Phobic Once A Day

[Guest hattiepumpkin]

Hi,

I'm Alex, and my husband and I have had our girl Hattie for almost three years. She is going to be 6 in June. She has always been REALLY thunder and firework phobic, but over the past several months, her phobia has been getting worse and worse. She is set off by something almost daily now--while I was out with her the other day, a plane flew overhead, and that was enough to flip her out. She pants, paces, whines, calms down for a little, then jumps up, listens intently, decides something bad just happened, and will start panting, pacing, and whining again. I've tried Benodryl on the advice of an old vet--that didn't work. Rescue Remedy doesn't help at all. 10 mg of Valium does work, but I don't want to give her that every day. She has a walk-in closet with no windows that she can go in, and she also has two bathrooms with no closets that she can go in. She used to go in all three, but now she walks around panting, shaking, and whining. When we first got her, we made the mistake of cooing over her and hugging her when she would get in that state, but we stopped that after a month or two. Now, we COMPLETELY ignore her when she's freaking out. I don't know what to do--it kills me to see her like this, and it's becoming a quality of life issue--she is afraid every day. My vet suggested a behaviorist, but besides an initial consult, we don't have the money for something like that. Does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone else every experienced this increase in fear from their greys? I don't know what would have happened to make her like this. Please help!

[JohnF]

Yes. I replied to your other question. Our Peggy suddenly became afraid of an elderly member of the family in any situation and would not even stay in the room as him. I think it started when the kids were watching 'Southpark' one evening and there was a scream on the TV at the same time as the elderly relative quickly and jerkily got up out of his chair. Peggy subsequently was giving out a load of calming signals which he nneded to learn to reciprocate with. 6 months down the line she returned to being able to stay in the same room and 9 months later she will let him pet her provided that he is seated.

[Guest Tequila]

Hi Alex, I replied to your other thread.....but Hattie might need an anxiety med. Please read my other reply for mroe info....but my grey, Tequila, was exhibiting many of the same symptons as Hattie. We have her on Amitriptyline and Xanax (Alprazolam) which has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. The Xanax is not supposed to be a permanent solution, it's just until her anxiety meds can begin to cick in.