Dog Has Psych Problems

[sweetdogs]

So much good info's already been posted (esp. finding a new vet), but here is an article that may be helpful: anxiety.

 

Please let us know how Lucky is doing.

[Guest SusanP]

While you wait for the vet, I'd really suggest taking your pup on at least a day trip, if not an overnight, away from home to see how things go totally away from your house. Even an outing to a friend's home for the day might tell you a lot, though we do notice with our thunderphobe, Zippy, that once she is sensitized, she tends to have panic attacks at random moments between storms, so being away from home is no guarantee the anxiety will stop... So a little bit longer trip might give your guy a chance to settle down, if he is able. You could also see if coming home causes it to start up again,assuming he is calmer in another environment.

 

My heart goes out to you. Speaking from personal experience, anxiety feels as crummy as a physical illness. I wish you quick luck, here.

[Guest GentleHugs]

I just thought of something that might help the vet see exactly what you are talking about. If you have a camcorder or some way to video tape him when he's in this frantic panic fearful state, it should help the vet figure out what's wrong.

 

Years ago, I had a foster who started having seizures every once in a while. They were mild and infrequent but they were seizures. When she got adopted, I told her mom to make sure their vet knew about the seizures. She started having them more frequently but their vet kept telling them he didn't think she was having seizures by what she was describing to him. Finally I said video tape it and make the vet watch the tape.

 

Sure enough - they did just that and the vet finally apologized. That tape convinced him she was having seizures. Since her episodes were becoming more and more frequent, she was put on meds.

 

If you can, video tape him inside the house and outside the house. Take the video to whichever vet you are going to and make them watch the tape. If they don't want to watch the tape - find another vet. Watch the tape yourself and pay close attention to what and where he's looking at in the tape, how he is acting is a certain area, etc. It might uncover clues to why all of a sudden he is exhibiting this strange fearful behavior.

 

Since this just started happening - something has really scared him bad in the house and he's seeking comfort by hiding in the holes he's dug outside. Is there ANY certain room or specific area in the house where he starts showing signs of fear? How old is the house? Is the home structurally sound? Do you have natural gas or propane appliances? Have they been checked for leaks? I only ask because dogs can pick up on things we don't hear, see or smell. And this may sound weird, odd or a bit farfetched but if the house is old, could it have been possibly built on or near an old cemetary site?

 

Good luck. I'll stay tuned to this thread in hopes of hearing a good outcome for your boy.

[Hawthorn]

I'm just wondering if perhaps he might have a heart problem that's causing him to panic. I see from JohnF's post that Lyme can cause heart problems, and if he's getting episodes of racing heartbeats, for example, it could certainly cause him to panic.

 

I agree that you should find another vet who will take this seriously.

[JohnF]

Lyme may just be a small part of what's throwing the dog's confidence out of kilter. My present dog was a spook who began to settle well but after 2 months took a massive leap backwards into spookiness and developed an irrational fear of an elderly and disabled member of the family. The trigger, as far as I could tell, was the coincidental screaming of a cartoon kid on TV with this elderly relative getting up jerkily our of his chair; the dog flew up out of her bed and left the room and refused for months thereafter to come or stay anywhere near this person. I tried the huggy-comforting approach but it made no difference, perhaps even reinforced the dog’s phobia.

Now out of my range of experience, I called in a dog behaviourist and contacted an internationally renowned dog behariourist author too. This is what they advised me to do and to continue doing it for as long as it took.

1) Recognise the dog’s frantic use of Calming Signals and respond to her in kind.

2) Consider that it might be ME who has confirmed in the dog’s mind that the other person really is big trouble!

3) Attempt all the usual things like using treats as lures in a half-way safe area and getting the object of her fear to offer them and place them a safe distance away.

4) At all times when the object of the fear was present, ensure that the dog had ‘2 escape routes’ (no closed doors, no blocking people)

5) Allow the dog to approach in her own time and reward her for doing so.

6) Give the dog more opportunities to play with other dogs and their owners.

Slowly, over the next six months, the dog steadily regained her confidence and was able to stay in the same room and take treats from as close as 3ft from the person she was afraid of. By 9 months she was taking treats from his hand and coming and going from the room freely.

The biggest advance came when the dog finally understood that the person she feared could actually pet other people’s dogs and they wagged their tails and came back for more. Normal dog jealously kicked in and she began to push her way to get petted by him (at first only when he was seated).

Today she will stay in her bed in the same room as him, take treats and her diner from him, allow him to pet her and run back enthusiastically to him when in the park. In short sh has reclaimed him as a valued part of her ‘pack’.

Quite how this may help you I’m not sure other than in so far as associating with other non-fearful dogs can press the reset button, that attempts to mollify the dog can often backfire, and that always having alternative escape routes is important. (why your dog needs to build scrape holes outdoors).

I still think you need to get your vet (any vet) to listen to you and investigate afresh. I think the video idea is an excellent one here.

