This is an all natural product designed to help pets in stressful situations and it can be for short term or long term use. Triggers like thunderstorms, travel, boarding, moving, new baby, other pets and fireworks…
Signs of your pet having a hard time coping: chewing, barking, licking, drooling, bathroom accidents, elevated heart rate, increased respiratory rate, or gastrointestinal imbalance.
When something is “off” with our pets, we always hope for a rapid solution that is as easy as giving a magic pill to make them better. The truth is, veterinary medicine has proven that there are situations where medication can provide a noticeable benefit to treat our pets’ ailments – including their behavior problems. Even so, it can sometimes be difficult to balance the advantages of medications with their side-effects, long term impact on the body, or even the challenge of getting our pets to take their medications daily.
We have a new product called Zylkene.
That is why we were so excited to try the new supplement, Zylkene. This supplement can be used in an incredibly diverse population of our patients, and contains a natural product, derived from casein, a protein in milk. This protein has been known to cause relaxation, and in our canine and feline patients has provided a noticeable benefit for treatment in a wide variety of conditions.
Patients on Zylkene are reported overall by their pet parents as just being “happier.” Dr. Magley has prescribed it to patients whose conditions run the gamut between anxiety, fear, distress, noise phobias, and aggression. It has been helpful in both dogs and cats, and is incredibly safe for most patients to try. It is also incredibly easy to give – the pull-apart capsules contain a flavorless powder easily mixed into a pet’s food and tolerated well.
If you are interested in trying Zylkene for your pet, please call us at (864) 654-4204 and let’s see what benefits it could provide for your pet. You can also learn more about the product by visiting its manufacturer: Vétoquinol’s site.
Give us a call to schedule an appointment to get your pet started on Zylkene today!
Summer can be scary
Sweltering heat, booming thunder and fireworks that sound like gunshots … summer can be a scary and uncomfortable time for pets. Here’s how you can help them deal.
For our furry friends, a thunderstorm or an intense round of fireworks in the neighborhood can be a highly traumatic event. Dogs with storm phobias can exhibit a variety of behaviors, including:
- Hiding in small, enclosed spaces, under beds or furniture, in closets or bathrooms
- Intense barking, shrieking, whining or howling
- Pacing
- Drooling
- Trembling
- Destructive behavior, like chewing or scratching door frames or window sills
- Attempts to escape the house
- Aggression
When the fear hits
Fear of thunderstorms is made worse for some pets because their people mishandle the early signs of fear either by soothing the pets or punishing them. Soothing a dog (Poor baby! Don’t be afraid. Come here and get a hug!) is an action that actually rewards the behavior, while punishing a dog for its reaction makes a scary event even more frightening. When puppies and young dogs show concern, don’t soothe or punish them. Distract them. Give them something positive to do, such as starting a training session with lots of treats or playing a favorite game. In other words, ignore the storm, distract the dog and set the tone by acting unconcerned. It’s of the most importance to be gentle, calm and patient with your dog. Dogs who have a negative reaction to storms or fireworks aren’t being disobedient— they are truly in a state of panic and are looking for help to deal with this traumatic event.
Keeping calm before the (next) storm
Once a dog has developed a fullblown phobia, however, fear of storms can be dangerous to all. Dogs have jumped through windows, bitten when handled or eaten through walls. If your dog is afraid of loud noises, talk to your veterinarian. He or she may make have specific recommendations or refer you to a veterinary behaviorist. A veterinary behaviorist will work with you on a treatment plan that may include counter-conditioning, pheromones or products like anti-anxiety wraps and capes in an effort to help your dog relax during storms.
If all else fails, your veterinarian can prescribe a sedative to use just on days when there are storms or fireworks.
Zylkene is a complementary feed for cats and dogs which contains a natural product, derived from casein, a protein in milk. It is a molecule well known to promote the relaxation of newborns after breastfeeding. Launched in October 2013, Zylkene has become a familiar product for veterinary surgeons, behaviorists, nurses and pet owners for use in helping pets cope when facing unusual and unpredictable situations or before occasions such as a change in their normal environment.
How To Use Zylkene
With just once daily administration, Zylkene is very easy to give and is also very palatable and well accepted by both dogs and cats.
There are several ways to administer Zylkene:
- By opening the capsule and mixing with your pet’s usual food or given a pill pocket as a treat.
- By mixing with liquids, such as a pet’s water bowl after a walk (Zylkene is water soluble).
Ideally, Zylkene supplementation should be started a few days before required, for example before the fireworks season begins or before a kennel or cattery stay. Our pets are often clever at associating differences in our behaviour and relating them to an upcoming change in their environment or lifestyle, especially when the activity is repeated. These changes in our behavior are known as ‘cues’. An example is when your dog or cat may have learned that the activity of packing a suitcase means a stay in the kennel or cattery for them.
This is a typical situation where Zylkene should be started the day before you get your suitcase from its normal storage place.
For long term scenarios such a new born baby into the family, Zylkene should be given for a minimum of 1-2 months or even longer if necessary.
Product can be given daily or on an as-needed basis. It is safe to double or triple the dose in times of increased stress.