The FDA recently approved a new sedative for dogs to administer during noisy events. Sileo, manufactured by Finnish company Orion, is dispensed by placing gel between a dog’s cheek and gum. The effect—which calms without sedating—settles in within 30 to 60 minutes after application.
Orion tested the drug on 144 canines on New Year’s Eve and found that 75 percent of the study group experienced less anxiety during fireworks compared to 33 percent given the placebo. Owners were tasked to observe pets’ reactions.
“It’s not a tranquilizer, per say. It works on the nervous system to inhibit the release of adrenaline or nor-epinephrine,” said veterinarian Dr. Gary Yarnell in a CBS News report. Yet he cautioned that the drug should not be given to dogs suffering from severe breathing, heart, kidney or liver complications.
But the first step he said was to relax one’s pet before turning to drugs. Pets that experience extreme aversion to noise should be watched at all times and never left alone.
According to Zoetis—the world’s largest manufacturer of medications and vaccinations for pets and livestock—research, roughly one-third of dogs have a disinclination towards loud noise; fireworks are a leading factor, as the day after 4th of July is the busiest for dog shelter intakes.
Sileo is the most novel approach to a shopping mall of remedies. Dog vest, for instance, claims that its ThunderShirt fixes dog anxiety by applying mild pressure. A wearable device, Calmz Anxiety Relief System, administers calming frequencies only dogs can hear and feel.
But other forms of antagonists exist. Even hugging, however, can initiate the same response.
Source: TechTimes