I’m not sure that Lyme and any associated medications may not be exacerbating the condition. If your vet gives your dog medications like Prozac you may still need to wait a couple of months until you actually begin to see any changes.

There has to be a way out of this and I hope you find it soon.

[Guest Tiki98]

We took Lucky to the vet again yesterday. It happened to be a differnt one in the office. She said the same thing happened to her dog as well, and gave us the number for a dog psychiatrist. The vet said this lady was able to help her dog a lot and that he probably needs medication (I think so too!) We gave her a call and are waiting for her to get back to us.

 

As far a triggers go, I know he definetly has an extreme fear of wind. It's been especially windy here the past few days and he has not been a happy dog. However, I was able to calm him down a little bit last night by making him a new bed in one of the bedrooms and tucking him in. He actually slept through the night! He's still on edge, but is a little more calmer than yesterday.

 

We'll see if this psychiatrists works.

 

Also, I don't think the suggestions about taking out for an overnight trip would benefit him. We've tried that before, and he freaks out if he's anywhere unfamiliar for too long. We've take him for holidays to visit my aunt at her house, and he will not relax or calm down for the entire time we are there. He frantically paces around the house for hours. It might be best to work with him at home.

Edited May 9, 2010 by Tiki98

[Guest hattiepumpkin]

I'm so glad he (and you!) slept through the night last night. I just went through something somewhat similar with Hattie (it is on the training and behavior section), and it is a horrifying experience. Xanax seems to be slowly making her calmer at night, and we are going to be starting her on clomipramine so that we can slowly wean her off the Xanax. She was always anxious, and it seemed to be getting FAR worse, and then it turned into an all-night freak-out. She, too, would be up ALL NIGHT, although Lucky's issues sound more severe.

A woman I spoke with suggested putting a harness on Hattie, having a bed next on my side of the bed, leading her over and making her stand on the bed, and getting into bed with the leash wrapped around my arm. I think the whole idea behind that is that you are almost psychologically overpowering the dog, and you are not allowing him to rev himself up into such a state. She told me that the more Hattie paced and whined and trembled, the more anxious she would become, and the more difficult it would be for her to calm down. I tried it, and it actually did work--she tried lunging away from me and whining and panting for a few hours, but I kept her right next to my side of the bed, and eventually, she gave up. She flopped down, sighed, and slept. It was as if she accepted the fact that I had her, and I wasn't going to let anything get her.

I also agree with everyone about finding a vet who will take it seriously.

Good luck, and please keep us posted.

[Guest iconsmum]

Is there any type of new noise or vibration in your house that you may not notice but the dog does? Any new motor, installation, air conditioning, furnace noise, humming, no matter how low? I had a similar problem with my dog for a long time -right after there was an air show on a long weekend last summer. The stealth bomber flew over every couple of hours for 3 days and sensitized him so highly that any kind of household noise at all would make him brace his lege, peer upward, shake, drool, and run for cover - he couldn't decide if he was safer inside or outside - it was terrible. I bought some DAP - the plug-in kind, and left it running in my front hall for a week - within 3 hours he was calming down and in a day he was ok - although still very concerned about sudden deep noises, So I wonder if it's an interior vibration issue.

[Guest SusanP]

Ah, wind! He does sound like a sensitive soul. How soon can you talk to the psychiatrist?

[Guest NeverSayNever]

Good luck with behaviorist. Also, in the meanwhile, you might look up how to do a body wrap with an Ace bandage or put him a T-shirt. It can have a calming effect. Also, if the wind does seem to be a problem you might be able to mask it with a loud box fan (white noise) not blowing on him of course or TV/radio noise.

 

Again, lots of luck to you.

Edited May 10, 2010 by NeverSayNever

[Guest Tiki98]

I think we've been able to figure this all out and pinpoint the triggers...

 

About two months ago when all this started, Johovah's Whitnesses came and rapped on our door and really freaked the dog out. This was the start of the panic attacks. Now, when ever the wind kicks up and he hears similar noises up against the house, he goes into his panic state all over again, especially if the front door creaks (where the orginal scary noise came from to begin with).

 

We talked with the psychiatrist who agreed with us that he should be on medication for when he has these episodes. We tried him on some Valium and it was an instant miracle. He began to calm down and is doing MUCH better now!

 

Thanks for the help and advice.

[Maddiesmom]

Poor Guy. To be scared in his own home, how scary is that for him and nerve racking for you. You are doing the right thing. So glad that you were able to get him some help and it is working!!! I know how nerve racking it can be as Maddie came to me with seperation anxiety and you want to help them but you don't know how. We had to go the drug route as well and make some adjustments in our schedule and living arangements (she did not like her crate and does not like to left in rooms by herself with doors closes Ie hotel rooms) Good for you getting advice and finding out what was causing your guy to be scared.

 

Hope it continues to get get better for you both from here and please keep us updated.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Maddiesmom