Tricyclic Antidepressants

amitriptyline (elavil) and anafranil for compulsive behavior

Question:

last month, we posted to this group that our little rescue was experimenting with the use of an anti-depressant, Elavil or amitriptyline HCL, to alter the behavior of a husky with dominance-aggression problems. after five weeks we are satisfied that the objectionable behavior is reduced sufficiently to permit this fine dog to be adopted. this bull terrier site contain information on the use of a similar mediation, "anafranil": http://www.btwf.org/o-c.htm  our original 4-18-98 posting follows: at our little dog rescue (www.geocities.com/baja/4055), we’re very familiar with dogs that have severe behavioral problems.  recently we obtained a 1 year old spayed female siberian husky that exhibits an unacceptable level of dominance-aggression. she had been abandoned at a commercial kennel where she had been isolated for five months. especially, she engaged in "mouthing", grabbing at hands to receive more attention. behavioral training was insufficient to alter the conduct.  we tried an anti-depressant, amitriptyline HCL (Elavil) (100 mg daily before sleep) and have found the result to be impressive within 2 weeks. while the objectionable behavior is not totally extinguished, it is much reduced. it remains to be seen whether the use of the drug can be eventually discontinued. more information on the use of Elavil for dogs at: http://www.canines.com/amitrip.html btw, we chose Elavil over the more recently developed "uptake blockers" like Prozac mainly because it is so much less expensive. an important consideration, especially if treatment is prolonged or even lifetime.  i hope others find this information useful.  sue sanchez — please visit our dog rescue website: www.geocities.com/baja/4055 "Serving people and dogs of all faiths and none since 1988."

Response:

 I do not comprehend someone buying a crazy dog who needs head pills to be safe with the family. You could get a regular dog who doesn’t need "pills" to be safe.

: last month, we posted to this group that our little rescue was : experimenting with the use of an anti-depressant, Elavil or : amitriptyline HCL, to alter the behavior of a husky with : dominance-aggression problems. after five weeks we are satisfied that : the objectionable behavior is reduced sufficiently to permit this fine : dog to be adopted. : this bull terrier site contain information on the use of a similar : mediation, "anafranil": : http://www.btwf.org/o-c.htm :  our original 4-18-98 posting follows: : at our little dog rescue (www.geocities.com/baja/4055), we’re very : familiar with dogs that have severe behavioral problems. :  recently we obtained a 1 year old spayed female siberian husky that : exhibits an unacceptable level of dominance-aggression. she had been : abandoned at a commercial kennel where she had been isolated for five : months. especially, she engaged in "mouthing", grabbing at hands to : receive more attention. behavioral training was insufficient to alter : the conduct. :  we tried an anti-depressant, amitriptyline HCL (Elavil) (100 mg daily : before sleep) and have found the result to be impressive within 2 weeks. : while the objectionable behavior is not totally extinguished, it is much : reduced. it remains to be seen whether the use of the drug can be : eventually discontinued. : more information on the use of Elavil for dogs at: : http://www.canines.com/amitrip.html : btw, we chose Elavil over the more recently developed "uptake blockers" : like Prozac mainly because it is so much less expensive. an important : consideration, especially if treatment is prolonged or even lifetime. :  i hope others find this information useful. :  sue sanchez : — please visit our dog rescue website: www.geocities.com/baja/4055 : "Serving people and dogs of all faiths and none since 1988."

