Pets in Singapore are being given psychiatric meds. Vets say the pros can outweigh the cons

SINGAPORE: Some months after Anthea Lai bought her schnauzer named Soju, it began whining in protest every time her owner left the house. 

Then the puppy started leaping out of her playpen and biting large holes in the blinds.

Having read that schnauzers were predisposed to separation anxiety, Ms Lai, 25, adopted a miniature dachshund in hopes that having a companion would help Soju. 

It didn't, and neither did Ms Lai's subsequent efforts to try "everything in the textbook" from crate training to distractions like food and toys.

Then the veterinarian prescribed trazodone, an anti-depressant given to humans.

"It’s like humans," said Ms Lai. "If you’re sick, you need medication to help you get better.”

Anti-depressant prescriptions for dogs are on the rise in America, according to a report by health-focused news outlet STAT in April. It also said veterinarians across the United States were issuing more anti-anxiety prescriptions and mood stabilisers. 

No such figures or trends are available in Singapore, where pet ownership has steadily risen in the last few years.

But veterinarians who spoke to CNA said they've observed an increasing number of pets being diagnosed with psychiatric issues, and are now prescribing medication about twice a month.

WHY WOULD PETS NEED SUCH MEDS?

The two most common conditions that require such medication are anxiety and canine cognitive dysfunction, said Dr Brian Loon, a principal veterinary surgeon at The Amber Vet. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, separation anxiety has become more common among pets after spending prolonged periods at home with their owners, he pointed out.

Canine cognitive dysfunction, meanwhile, “is a little bit similar to Alzheimer’s or dementia in humans”, explained Dr Loon. 

Other vets pointed to issues such as noise phobia and aggression.

Dr Loon said these conditions could manifest in distressing ways for both the pet and the owner, including by destroying furniture, toileting everywhere and even being fearful of leaving the house.

Rebecca Tan faced similar issues when she adopted two-year-old Bambi, a local, mixed-breed stray known as a Singapore Special.

A year in, Bambi started barking continuously - for as long as three hours - and occasionally scratching the door or floor.

It was initially manageable for Ms Tan, 42, but she sought help when Bambi began chewing the door.

“I didn't want her to injure her mouth and it was a sign that … it was getting worse.”

Bambi was prescribed sertraline, which the vet described to Ms Tan as “anti-anxiety medication” and to increase the dog’s dopamine levels. 

Sertraline is also commonly prescribed to humans to treat depression, anxiety disorders and other mental health conditions. 

Ms Tan said it helped regulate Bambi’s emotions and bring her anxiety down - from a "level eight" to zero - to let her be trained.

Dr Grace Heng from The Joyous Vet cautioned that the effects of psychiatric medication might not be immediate.

“The owner needs to push on for at least eight to 12 weeks to see a significant change in the (pet’s) demeanour,” she said. 

Dr Heng said that when dosed appropriately, the drugs are safe for pets, with minimal side effects such as drowsiness, loss of appetite or vomiting.

Ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons and lead to a better quality of life for the pet, she added.

OPTIONS EXHAUSTED

In response to queries from CNA, a National Parks Board (NParks) representative said psychiatric medication for pets may “be used to address behavioural conditions such as generalised anxiety, panic disorders and fear-related aggression”. 

“As with other veterinary medications, veterinarians can prescribe behavioural modification medication to their clients for their pets, where needed,” said Dr Charlene Fernandez, group director of professional and scientific services.

“AVS (Animal and Veterinary Service) encourages veterinarians to work closely with their clients and their pets’ trainers when using such medication to augment behaviour training.”

Vets who spoke to CNA described psychiatric prescriptions as a thorough process and not something to be rushed. 

Dr Loon from Amber Vet, for one, pointed to additional diagnostic tests to rule out medical conditions causing the behavioural changes.

“Pain can be a big and common reason," he said.

Dr Heng meanwhile said she first looks at the pet’s medical history, and tries to uncover any potential triggers for behavioural changes.

Unless the pet has been to other clinics or has a prior diagnosis,  psychiatric medication is not the first recommended solution, she said. 

“Typically, after two to three consults, if those options are exhausted, owners will be open to drug therapy,” she said, though she noted there have been some initially wary of the approach.

Dr Heng warned that owners must not self-medicate their pets in any situation.

"The dose rates for pets are very different from humans,” she said. “(And) human medicines may have different additives and concentrations.”

Dr Loon added that some medications can have "serious and potentially life-threatening side effects if combined together", potentially leading to an altered mental state, muscle tremors and seizures in pets.

FOR OWNER OR PET?

With humans, diagnosing mental health conditions can be tricky, not to mention animals.

How then does one distinguish a genuine medical issue for an animal, from what might be an issue of the owner struggling to handle their pet?

Sometimes it’s “clear-cut”, said Dr Loon. “If it’s something for the owners’ convenience that doesn’t really affect the animal’s well-being … it’s not something we would treat for sure.”

But he also acknowledged that as the pet's primary caretaker, "the owner's feelings and the way they manage the process cannot be ignored as well”.

Bambi's owner Ms Tan admitted that her younger self would not be comfortable with the idea of giving pets psychiatric medicine.

“After my own experience, it definitely opened up my mind,” she said, adding that most people - including other owners - would not understand what it's like to deal with a pet having severe anxiety.

Soju's owner Ms Lai said the topic remains "quite hush-hush" in Singapore.

“People get a bit shocked,” she said. “They have the impression that if your dog is on psychiatric medication, it’s broken, not behaving or it’s going to be a little bit slow ... Many people think anti-depressants will numb your dog."

But the trazodone prescription helped Soju become Soju, she insisted.

“She started behaving more like a puppy and she wasn’t too anxious. Her true personality actually came out," said Ms Lai.

“There’s definitely a stigma here, but what do you do with stigmas? You just start talking about them so that people know and understand.”