New Fear

[Guest twhitehouse]

So today I came home to the most destruction I've seen in a really long time!

 

For the last month or so Lexi has been having some set backs when it comes to her SA, or so I thought. However,it's been snowing here since Monday.....we have a metal roof so the snow slides off. Well, I know Lexi is nervous of this, because she'll shake when we're home and its happening. Well dummy me never thought that maybe when she's here by herself, maybe she gets even more nervous since she's alone. So it seems this fear of the snow falling and her SA issues have combined to create some SERIOUS destruction.

 

I honestly thought someone had broken into my house! I walk through the door and the inside doorknob is loose and almost falling off...completely chewed and bent! The molding around the door is destroyed and there are wood splinters everywhere! Absolutely everything that was on the kitchen counter is on the floor, smashed into pieces. There is glass everywhere. All the things that I had on the windowsill over the sink is also on the floor. The water in the kitchen sink is running full blast and the sink is close to overflowing. Worst of all...there is blood EVERYWHERE! Blood on the counter, blood all over the floor, blood on all the cabinets, blood on the dishwasher. It literally looks like a war zone. On top of this, there is runny poop all over the rug in another room.

 

Poor Lexi! I checked her over, she has a punture wound on her front paw, a gash in her front leg and a few small cuts around her mouth. She's all bandage up right now, luckily nothing too serious, just a lot of blood. Gave me a heart attack. I'm just so lucky she didn't jump out the kitchen window...seems like that's what she was trying to do.

 

So I'm guessing I would deal with her fear of the snow sliding off the room kind of like thunderphobia, but perhaps you great people of GT can help me out a little help? It's going to continue to snow here...its Maine! Can I give her some kind of medication when we know its going to snow? She's already on a low dose of Prozac. I will obviously also call my vet to get his opinion. I'm just not sure how to make sure this doesn't happen again and make sure that we don't come home to an even more serious injury.

 

Please help.

[greysmom]

Are you keeping a radio or TV on? Maybe turn it up to a higher volume. If she has had any success with DAP you might try a diffuser that works throughout the day or the collar.

 

Someone posted once many moons ago about some sort of ear protection - like ear muffs maybe???? - that they put on their dog when they were flying in a small plane. I suppose you could try cotton in her ears too.

 

If I remember correctly, she doesn't do crating, right? I would try and confine her to a smaller area of the house. Just a baby gate probably won't work if she's that determined. Do you have a room that not under the roof like a basement or first floor?

 

I'm sorry that she's upset. Believe me I understand! Good luck! Just keep remembering that she does't *want* to feel this way either.

[Guest LunaTygerCat]

Also, kind of a weird suggestion, bit they make pet plug ins for calming. Also Greyhoundgang has a spritz and an oil for calming, perhaps this could help? I know the plug ins worked for my girl and my cats. Just a suggestion. I believe in aromatherpy, but then I am a practicing wiccan.

[Guest twhitehouse]

Are you keeping a radio or TV on? Maybe turn it up to a higher volume. If she has had any success with DAP you might try a diffuser that works throughout the day or the collar.

 

Someone posted once many moons ago about some sort of ear protection - like ear muffs maybe???? - that they put on their dog when they were flying in a small plane. I suppose you could try cotton in her ears too.

 

If I remember correctly, she doesn't do crating, right? I would try and confine her to a smaller area of the house. Just a baby gate probably won't work if she's that determined. Do you have a room that not under the roof like a basement or first floor?

 

I'm sorry that she's upset. Believe me I understand! Good luck! Just keep remembering that she does't *want* to feel this way either.

 

Thanks for the suggestions Chris. It's tough to see her dog so upset that they hurt themselves so I was little freaked out. I do keep a radio on very loud during the day. Since I knew she was scared of the snow falling, I had turned a radio on it just about every room in the house. I guess I could also try to DAP again. I just know that didn't really help her with her SA issues.

 

Now the ear plug thing kind of intrigued me. So I just put some cotton in her ears to see if she'd actually leave them in. Its been about 40 mins now and she's left them alone. She made some pretty funny faces when I first put them in though.

 

We do also have the whole first level of the house which is our finished basement. She does so better down there if the snow is falling while we're home. However, during the day we always close all those rooms because she likes to go potty on carpet. I guess I'd be willing to leave a room open down there and just clean up the mess as long as she doesn't jump through a window. We'll see....

 

Thanks again for the suggestions.

[Guest MyBoys]

Poor baby, it must be so very frightening for her. Not to upset you even more but I have a friend who had a greyhound with the same issues, she tried putting her in one of the bedrooms knowing there was going to be thunderstorms while she was at work, the poor dog pulled the blinds down and jumped through the window, she didn't survived. I just don't put anything past them when they go into panic mode.

[Guest 3greysinPA]

oh no... I am so sorry... Poor Lexi... i hope she is ok...

