New Night Time Behavior: Pacing

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

So Dudley has started a new night time behavior, it literally started last night, while at home. Around midnight, Dudley just started "pacing" around my room, more like on my bed because there isn't much floor space, but it was so bizarre. I assumed I had my window open and he heard something so I closed the window and drifted into sleep, Woke up 45 minutes later, he is laying down, but his head is still up and his ears tell me he is alert. I get up and take him out to the yard, maybe he had to go potty? Dudley very oddly aggressively sniffs a path around the pool twice, goes outside, sniffs, and then comes inside. I let him sleep on the couch in the living room and he seemed fine. (He very rarely walks around the pool, and never does it when I let him out to potty)

 

Tonight we are dog/house sitting in a new house, but with old doggie friends of his. He has been fine all afternoon, but suddenly, he began pacing the house for the past hour. Ears are up, he is just wandering around and around. It is very strange.

 

His heart rate seems normal, his pupils seem fine, he is panting, but that is kind of expected since he has been walking around for so long. He seems like he is in a daze, I don't know if this is behavioral or medical yet.

 

What do you think I should do? Try to limit his area for now? (Lock him in the bedroom with me) Leave him alone and just observe? He is 100% normal in all other aspects. How long should I let him go on for without directly intervening? I know it could probably just be stress, I just am at a loss. I guess I should see if this continues...

 

If this could be a weird medical thing what would I look out for? I don't really want to just drag him to the vet without any other information. Has this happened to anyone else?

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Here's a video I took of him while he was on the bed. You can see he seems stressed and hyper aware. I really just don't know what to think.

 

Link:

 

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Edited December 18, 2014 by Clawsandpaws

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

As of right now he's laying in bed with me, no longer panting, checked his pupil response again, seems good. I am calling the vet in the morning but I feel like they will just tell me to wait and see... As of right now I'm going to chalk it up to too much going on... We will see how he does in the new house this week.

 

I have had dudley for almost 3 years now, we have gone through 2 moves and we frequently house/dog sit in new places without any issues... Maybe the stress of too much change is catching up to him?

[Guest jetska]

Great that he has settled. Hopefully he will remain so. He looks like Mouse in that video the way he's looking around, ears up etc, when she's been disturbed by someone outside or one of the other dogs barking.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

He is never usually bothered by anything. I've always considered him "bomb proof" I'm pretty worried, but I just don't know what to do. The Internet says it can be anything from anxiety to a brain tumor. I'm sure I'm overreacting, just hate feeling helpless

[Aidansmom]

He is never usually bothered by anything. I've always considered him "bomb proof" I'm pretty worried, but I just don't know what to do. The Internet says it can be anything from anxiety to a brain tumor. I'm sure I'm overreacting, just hate feeling helpless

 

I'm often a victim of "dr. google" but dont must to much thought into internet solutions they will just drive you crazy.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

 

I'm often a victim of "dr. google" but dont must to much thought into internet solutions they will just drive you crazy.

The Internet is driving me crazy.

 

Just now he started pacing again, I let him outside but he kept circling the pool, he half fell in, I pulled him out, he kept trying to circle and refused to come back inside, I feel like he can't hear me, but I know he can because I said "cookie" and he came right inside and took it... I am pretty freaked out right now

[Guest karilynn]

My guy does this quite often. He paces, pants, seems distracted by something, can't settle down. It happens mostly when the weather is one extreme (hot or cold) and we can't go outside and get much exercise, so he becomes antsy and restless. It also happens when he's anxious and there is no rhyme or reason to his anxiety most times, it's like he has panic attacks that are randomly triggered and then he's panting pacing, distraught. I usually try to calm him down or sometimes I put a cold washcloth on his belly (kind of ridiculous sounding, but it cools him off and he likes it lol)

Watching the video it looks exactly like what Bullet does - my hound. It's a strange thing but I'd either chalk it up to anxiety or restlessness. Can't say for certain why it would be either one of those, though.

[Guest jetska]

I would say that a vet visit is in order, because you are worried and it's very out of the ordinary for him. Bloods and urinalysis to start with ? that is what was suggested when i posted about Barbie's strange behaviour a week ago though she is totally normal now and I think that she was acting weird because she was sore somewhere.....

[Guest IrskasMom]

I don't know if it is Full Moon ? My Morty in Summertime , if it is Full Moon wants to go outside and romp around. Then sometimes , when his Head is hurting ( from Glaucoma ) he is restless and also paces around . Check for some small Symptoms .

