# For Those Who Give Valium.. what doseage?



## Debles

I would prefer to give valium (diazepam) to Gunner over Acepromazine as many here have recommended. What mg do you give?

I have some that are 5 mg tablets? Do I need to break them in half? He is 80 pounds.

I called my vet but they have been bombarded with these calls so who knows if and when they will call.

Thanks!


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## Finn's Fan

Deb, I can't help you with dosage, as I'm still relying on Rescue Remedy and hiding in the bathroom (or at least Finn is). If you've been having the crazy booming thunderstorms we have, poor Gunner must be a mess.


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## Susan6953

I used to give my Scotties 5 mg (each) without any adverse effects.


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## Claire's Friend

You could give 10 mg every hour for up to 3 hours. Remember that it will only last about 20 minutes. Are you giving it for thunder or fireworks or both?


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## coppers-mom

I had a big golden (90 lbs) occasionally had seizures. The prescribed dose of valium was 5 mg and he never had any problems with it.
I give my current old guy (Copper 70 lbs) a 5 mg valium if we have a really big thunderstorm since is storm phobic. He will fight off even 25 mg of ace, but he valium works and he has never had a bad reaction to it either.


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## GRZ

WOW! 30mg of valium over 3 hours is A LOT even for a physically fit human. The half-life of valium is 6-8 hours. This means half of the drug is out of your system after this time. This is data for humans not necessarily animals who metabolize drug differently.

I'm no vet but I would say try 2.5 or 5mg first.


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## Claire's Friend

Dogs metabolize some drugs way different than humans. You have to give dogs way more Benedryl than a human would take. I don't know what the human dosage of Valium usually is, but I have accidently taken 5 mg of Morgan's Valium and never felt a thing. We have given Morgan up to 80 mgs in a 2 hour period when she had a really bad seizure and she weighs 50 lbs. I much prefer Valuim over Ace. You might want to give him a trail dose of 5 mg before he really needs it. Sometimes it has a reverse effect.


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## Romeo1

I think you might want to use something else, like Xanax (or something similar) Valium can supress respiration.


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## fostermom

Claire's Friend said:


> Dogs metabolize some drugs way different than humans. You have to give dogs way more Benedryl than a human would take. I don't know what the human dosage of Valium usually is, but I have accidently taken 5 mg of Morgan's Valium and never felt a thing. We have given Morgan up to 80 mgs in a 2 hour period when she had a really bad seizure and she weighs 50 lbs. I much prefer Valuim over Ace. You might want to give him a trail dose of 5 mg before he really needs it. Sometimes it has a reverse effect.


Yes, that's what I was going to say.

My old girl Tess was severely thunderphobic (and fireworks phobic). For 2 1/2 years we used valium to help her through. Basically, she was on 10 mgs., but I was told that I could give her a second one an hour later if another big storm popped up. 

The problem you might find with valium is that if you don't give the pill well before the storm, their adrenaline can over-power the medication and it's like you haven't given them anything!


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## Claire's Friend

Romeo said:


> I think you might want to use something else, like Xanax (or something similar) Valium can supress respiration.


Wow,I am going to look into this. Valium is so commonly used in seizure dogs, I have never heard of a problem. But I have used it on my other dogs during the last thunderstorm (worked great) so I really do want to make sure it can't hurt them.


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## hotel4dogs

My dogs get Xanax, .5 mg, 1 to 2 tablets for storms or fireworks.


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## coppers-mom

I'm taking Copper to the vet this afternoon and will ask about the Valium. I've been using one 5 mg tablet to just take the edge off. It was prescribed by my vet, but I've never "double-dosed". If it gets really bad, I just with Copper and hold him. Mom, valium and sometimes peanut butter are required to cope with the storms.


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## Debles

My vet doesn't like either one because he said their anxiety overcomes the drug and then when they calm later, it practically knocks them out. He doesn't like it because it suppresses respiration. 
He did prescribe the Ace. I am just going to wait and see. I know I need to give it before the fireworks begin but I'm going to try the melatonin alone and see if he is calm enough... then give the ace if I have to.
I have valium but am afraid to try it without my vet's approval in case he has a bad reaction...
I'll be so glad when this weekend is over!


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## alanckaye

I didn't know you could give a dog valium. I've taken valium for 25 years and 5 mg. is like nothing - I usually take 10 mg and find that perfect. When really stressed I've made the mistake of taking 20 mg and felt like I was drunk - big mistake. My girls are so afraid of fireworks, I'm not looking forward to any firework holidays because kids around the neighbourhood shoot them off all night and I can only imagine how freightened the girls are while in their crate. Will a vet prescribe valium for dogs? I guess the night of the 4th is going to be a long night because I will sit up with them on the couch so they can feel safe.


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## Suzette

I am worried about the dosage my vet prescribed for my Golden Cocker Spaniel. We will soon be travelling by air on a 2 hour flight. She weighs 10 kg, i.e. ± 22 pounds. He prescribed one tablet Diazepam of 10 mg. Is this dosage not too high? I just saw that this page is for Golden Retrievers, but I SO hope for advice. Please?


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## mylissyk

Suzette said:


> I am worried about the dosage my vet prescribed for my Golden Cocker Spaniel. We will soon be travelling by air on a 2 hour flight. She weighs 10 kg, i.e. ± 22 pounds. He prescribed one tablet Diazepam of 10 mg. Is this dosage not too high? I just saw that this page is for Golden Retrievers, but I SO hope for advice. Please?


If you have questions about the dosage, you should ask your vet. I'm sure they would not prescribe something that is incorrect. If you read through this thread you will see that others have given up to 10 mg to their dogs.


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## Prism Goldens

It's my understanding that Xanax sedates less with same decrease in anxiety.


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