I traveled with Cooper 2 years ago on a 2 1/2 hour flight. I was really scared at how he would react, as this was our first flight. My vet suggested a mild sedative (i can't even remember what it was). I tested the sedative a week before our flight to see how his reaction was. He was pretty out of it and there didn't seem to be any side effects. On the morning of our trip I gave him the sedative and he was very calm during the entire flight. He was still a little "out of it" by the time we landed but perked up after a while. I'll never know if he could have handled the flight without the drugs because I never gave it a chance. It's possible that I, like you had more anxiety than my dog.
Traveling With My Small Dog On An Airplane
I'm not pro or con sedatives. I think it depends on your dog, with your veterinarians approval, and testing done before the day of.
As for the shaking, you may want to consider the
www.thundershirt.com. It helps for storms and anxiety.