In what cases and how to properly use Stop Stress for a dog

Stop stress is a popular sedative for dogs. It has been on the veterinary pharmaceutical market for more than 10 years.

It is believed that Stop-stress is a safe medicine. But it’s not worth giving it like candy with or without reason. The medication contains the substance phenibut - if used incorrectly or excessively, it leads to serious consequences.

From the review you will learn: how Stop Stress works, how effective it is, its disadvantages, and price. I also provided real reviews from dog owners and analogues of the drug.

Composition and release form

Stop-stress is produced by a Russian pharmaceutical company. It produces 2 forms of the drug: tablets and solution.

There are 2 types of Stop Stress tablets for dogs:

• No. 2 (200 mg) for small and medium breeds weighing up to 30 kg, cost 245 rubles;
• No. 5 (500 mg) for large and giant breeds weighing more than 30 kg, average price 315 rubles.

The solution (10%) is more popular with animal owners. It is equipped with a dispenser pipette, making it easier to use and calculate the required dosage. A 15 ml bottle costs an average of 215 rubles.

The composition and effect of the drugs are shown in the table:

In combination, these components relieve anxiety and aggression, calm you down, help you relax and make it easier to endure stressful situations.

Non-pharmacological sedatives

In addition to pharmacological drugs, other means can be used to calm your pet. For example, collars impregnated with special compounds: valerian and lavender essential oils (Beafar Antistress), pheromone (Sentry Good Behavior). Also on sale are sanitary napkins with lavender, which help calm an animal when visiting a veterinarian or at an exhibition (Perfect Calm wipes), and special calming shampoos on a natural basis (Perfect Calm lavender).

Be that as it may, no matter what products the veterinary pharmaceutical industry produces, the best sedative for a dog is its owner. Love and attention to your pet, willingness to support him in any situation, to protect him from stress is the key to the health of the nervous system of your four-legged friend.

Indications for use

Stop-stress is a sedative drug with complex action. It is prescribed for:

• suffered stress;
• sleep and appetite disorders due to neurosis;
• behavioral correction to eliminate phobia or aggression;
• excessive sexual arousal along with hormonal contraceptives.

Another indication for the use of drugs is the prevention of stress in a planned tense situation. It could be:

• moving, Stop stress is used incl. as a remedy for motion sickness;
• New Year's holidays - many dogs are afraid of fireworks;
• family change;
• foster care while the owner is away;
• introducing a new animal or person;
• a trip to the groomer or veterinarian;
• serious medical interventions, etc.

The drug is prescribed by the doctor after examining the dog and making a diagnosis. It is prohibited to independently assume that your dog is stressed and use medication. The owner is only obliged to take the animal to the doctor if alarming symptoms are detected: irritability, ignoring commands, restless behavior or excessive apathy.

How to tell if your dog needs sedation

The following changes in your pet's behavior may indicate stress:

• eating food quickly (especially if your pet usually eats slowly);
• increased excitability;
• refusal to eat;
• reluctance to go for a walk;
• indifference to what is happening around, apathy;
• sleep disturbances (at night the dog often gets up, walks around the house, tosses and turns, and so on);
• the pet howls frequently;
• tremors appear in the limbs;
• the animal is looking for a place to hide and hides “in a corner.”

These and many other symptoms require owner intervention.

Instructions for use and dosage

Tablets and solution are used in the same way:

• forced on the root of the tongue;
• mixed with water - the dog usually drinks the solution themselves, and the tablets are dissolved and administered from a syringe without a needle;
• masked in food - it is advisable to put the medicine in a treat with a strong, pleasant smell for the dog.

But the dosages of different forms of Stop-stress are different. With drops, everything is simple: give twice a day, 2 drops per 1 kg of weight (which corresponds to 10 mg of phenibut per 1,000 g).

Tablets are also given 2 times a day. However, their dosage is more difficult to calculate. It is selected by a veterinarian based on the pet’s weight, characteristics of its health and condition.

Approximate dosages are shown in the table:

When treating behavioral and psychogenic disorders, the drug is given for 2-3 weeks without breaks. If a dose is missed, treatment is started again at the same doses. If necessary, the course is extended to 1 month.

For prevention in case of probable stressful events, Stop Stress is started to be fed 3-5 days before the planned event and continues to be given for another 3-4 days after. If necessary, treatment is extended until signs of anxiety disappear.

General information

1. Trade name of the drug: Stop-stress tablets 2 and 5 [Stop-stresstabulet 2, 5].
International nonproprietary name of the active substance: phenibut (aminophenylbutyric acid), skullcap Baikal extract, hop fruit extract, motherwort extract, peony extract

2. Dosage form: tablets.

Stop-stress tablets are available in two forms: Stop-stress tablets 2 - weighing 200 mg and Stop-stress tablets 5 - weighing 500 mg. The quantitative content of active and excipients in 1 tablet of the drug Stop-stress tablets is indicated in Table 1.