 

and I am sorry about the damage... the poor baby.. imagine how scared she must have been.

 

Sending lots of prayers and hugs to you both tonight.

 

I too, am also curious... if she is that scared while you are away... wouldnt it be best and safest practice to crate her?

I dont know..

I am just asking... hoping someone else here knows?

[nyGreys]

Oh poor Lexi. It's so sad when they're scared. I hope you find something that will help.

[45MPHK9]

no advice just hugs to you and to lexi. hoping a solution is out there for both of you.

[Guest LindsaySF]

 

If her anxiety over the snow falling is bad enough that you think she would try to go out a window, I would talk to your vet about some more serious meds (valium, etc).

 

If she seems more comfortable downstairs I would leave that door open. You might have more pee/poop to clean on the carpet, but hopefully she won't be as freaked out as before and won't hurt herself again.

 

Good luck.

[Guest twhitehouse]

oh no... I am so sorry... Poor Lexi... i hope she is ok...

 

and I am sorry about the damage... the poor baby.. imagine how scared she must have been.

 

Sending lots of prayers and hugs to you both tonight.

 

I too, am also curious... if she is that scared while you are away... wouldnt it be best and safest practice to crate her?

I dont know..

I am just asking... hoping someone else here knows?

 

 

Thanks for the kind words. No crate for Lexi, she tries to escape and we've had some serious injuries from that as well. *Sigh*

[Guest sja5032]

I know people who give their dogs max doses of benedryl during fireworks to calm them down, it is the less potent alternative to having the vet give you some Valium for her. Maybe you could try the benedryl during the day to make her a little drowsy so she relaxes.

[Guest grey_dreams]

Wow. Poor Lexi, and poor you. You've already tried so many different things to help with her fear and SA. The snow sliding off the roof sounds like it will be tough to work around. Just a couple more ideas. You leave the radio on loud in every room, but music would be better. Even if it's not the kind of abrasive noise of talk radio, when the commercials come on they are louder and more abrasive. It even bothers me, and I'm not as sensitive as the dogs and Lexi I leave special music on for my dogs - music for deep mediation and healing. It's very calming, very soothing. It really helps them a lot. Also, you might consider using a webcam while you are gone, so you can watch her from work, to see if she is freaking out. If she panics, at least you might be able to arrange a quick trip home? Agree that it is best to leave her in the furthest room from the noise, your basement. I don't know how many floors your house has, but is there anyway to clear most of the snow off the roof and prevent the slides? Just asking, maybe that's not possible. I think you are planning to adopt another dog soon? Can you foster in the meantime? Maybe Lexi would just be better off with another dog so she's not alone?

 

Hoping for the best for you and Lexi

[Guest twhitehouse]

Ok so I'm getting ready to leave for work right now. I've muzzled and baby gated Lexi downstairs in her "play room." Right now I can hear her panting and crying. I'm thinking I might take the baby gate down and let her have her space as normal. I am going to put chairs to block the kitchen off (the baby gate doesn't fit across) and hope for the best! The snow is done sliding, but I'm guessing after a freak out like yesterday, its going to be a bad SA day because she's still scared.

 

Fingers crossed for us today.

[TheFullHouse]

Oh my gosh! I hope she does better today. If she still reacts badly I'm for asking the vet for something stronger she can take to keep her calm.

[Guest twhitehouse]

Change of plans...she stopped crying and was laying down in the room, but still panting so I left her in there with the baby gate up. I'm hoping she'll be okay. I'm sure she'll jump the gate (she's jumped 2 staked gates before) so I left the chairs blocking access to the kitchen just in case.

 

I'm planning on calling the vet just to let him know what is going on. He's great and offers good advice and I like to see what he suggests.

[Guest Harry702]

Oh, no, I'm so sorry. What an awful situation to come home to. I don't have much advice to add besides what's already been mentioned. Some dogs really do need medication, and it sounds like Lexi is one of those dogs. I don't know about giving her free run of the house, given the circumstances... but you know her much better than I do.

 

This sounds ridiculous, but I'll throw it out there just in case... have you thought about trying to video tape yourself and leave the video playing for Lexi during the day? Do you think she'd respond to seeing you on the TV and hearing your reassuring, happy voice? I know you've mentioned before that she views you as her security blanket... maybe the radio isn't cutting it. Maybe the sound of YOUR voice would help. I don't know... just a crazy idea.

 

Good luck and thank you for everything you do for Lexi. Most people I know, even dog people, wouldn't have what it takes to care for a dog with Lexi's issues. You've worked hard to help her, and it takes a very special, very patient person to do that.

[PrairieProf]

Not a dog suggestion per se, but on the other end -- do you have your roof raked after it snows? (Well you could do it yourself... I pay a handyman!) At least that might leave less to slide off, and it helps prevent ice damming or too much weight on the roof too.