[galgrey]

Just seeing this. How is he this morning? I think a vet visit is in order if this hasn't stopped.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

So this went on all through the night, he would lay down for 30 mins, get up and pace. Once I had him in one room, he seemed to do better. I almost think it has something to do with hearing or eye sight. I called three different vets (I'm house sitting out of my normal area) and they each said to wait and see how he does again. My normal vet told me if I want I can bring him in for a quick look over, but doesn't think it's necessary to run any tests right now. He knows me and knows I panic. So we're going to do that right now, and if it happens again tonight I'm going to try to figure out a vet plan.

 

Dudley is totally normal again now... It is also light out. I hate being worried!

[CharlieRhea]

How old is Dudley? He doesn't look old but he has the same symptoms of my 13yr old who has "Sundowners" ccd canine cognitive dysfunction. She only gets that way as the sun goes down. She is now on Zylkene and it has helped immensely. I hope you find answers. We all hate to see our dogs in distress.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

He's only 5 I read all about that kind of stuff last night. I really hope he's just stressed from all the changes going on right now!

One positive note, though it doesn't seem positive, is that I am noticing that he is a little stressed, following me around the house. My regular vet thinks that this shows he's just having anxiety being in a new place since our schedule has been so wonky. We are going in a few minutes to have his eyes and ears briefly checked out.

[CharlieRhea]

The moves and schedule changes could be why. If you are gone a long time during the day do you have someone who could come walk him? Good luck, hope Dudley will settle in soon. Sometimes Greyhounds can be very cat like :-) It takes awhile to adjust to change.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

I'm never gone for very long, but I think the issue is that I started leaving for work earlier on Dec. 1, then December 11 we stayed at another house to dog sit (3 greys plus us, but we have dog sat here at least 3 times before) then came home for 2 nights, (2d night home was the night before last when he started the pacing) then yesterday we drove for four hours to get to this new house, but before that we went to my parents house for a few hours. However, Dudley and I often bounce around house sitting and he has never once exhibited these kinds of behaviors.

 

Another correlation, and please someone let me know if this happens with their dogs, is that I slept with the window open that first night, and my roommate also ran our pool fountain at night, which she has never done before (it is about 3 feet above the pool so the spout makes a lot of noise) and in this house I am dog sitting at, there is a fountain on a covered patio that does make a lot of noise in an area that kind of echos... Am I reaching too far to try to avoid thinking about a more serious issue? Dudley is laying down now, but his head and ears are looking around outside... Maybe he is just really sensitive to that new noise right now? Luckily, I am on vacation from work so I can be here pretty much 24/7

[Guest KTPrime]

I am having the exact same problem with Optimus. Currently running on a few hours sleep right now because he kept me up all night pacing around the bedroom. Vet suspects he may have vision problems (he's been bumping into things also), though she says his eyes look fine, not sure if that's related. Otherwise she can't find anything wrong with him. We also did just move, so perhaps that has something to do with it. Greyhounds are certainly an anxious bunch. Considering a thundershirt/dap diffuser to see if I can get him to chill out.

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Personally I think you REALLY need a drink. Relax, take a deep breath and let him be. Yes he seems stressed, but you getting stressed out isn't going to do anything but give him more anxiety to feed from. As long as his tummy isnt making loud gurgling noises, or other weird sounds coming from him, i would just let him be. If you have a lot of changes going on, then he is probably reacting to changes, no biggie. He's young so the serious medical issues probably aren't a factor.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Personally I think you REALLY need a drink. Relax, take a deep breath and let him be. Yes he seems stressed, but you getting stressed out isn't going to do anything but give him more anxiety to feed from. As long as his tummy isnt making loud gurgling noises, or other weird sounds coming from him, i would just let him be. If you have a lot of changes going on, then he is probably reacting to changes, no biggie. He's young so the serious medical issues probably aren't a factor.

My vet had the same advice for me. Lol. I think tonight I will be better, I was also sleep deprived and just sitting in bed watching him walk around. Thanks

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

No pacing at all last night!!

[Guest Greyt_dog_lover]

Good to hear, hopefully his stress will continue to decrease. He's a pretty boy.

[Guest Clawsandpaws]

Good to hear, hopefully his stress will continue to decrease. He's a pretty boy.

Thank you

 

I have never seen him stressed from being moved around before, so I am glad to know that it does bother him to some extent, at least now I can take precautions when a change is coming up. Thankfully, after the holidays things will be settled for a long while.