Table 1

3. The drug is produced in blister and cellless packaging, as well as in polymer or glass jars with screw caps. Cans and contour packages are placed in cardboard packs.

4. Stop-stress tablets should be stored in the manufacturer’s sealed packaging, in a dry place protected from light, separately from food and feed, at a temperature of 0°C to 25°C.

The shelf life of the drug, subject to storage conditions, is 2 years from the date of production.

It is prohibited to use the medicinal product after the expiration date.

5. Stop stress tablets should be kept out of the reach of children.

6. Unused drug is disposed of in accordance with legal requirements.

Contraindications and side effects

Stop stress is prohibited for dogs:

• pregnant women;
• nursing;
• with diabetes mellitus;
• with tumor diseases;
• suffering from pathologies of the genitourinary system;
• up to 12 months.

Another standard contraindication for all medications is individual intolerance to the components. In this case, the following are possible:

• allergic reactions;
• nausea;
• drowsiness;
• excessive excitement.

Side effects may also include excessive drowsiness. According to the instructions, this reaction is rare. But reviews from dog lovers indicate the opposite - often animals literally fall into a stupor. However, the pet’s condition returns to normal on its own and does not require intervention.

With an overdose, negative reactions intensify. They are stopped with the help of antihistamines and sensitizing drugs.

Pharmacological properties

7. Stop-stress tablets belong to the group of combined sedative medications. Phenibut, which is part of the drug, is a phenyl derivative of GABA and phenylethylamine (-amino--phenylbutyric acid hydrochloride). By enhancing inhibitory GABAergic processes, it affects the functional state by normalizing metabolism and influencing cerebral circulation. Having a pronounced stress-corrective effect, it ensures the normalization of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system. The complex of medicinal plant extracts has a mild calming effect on animals. Hop cones have a calming, analgesic, hypnotic and anti-inflammatory effect. The neurotropic properties that determine the biological activity of hops are associated with the content of lupulin, which has a calming effect on the central nervous system. Motherwort reduces the excitability of the central nervous system and has antispasmodic and anticonvulsant effects; slows down the rhythm and increases the force of heart contractions, has a hypotensive effect. Peony extract contains phenols, tannins, organic acids, which together increase the body's resistance to hypoxia and have antispasmodic, anticonvulsant, and antimicrobial properties. Scutellaria extract has a calming effect, improves sleep, and is superior to motherwort and valerian in its sedative effect. The combination of active components of Stop-Stress tablets has a calming effect on animals, reduces tension, fear, improves recovery and adaptive processes, and increases resistance to adverse environmental influences. In terms of the degree of impact on the body, stop-stress tablets are classified as low-hazard substances (hazard class 4 according to GOST 12.1.007-76); in recommended doses they do not have a mutagenic, carcinogenic or sensitizing effect.

Advantages and disadvantages

Stop stress has positive and negative sides. Among the advantages:

• the combination of phenibut with medicinal herbs quickly relieves anxiety disorders and eliminates behavioral problems;
• availability - sold in any veterinary pharmacy and pet store;
• wide spectrum of action;
• various forms of release, you can choose the most convenient one.

But there are also disadvantages:

• a large list of possible side effects;
• exacerbations of chronic diseases are likely;
• not suitable for pregnant bitches and puppies up to one year old;
• the drug relaxes the muscles, so it is given with caution before exhibitions: the dog can get “tangled in its paws” in the ring.

There are also reviews about excessive sleepiness of pets and apathy. They literally turn into vegetables: they fall into a dead sleep, do not react to anything, walk with tangled paws and glassy eyes. This usually happens with an overdose, but reactions are possible with half a tablet. After a long sleep, the side effect goes away on its own and does not entail serious negative reactions.

Owner reviews

Driada987: “For the first time, I gave the dog half of the indicated dose and he turned into a rag: he could barely get up, immediately fell, his eyelids drooped, his muscles relaxed. The second time I squeezed in a quarter of the tablet (the norm is 1-2 capsules for large dogs). This time the dog fell asleep in any corner and in any position. He was released only after 6 hours.”

Svetlana: “Everyone who talks about side effects seems to have not followed the dosage. Read the instructions carefully. And for the first time it is better to feed half or a quarter of the dose. Only after a normal reaction increase the amount of the drug. We have behavioral problems, they prescribed a course for a month. We started with ¼ tablet twice a day, after 5 days we increased the dosage to normal. The dog has become calmer, does not bark with or without reason, there is no lethargy, he sleeps as always.”

Victoria: “The vet recommended Stop Stress capsules. The goal is to survive a 4.5 hour plane flight. My bulldog has never flown before, and I’m terribly worried about her. Started taking it 5 days before event X, one tablet per day. Result: glassy eyes, poor coordination, barely able to stand on his paws, legs tangled. Doesn't respond, snores all the time. It is clear that the medication “hit the head.”