Response:

a. this is not our dog, this is a rescue dog we are fostering. b. sasha is a fine dog with a problem. we don’t throw away a dog who has a               solvable  problem. c. it may be that the medication can be discontinued when she reaches her ultimate home. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >  I do not comprehend someone buying a crazy dog who needs head pills to > be safe with the family. You could get a regular dog who doesn’t need > "pills" to be safe. > : last month, we posted to this group that our little rescue was > : experimenting with the use of an anti-depressant, Elavil or > : amitriptyline HCL, to alter the behavior of a husky with > : dominance-aggression problems. after five weeks we are satisfied that > : the objectionable behavior is reduced sufficiently to permit this fine > : dog to be adopted. > : this bull terrier site contain information on the use of a similar > : mediation, "anafranil": > : http://www.btwf.org/o-c.htm > :  our original 4-18-98 posting follows: > : at our little dog rescue (www.geocities.com/baja/4055), we’re very > : familiar with dogs that have severe behavioral problems. > :  recently we obtained a 1 year old spayed female siberian husky that > : exhibits an unacceptable level of dominance-aggression. she had been > : abandoned at a commercial kennel where she had been isolated for five > : months. especially, she engaged in "mouthing", grabbing at hands to > : receive more attention. behavioral training was insufficient to alter > : the conduct. > :  we tried an anti-depressant, amitriptyline HCL (Elavil) (100 mg daily > : before sleep) and have found the result to be impressive within 2 weeks. > : while the objectionable behavior is not totally extinguished, it is much > : reduced. it remains to be seen whether the use of the drug can be > : eventually discontinued. > : more information on the use of Elavil for dogs at: > : http://www.canines.com/amitrip.html > : btw, we chose Elavil over the more recently developed "uptake blockers" > : like Prozac mainly because it is so much less expensive. an important > : consideration, especially if treatment is prolonged or even lifetime. > :  i hope others find this information useful. > :  sue sanchez > : — please visit our dog rescue website: www.geocities.com/baja/4055 > : "Serving people and dogs of all faiths and none since 1988."

– please visit our dog rescue website: www.geocities.com/baja/4055 "Serving people and dogs of all faiths and none since 1988."

Response:

>  I do not comprehend someone buying a crazy dog who needs head pills to > be safe with the family. You could get a regular dog who doesn’t need > "pills" to be safe. > : last month, we posted to this group that our little rescue was > : experimenting with the use of an anti-depressant, Elavil or > : amitriptyline HCL, to alter the behavior of a husky with > : dominance-aggression problems. after five weeks we are satisfied that > : the objectionable behavior is reduced sufficiently to permit this fine > : dog to be adopted.

Actually, what I think we are seeing here is a dog that did not receive the proper training and as a result, the owner was recommended to give drugs to the dog to combat the behavior. The mouthing etc. COULD have been addressed under proper training quite effectively, but the owner’s decided to use drugs instead. I don’t think, given the description,that the dog was crazy at all, but rather, it did not receive effective training. Most likely, due to poor training from someone who very likely had not a clue as to how to train a mouthy dog. JMO, Terri

Response:

we fully appreciate the usefulness of training and we assure you that proper training techniques were used here. however, we are aware that behavior is about equal parts heredity and environment and that some dogs, like some humans, have some minor disfuctions in their brains that medications can correct. we never use medications unless we have previously tried appropraite training techniques. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->  I do not comprehend someone buying a crazy dog who needs head pills to > be safe with the family. You could get a regular dog who doesn’t need > "pills" to be safe. > : last month, we posted to this group that our little rescue was > : experimenting with the use of an anti-depressant, Elavil or > : amitriptyline HCL, to alter the behavior of a husky with > : dominance-aggression problems. after five weeks we are satisfied that > : the objectionable behavior is reduced sufficiently to permit this fine > : dog to be adopted. > Actually, what I think we are seeing here is a dog that did not > receive the proper training and as a result, the owner was > recommended to give drugs to the dog to combat the behavior. > The mouthing etc. COULD have been addressed under proper training > quite effectively, but the owner’s decided to use drugs instead. > I don’t think, given the description,that the dog was crazy at all, > but rather, it did not receive effective training. Most likely, > due to poor training from someone who very likely had not a clue > as to how to train a mouthy dog. > JMO, > Terri

– please visit our dog rescue website: www.geocities.com/baja/4055 "Serving people and dogs of all faiths and none since 1988."

Response:

Filed under: Amitriptyline