Mar 3, 2009 6:52 pm US/Eastern
Puppy Power Switch: Can Herbal Supplements Work?
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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From acupuncture to Prozac, pet owners have tried just about everything to fix Fido's behavioral problems. Now, herbal supplements are the latest way to put an end to your dog's bad habits. (File)
AP
From acupuncture to Prozac, pet owners have tried just about everything to fix Fido's behavioral problems. Now, herbal supplements are the latest way to put an end to your dog's bad habits.
But how well do they work?
Every time Mardi Weisblatt is expecting a delivery, her doorman calls, sending her Cockapoo "Mutley" into a tailspin.
With Weisblatt expecting a different kind of delivery – a baby girl in April – she'd like Mutley to learn to settle down. So he's been undergoing some training.
But what if all you had to do to get your pup to instantly calm down was have him pop a pill? That's the promise behind some new herbal supplements.
"Basically, what these products are is a cocktail of a number of different herbs," says Dr. Louise Murray of the ASPCA.
Veterinarians say they've used the scents of certain plants like lavender and chamomile to help soothe the savage beast for years. But having a dog ingest the same ingredients is relatively new.
So with Muttley's help, CBS 2 decided to put one of these new supplements to the the test.
Before popping the pill, under his trainer's commands, Muttley quickly calms down in response to his trainer.
But how about after popping the fast acting pill?
He was still barking up a storm.
"I don't think it calmed him at all," Mutley's owner said, adding she believed the product just didn't work.
Mutley's trainer, Christina Shusterich, said she's not surprised.
"There are no studies to support their effectiveness," she said. "It's very important to get to the bottom of why a dog is behaving that way and not just try to find a magic bullet which almost never really exists."
Veterinarians also warn that herbal products are unregulated and therefore are not required to be tested for safety.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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