There are behavioral medications that can help dogs struggling with fear and anxiety. We would not deprive a dog of available treatment for pain or infection. We should consider the suffering a dog experiences due to chronic fear and anxiety as important to treat.
Anything that will help my 5-year old female Standard Poodle be less fearful would be appreciated. She is a smart, sweet, and atheltic girl. We recently took her on an all day ride to visit relatives and she trembled and shook all the way there in the car. She has been in the car many times, just not on the highway going 65-70 mph. We gave her Benedryl and it didn’t help much.
After 2 days at our daughter’s house she was comfortable. Always shy meeting new poeple, but if with us and we go viisiting, she lays beside us and soon is comfortble. We just want to help her as this trip was very hard on her. Shje has slept most of the day now that we are home. Very scary.
Talking to a vet would be a good first step. There are other meds to consider for fears and phobias besides benadryl that would provide anxiety relief. I also offer phone or online consults if you want to consider the ways you can help her feel more comfortable around new people.