tail.. and noticed no real behavioral changes when we took him off it.

Turns out he like to chase his tail now and then:)

We experimented widely with diet and now have him on one that seems to work well for him.

He trusts us about as much as i think he can ever trust and is probably the most obedient dog i have ever had except when he is wound up.

It's that except that is killing us.

He is getting a another thorough medical work-up to make sure we don't have any unforeseen medical issues... he is currently on no medications so there is no worry about drug processing conflicts..

Do you know why Sam-e is not used for it's anti-depressant qualities in dogs? It would be kinder to his liver than St John's Wort... and they sell it in canine doses..

I take it myself and have noticed that it has also had a relaxing effect on overtightened muscles.. Yuki's muscles are often tight little bowstrings.. even when sleeping.

I hadn't thought about shamanic/energy work. I will look into that... tho i am pretty sure i couldn't tolerate being in the room while it was done. I am more sensitive and reactive than most to healing energies of all kinds.

I do some touch therapy myself and have been working with him since we adopted him. I think it would take a lot for him to become comfortable enough with that kind of therapy to allow a stranger to work with him.

He is now allowing trusted groomers to groom him but really hasn't let anyone else close enough for effective touch therapy or acupuncture.

Thanks for the ideas and for the luck. I know we will need all the luck we can get with him.

He sure deserves a break. He really drew the short stick with his first people.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
Member Profile

I just want to say that the dogs who survive the grief some people hand out amaze me.

Yuki survived isolation, extreme cold and the kind of teasing and abuse that creates vicious animals. he still flinches when i raise my hand too quickly to pet him.

Mochi was kicked hard enough to break her pelvis... and was terrorized by alpha dogs in 3 of the 5 packs i know she traveled through before reaching us.

They and other dogs like them are incredibly brave... and give so much more than they receive.

edit..

ok.. so i am a bit emotional about this one. I have always worked with rescue dogs and found them to all have big hearts in spite of the abuse they have suffered at the hands of their people.
I have seen broken bodies and shortened lives.. but yuki may end up being the first dog we have had to put down before he was done living.

I am not ok with that and i am not ok with the people who think it's funny or macho to own a vicious dog.. until it bites them. All of this was done to Yuki before he reached 6 months.

You have to work to do that to a puppy.

Posted 2 years ago #
pigeonmom
Member Profile

JoB, bless you for your endeavors with rescue dogs.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lena
Member Profile

JoB,
You have done so much for Yuki. I really hope you can find something that works for him.

I think that we don't use SamE for depression/anxiety because it is a fairly expensive supplement and the effects are milder. Often times vets are reaching for the bigger drugs like Prozac, etc. I don't see any reason not to try it however.

St. John's Wort should also not be hard on the liver, it just changes it's rate of removing some drugs. SamE helps protect the liver so the two together may actually be a good combination.

I would highly recommend trying a session with Rose. She does a lot of her sessions distance and is very good at it. I can see my animals relax and feel better in front of me. She has a very magical way with animals.

I am also very energy sensitive (although I may not be as much as you are). I can easily get sick by having the wrong person work around me. She is one of the very few people I have trusted to work with me directly. And that is saying a lot!

Sending my thoughts to Yuki!

Posted 2 years ago #