# Rescue Remedy?



## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

Just curious, has anyone actually here used this themselves, or something like it, on a fearful dog?

I have had Kaya for about 6 months now, and she is a weird little girl.

She is very easily stressed, and goes into a quivering phobia over storms, a distant gunshot, or even a clicker. On the other hand like this morning, she can walk right past a garbage truck with airbrakes blasting and a loud diesel engine, and be just fine doing it.

Then at times like last night, she'll be a quivering mess and I know something set her off, but for the life of me cannot figure out what.

I can help get her out of that internalized state of fear usually by distracting her. Having her start going through all her commands and tricks, anything that gets her mind out of that loop of fear she plays in her little brain and escalates until she's petrified.

Keeping her mind occupied like that helps for a while, but if I stop she'll often go back into that state after a bit of time.

I was wondering if some of these calming substances out there really do work, work for dogs like her, and help all day to keep a dog more at ease and maybe help with me trying to build her confidence and desensitize her.


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## Gib Laut (Feb 21, 2010)

Well I feel like I'm a Rescue Remedy "pusher"!lol. Yes, I have used and it still do with a fearful dog. Dexter is fear aggressive after a dog attack....training was great but I couldn't seem to get passed a certain point. The RR helps to calm and reset the chemicals in the brain. It does take about two weeks or so usually, but people commented on the difference in behavior not knowing he was on "meds". I have used it on a Lab who was afraid of storms on an as needed basis. I didn't really notice the huge difference I did when it was used longer term however. IMO it's a pretty cheap, safe remedy to try....one bottle will last a VERY long time! 

Welcome to Bach Flowers for Pets

The articles and case studies here can provide you more info.

As a note, if you can pin point the type of needs your pet has, you can create your own specialized formula quite easily by purchasing the flower remedies you need.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i have used it on two of my dogs.......one had anxiety's about the eye dr fiddling around with his eyes..........it seemed to take the edge off.......

i have a young male now who has nervy issues i have used it a few times on him and i couldn't see alot of difference.........

its worth a try, and i don't know why it wouldn't work some it has like 27% alcohol in it..............


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## patti (Apr 7, 2010)

Would it be advisable to use this with a 4 month old puppy? and might it work for car sickness?


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i don't think i'd give it to a pup 4 months old, and for car sickness...if he's vomiting or has an upset stomach........i wouldn't..........


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

Hmm what sets her off.

Loud noises, sharp noises.

Quick movement. As in she's fine with people, even kids, but if kids get jumpy or noisy as kids do, she gets all stressed and gets defensive barking and such.

Other dogs. she's ok with other dogs that are very calm. If a dog is wiggly and in her face she freaks out and snaps, or if too many dogs are around she gets all stressed, or if dogs are roughousing anywhere in the vicinity.

She is generally not so bad, and improving on most of it, unless she gets in that state where she internalizes it and lets it escalate way beyond rationality.

I tried an anxiety med the vet gave me, but it made go all loopy and it's not something I will give her again.

If it does seem to help from first hand experience, I was thinking about just adding it to her food every day. Or every day that we are going out to training class etc.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

i would try it at home first, to see how she tolerates it...........sometimes these things can work the opposite..meaning the dog feels different and may react in an unusual way.......

unless a dog is really extreme in nervousness cases, i hate to see them put on strong meds because of exactly what happened to your dog.....just like people that are put on anti-axiety meds, everyone reacts different, and it can work in the reverse..not to mention having other health side effects from doing it long term.........it has its place but i would rather see someone try and work through things in other ways first.....


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## boeselager (Feb 26, 2008)

I have tried this on my rescue and it did nothing to him. I had more luck with SpringTime. It starts with the name Calm. Can't remember the rest of it, but it worked with him.


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## debbiebrown (Apr 13, 2002)

camamile does alot to calm them, also lavendar..........i would rather use something like that..........some people use melatonin but thats another one you have to test and see how they do on it..........abviously starting with small doses.........


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## TxRider (Apr 15, 2009)

I think the pill he gave was actually Xanax.

I know she didn't get scared of the storm, but I was still up dealing with her at 4am until it wore off. I don't think she even knew there was a storm.

It was like she was drunk, to the point of staggering a little and sloppy motor control. It was a little scary.

She was going through heartworm treatment and I was worried a big panic attack wouldn't be good for her if her heart rate wasn't supposed to be elevated, when she's panicking it's beating a mile a minute.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Oh my goodness...I take xanax! I'm sure it would have been a low dose for your baby but still no wonder she acted like she was drunk...poor girl


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## Gib Laut (Feb 21, 2010)

just my personal opinion based on my success, but I would still try it for the car; partly depends on the type of car sickness. Mine was car sick but I could stop the vomiting most of the time before it happened, at the drool stage....the key would be taking the treatment over a longer period of time, 3-4 times per day that way it has time to work....if there is enough time between treatments the dog would already have metabolized it and watching food before a car ride, so vomiting it out wouldn't be such a concern....it doesn't treat car sickness, but rather the anxiety leading to that behavior.


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

I use the Bach Flowers for myself, but not yet need to on my dog. This thread is very interesting. But I've read that The Rescue Remedy alone sometimes isn't enough. For example, for fear of a specific items (thunderstorm), give 2 drops of mimulus along with the Rescue Remedy. There's more information on BachFlowerPets.com. You can also try giving her "calming signals" when she starts to get afraid. When my German Shepherd was going through his fear periods as a pup and young adult, I would yawn. This seemed to calm him down. I still yawn if he seems stressed, like at the vets, or a sudden loud noise. The calming signals are explained in "On Talking Term with Dogs" by Turid Rugaas.


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