Rescue Remedy

[paula1961]

Have any of you tried this? My doggies get so nervous when we take them in the car. I feel so sorry for them. They just shake and pant, it's pitiful. I was just wandering if any of you have used the rescue remedy and if you have..........did it work?

[Janet]

I've tried it Paula and it didn't work for me. I have read on some of the Yorkie forums that it did work for some, but not all. I've heard if they get car sick that ginger snaps help. I've got some in my freezer, just haven't used any yet. Haven't taken any in the car for awhile.

[gja1000]

I don't know what rescue remedy is - but someone said that the thundershirt works pretty well. http://www.thundershirt.com/

As you can see in the link, it's just a vest that fits snug. It's not only for thunderstorms, but for other things that scare the dog.

It's the same principle as a woman named Temple Grandin who has autism uses to calm herself down. It's a long story, she's a professor at Colorado State University and she has autism. She studies autism and they made an HBO movie of her life - I think its out on DVD now. She devised something like the thundershirt to calm herself when she went to college.

Anyway, the theory is that something tight or very snug that envelopes people/animals, will calm them down and it does work. It's also the same principle as the straight jacket in psychiatric hospitals, - when people are psychotic, and out of control, the straight jacket helps to calm them down. Of course, it also keeps them from harming themselves or others, but the restriction has a calming effect.

I plan to get a thunder vest for one of my little yorkie boys, who gets really scared of many things. They say it works for car rides too. I know it is miserable to have a dog that pants and paces in the car. My aunt and uncle had a poodle that did that on every single trip! And they travelled A LOT! It was miserable.

[JJJ]

I took my little girl on short trips and now she loves car rides. But I would not know of the remedy.

[DianaB]

I went to the vet and got some pills to help our dogs travel in the car. They both do the panting and get car sick. I got some pills and they only had to take a small portion of one. They didn't sleep but were much, much more calm while on the road there. The pills didn't cost much either.

[paula1961]

I'll have to ask my vet about those pills Diana. Do you happen to remember the name of them? Seems like I remember you mentioning that when you and your family went to a cabin or something over the summer.

[judy]

I use Rescue Remedy for certain things, like when I get a burn. It really works! I have tried it for carsickness in my dogs, and it has not worked. I also sometimes rub some on the inside of their ears for relaxation. I have no idea if it works or not. Try figuring out if a yorkie is relaxed or not!

My vet told me to use a tiny bit of a benedryl pill for carsickness for Annie. It didn't work either. She has gotten used to the car and doesn't throw up every time now. The vet told me not to feed her for a few hours before we go out too.