Ray’s meds reduction!

As many of you will recall, we are in the process of reducing Ray’s anxiety meds to, hopefully, wean him off them completely (earlier Post link below)

https://meandray.com/2018/03/05/the-saga-of-ray/

We were advised to wait 4-6 weeks after each reduction, which gives Ray time to adjust and for us to assess him. We waited the full 6 weeks, and his meds have just been reduced by another 25%. In effect, he is now taking half the dosage originally prescribed 5 years ago.

So how is he doing? Extremely well! We were a bit concerned that his earlier fears of people and other dogs could re-surface but, happily, he is still as sociable as ever when out on his walks.

It may be my imagination, but he does seem to be more excited when he is approached with his car harness. He seems to love car rides, but that is probably simply the pleasure of us all being together in close proximity.

We were pleasantly surprised that with his recent vet visits in which he was prodded, poked, injected and made to vomit … he never displayed any behavior that may have been caused by a reduction in his meds.

Going through our local Tim Horton’s or McDonalds Drive-Thrus, he still positions himself so that he can get a good smell of whatever is being passed to me! All things being considered, we will look forward to the next 4-6 weeks after which we can possibly reduce him another 25%.

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It is April 10 tomorrow, so stay tuned. Tomorrow morning, as early as I can (say 6:00am here/11:00 am GMT), I will Post an explanation and the necessary link. The only advantages I will have over all of you (with one person exception), is that I know what will be happening. I will also experience it for the first time, before any of you. My problem however, is that if I do not like the experience, then I can do nothing about it as it is totally “out of my hands”!

25 thoughts on “Ray’s meds reduction!”

  5. I have been working on reducing Yule’s med too for anxiety. He was taking 1 1/2 pills daily. I reduced to 1 pill and waited approx 8 weeks. All went well . Went down to 1 pill and then 1/2 pill following the same schedule. Unfortunately he developed a real bad skin issue over the winter which also made him very anxious. I decided to up it back to 1 pill and hopefully when the skin issue is completely healed he will be able to go back to 1/2 and then 1. the separation anxiety, I have never really been able to get under control.

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    • Hi Maria._ Progress in any form is to be appreciated,and if we go 2 steps forward and 1 back … that’s okay. As for separation anxiety? We really haven’t had a life without him in 5 years, but we’re not complaining. When the weather gets more amiable, we’ll try again with slowly trying to wean him off us! 🙂

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  6. Good luck to Ray with the reduction of his anxiety meds. Sounds as though he’s done very well with the first reduction. You’re such a good boy Ray. Murphy sends you hugs and smushy kisses.

    April 10th. Will tune in tomorrow and get this mystery solved!!
    🔹Ginger🔹

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  9. I feel certain that the behavior modification that you worked so hard on with Ray will carry-over once he is 100% med-free. And you will have an even bouncier dog!

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