 

I guess you'd want to take Lexi out while it was being done ... though it also might be a perfect opportunity to do counter-conditioning to that kind of noise.

Edited January 21, 2010 by PrairieProf

[Guest spider9174]

what about a second dog--more confident easy going male?

[Guest twhitehouse]

Oh, no, I'm so sorry. What an awful situation to come home to. I don't have much advice to add besides what's already been mentioned. Some dogs really do need medication, and it sounds like Lexi is one of those dogs. I don't know about giving her free run of the house, given the circumstances... but you know her much better than I do.

 

This sounds ridiculous, but I'll throw it out there just in case... have you thought about trying to video tape yourself and leave the video playing for Lexi during the day? Do you think she'd respond to seeing you on the TV and hearing your reassuring, happy voice? I know you've mentioned before that she views you as her security blanket... maybe the radio isn't cutting it. Maybe the sound of YOUR voice would help. I don't know... just a crazy idea.

 

Good luck and thank you for everything you do for Lexi. Most people I know, even dog people, wouldn't have what it takes to care for a dog with Lexi's issues. You've worked hard to help her, and it takes a very special, very patient person to do that.

 

Thank you very much for what you said. We have worked really hard for Lexi and I don't think a lot of people realize how hard it trully is to deal with these issues. To tell you the truth, what you said made me cry. But, thank you very much for the kind words.

[seeh2o]

I've been in your shoes with Carl and feel your pain. He's a bit freaked by the weather we're having, but nothing on the scale of what you're going through with Lexi. Can you also leave a TV on? If you are leaving her downstairs, use some reuseable bedpads, it makes clean up a lot easier. I also agree with another poster, call the vet and ask about Valium or Xanax, which ever works better for her. It's temporary and it will keep her safe. You've got your hands full with one dog, Claire hasn't helped Carl's SA at all and I didn't get her for that reason. Getting another dog is not a cavalier decision.

[DevilDog]

I second the idea of raking your roof. After it snows, bring Lexi for a walk and let DH get to raking. Seriously.

[Guest twhitehouse]

I second the idea of raking your roof. After it snows, bring Lexi for a walk and let DH get to raking. Seriously.

 

 

We've considered racking the roof. The only trouble is, the snow slides pretty much whenever it wants to in a snow storm. We'd have to watch it constantly throughout the day while its snowing and well, we have to work. I'm just hoping that being downstairs will help a little.

 

Edited January 21, 2010 by twhitehouse

[greysmom]

So how did it go today?? Any progress or was it still hard for her??

[Guest twhitehouse]

So how did it go today?? Any progress or was it still hard for her??

 

 

Thanks for asking. I wasn't able to get on last night because we were at the vet all night. When I got home last night it was the same as the day before multiplied by 10. She hurt herself pretty badly. Lots of minor cuts and scrapes, and one really bad one on her toe that I just could not get the bleeding to stop so off to the vet we went. Luckily, last night was the late night open for our vet so we didn't have to go to the e-vet. They glued and stapled it closed.

 

We stayed and talked with the vet and technician for a while. The technician was helpful since she had a husky with SA. Unfortunately, everything they suggested, we've already tried. The vet does want to put her back up to 30 mgs of Prozac. He said there isn't much we can do for a more immediate help because Prozac does not mix with Valium or anything similar. I did ask about Benedryl and he said that might help us a little so we're going to try that and uping her Prozac.

 

I'm calling in sick to work today. I was a mess at work yesterday because deep down I knew I would come home to this. I just knew it, so I had cried at my desk for most of the day yesterday. I'm calling out so that I can work intensively on alone training today and so I don't come home to a dead dog.

 

To tell you the truth, I'm scared. I just don't know what to do anymore. If the medication and training doesn't help like it did before I will probably have to make the worst and hardest decision of my life. I'm shaking just as I type this. If we can't get through this again, we'll have to return Lexi. I will feel like a complete failure and I will forever feel like I let myself and Lexi down but if I can picture her in a loving home where she's with an older couple who is home all day, or with someone who works from home and she's happier it makes it easier. I know that we've done absolutely everything we can for Lexi but I sitll hate myself for even thinking about rehoming her. She's MY dog and I love her more than anything but that's being selfish.

[Guest grey_dreams]

Oh no. I'm so sorry that it was another bad day for you both. Before you return Lexi, I guess you haven't tried everything. It doesn't work in every case, but it does work in a lot of cases - another dog. I know you are planning on adopting another. Why not try fostering in the meantime, just to see how Lexi does with another dog around? Or else, if you have a friend with a grey, maybe you could "borrow" them for some hours, to see how Lexi would do with another dog to stay with so she's not alone.

 

Another thought: there isn't anyone who is home 100% of the time. Lexi will be left alone with another adoptor too.

 

I know you don't want to return her and are just thinking of what is best for her. I know you've worked hard with her.

 

I send you and Lexi all best possible wishes for a good outcome.