Analogues of the drug

Stop stress is not the safest drug. There are drugs with fewer side effects. If your dog has negative reactions or is unable to find medication, you can replace it with analogues.

Analogues are better:

Analogues are worse:

List of sedatives for dogs

Active sedatives for dogs and cats

Previously, we dealt with the main clinical manifestations and causes of stress in cats and dogs. Now it is necessary to understand how stress in animals can be prevented and treated.

The main prevention and treatment consists of eliminating the source of stress or minimizing the animal’s contact with a new phenomenon. To make contact and interaction with new living conditions softer and calmer, prescribing adequate sedative therapy for your pet with individual selection of medications can help.

There are several varieties, differing in active components and the degree of impact on the animal. These are common drugs with chemical components, natural herbal remedies and herbs. The release forms are different - drops, tablets, collars, shampoos, repellents and other types.

The dosage of the drug should be selected by the doctor after examining the pet, based on the weight, breed and individual health characteristics of the pet.

The table provides brief information about the most effective sedative drugs when used in medicine for cats and dogs, and also describes how the drugs act on the animal’s body.

The dose and regimen of use must be selected individually. Many of these drugs are available by prescription only and are sold in regular human pharmacies. There are also veterinary medications that can be purchased at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy without a prescription.

In rare cases, when using drugs, drowsiness and loss of coordination of movement are possible, which go away on their own and do not require therapeutic intervention. When using some drugs in a significant overdose, vomiting, drowsiness, low blood pressure, and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract may occur. In such cases, you need to immediately contact the clinic.

In addition to all of the above medications, there are many non-drug medications that can also have a positive effect on the pet’s body, but everything is strictly individual, and sometimes the reaction can be unpredictable. Among other things, before you start preventing stress, it is recommended to understand the type of nervous system of the animal and understand what its temperament is.

But the best sedative for animals is its owner, his love and attention and willingness to always help his four-legged friend, as well as his native and close environment.

Veterinary therapist Nadezhda Vladimirovna Makhvatova
Return to the list

Answers to frequently asked questions

They mistakenly gave the dog more medicine than needed. How to remove it from the body?

First of all, you need to give the dog an absorbent: activated carbon, Polyphepan, Polysorb. If warning symptoms occur, consult your doctor.

They gave the dog Stop Stress and an allergy developed. What to do?

If itching, redness, excessive salivation, or breathing problems occur, antihistamines are administered: Suprastin, Tavegil, Loratadine. Polysorb or activated carbon will not be superfluous for the absorption and removal of toxins.

When feeding the drug, the dog salivates profusely, washing away the medicine. What to do?

Disguise the medication with a strong-smelling, strong-tasting treat and feed it to your dog.

The dog has become drowsy, does not react, and falls asleep. What should the owner do?

Usually such reactions go away on their own. Monitor breathing and heartbeat until the animal's condition stabilizes. If the situation worsens, contact your veterinarian.

Prevention measures

17. When working with the drug Stop-Stress Tablets, you should follow the general rules of personal hygiene and safety precautions provided for when working with medicines. Smoking, drinking and eating are not allowed during work. When finished, wash your hands with warm water and soap.

18. People with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug should avoid direct contact with Stop-stress tablets. If allergic reactions occur or if the drug accidentally enters the human body, you should immediately contact a medical facility (bring with you the instructions for use of the drug or the label).

19. It is prohibited to use empty drug containers for household purposes; they must be disposed of with household waste.

conclusions

Stop stress is a good sedative. But whether it is suitable or not for your dog depends on how the pet tolerates phenibut. Some animals respond well to it, while others develop severe side effects.

I prescribe Stop-Stress only for severe stress and as a premedication for surgical interventions. This is a potent drug. In other cases it will do:

• Cat Bayun, Nutri-Vet Pet Ease, Fospasim - to relieve common anxiety, use them also if you don’t know how the dog will react to Stop Stress and are afraid of adverse reactions;
• Sanal Relax, Fospasim - for behavior correction, psychological problems, recovery from stress.

Let me draw your attention to one more point: do not “slow down” your pet’s natural activity and curiosity with medications. Many people get a pet based only on appearance. City streets are crowded with huskies, huskies, Labradors, dachshunds and shepherd dogs. These are not decorative pets, but hunting, service and working dogs. It is not easy to cope with such breeds, but “suppressing” the potential with sedatives is the same as breaking character.

Purpose

Stop stress must be prescribed by a veterinarian and cannot be used for self-medication. Some components of the drug, despite their natural plant origin (including hops, valerian), can cause allergic reactions.

The medicine is prescribed:

• with excessive nervous excitement;
• to prevent motion sickness during transportation;
• to prevent the negative consequences of factors irritating the nervous system.

In addition, veterinarians recommend using Stop-Stress when exposed to the following stress factors:

• participation in exhibitions;
• grooming;
• visit to the veterinarian;
• arrival of guests;
• relocation, change of residence;
• vaccination and others.