Skitch Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 My boyfriend, my parents, and our Italian Greyhound Boomer went for a drive into the country to have a look at some property we were thinking of buying. We stopped in the township of Murray Bridge on the way home and something a bit strange happened.. Boomer completely lost it the second he got out of the car and had what I can only describe as a dog panic attack!? My boyfriend got out of the car with him on the lead and put him on the ground while I got out of the car.. and the second his feet hit the floor he just started SCREAMING and lunging toward the car all the while trying to twist out of his harness.. The screaming was as though someone had injured him or stepped on him but I had been watching him the entire time and nothing of the sort happened. I got out of the car and took his lead and he didn't stop.. he also pooped everywhere involuntarily (ie; he didn't squat, he just 'went') in what I'm assuming was extreme distress? It was just so weird.. I couldn't work out what was upsetting him so badly but in an effort not to encourage what I thought was neurotic behavior I decided to walk him up the street and see if he would calm. He was pretty much inconsolable and turned into a shivering whimpering mess and refused to move. After trying to coax him to walk for a few minutes I decided enough was enough, picked him up and put him in the car and we left. I didn't comfort him much because I didn't want to encourage what he was doing.. but he really was completely normal once we were back in the car and on our way. We took him to a park near by because I wanted to make sure he wasn't hurt in any way and he was fine.. jumping around and playing like normal! Boomer can be a little bit nervous around strangers and new places SOMETIMES.. but nothing like this! This was ridiculous.. I've never seen him react to anything in such a way. I was just wondering if anyone else had experienced something similar with their dog? Any idea what could have triggered it? Lucky we didn't like the house near Murray Bridge anyway ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karly101 Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Possibly a seizure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Could he have got a cramp or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Ant or insect bite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loulouB Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Sounds More like a response to pain?? Very odd! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitch Posted July 17, 2010 Author Share Posted July 17, 2010 Hmm.. a seizure wasn't something I had considered.. I've seen small dogs have seizures before and this didn't really seem like that? He was responsive and able to move.. but it was as though he was absolutely terrified. An insect bite might be a good explanation.. although I couldn't find any evidence of one! However like most italian greyhounds boomer is known to make mountains out of molehills in regards to pain.. so it wouldn't surprise me if something nipped him! Still seems like a bit of an over reaction, even for an iggy.. I'll probably never know! I just hope it doesn't happen again because it was pretty scary :/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 My iggy sultan has had several seizures. His first seizure, about a year ago he screamed so badly i thought he must have broken his leg, it was terrifying hearing him scream like that. He had his 2nd seizure only a week ago. Second time around he didnt scream he just collapsed and started shaking and twitching. Iggies can have epilepsy in their lines. The fact Boomer pooed himself suggests it was a seizure to me. If it was a seizure he would have been very quiet and not quite himself for the rest of the day maybe even the following day. Sultan was also very unsteady on his feet immediately afterwards both times. I thought he was dying the first time, and i panicked. Now I know what it is I cope with it a lot better. Maybe contact Boomer's breeder and ask if there's any epilepsy in her lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Don't get upset about it. It's an Italian and you just experienced a tantrum. Some are prone to it more than others. I find that if some that are out of their normal environment they are a bit prone to it. My only suggestion is next time you are in a similar situation and have the dog with you, move more slowly and let dog know what's happening. I often hold mine for a short time before I put them down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spottychick Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 I'd react like that if you tried to make me get out at Murray Bridge too!! LOL Sorry to any local residents but I have experience of the place and I just don't like it there - it actually has a funny "feel" to me - kinda spooky But seriously, (altho I sort of was being serious anyway) I hope it was just a reaction to the specific place that caused Boomers reaction and that there's nothing physically wrong!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 I'd react like that if you tried to make me get out at Murray Bridge too!!LOL Sorry to any local residents but I have experience of the place and I just don't like it there - it actually has a funny "feel" to me - kinda spooky But seriously, (altho I sort of was being serious anyway) I hope it was just a reaction to the specific place that caused Boomers reaction and that there's nothing physically wrong!! I like that explanation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karly101 Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Only suggested seizure because of the screaming (my friends iggy used to do it when she fitted) and the uncontrolled pooping. But yes usually they are out of sorts after a seizure. Does Boomer normally go out travelling with you? Perhaps that did stress him out...I guess insect bite is fairly unlikely in the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted July 17, 2010 Share Posted July 17, 2010 Sounds like Pain, I've had one of my dogs do similar and it scared the crap out of me. Head to the Vets and also the Chiro. Might just have been a once off thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 I would like to clarify what I wrote. You are quite right the dog got a fright and panicked. Some of us just refer to them as tantrums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitch Posted July 18, 2010 Author Share Posted July 18, 2010 Thanks for all the helpful replies Haha yeah! He does throw a tantrum every now and then.. but nothing quite like this, this just seemed unprovoked! Boomer travels with us alot.. we live 2.5 hours out of Adelaide and make the drive with him atleast twice a fortnight. We also go camping a fair bit so he's had his fair share of time in the car.. he seems to enjoy a good ride! I was told that Boomers lines are free of epilepsy but didn't discuss it in depth with the breeder.. perhaps I will call to confirm! He really was absolutely fine soon as we got back in the car though.. the whole ordeal lasted only 3 - 4 minutes. He didn't seem out of sorts at all and stopped shaking almost instantly.. we took him round to the park and he was running about being a pest like usual. I really, really hope it wasn't a seizure.. but it's definitely something I'll look into just in case. Lol yeah I wasn't a huge fan of murray bridge either.. didn't really like the town center and didn't really like any of the houses we looked at! Boomers reaction sealed the deal though.. we wont be buying up there . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Fox Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 If it was a response to sudden unexpected sensation (pain) when you put him on the ground (a bite, a cramp, something out in his back etc.) he may have associated that pain with the new environment. ie, "this place where you put me made me hurt" if that makes sense. That may explain why he was terrified on the ground but fine in the car. And if the sensation was a nasty one and took him by surprise then the the screaming might have been more shock/fear than actual pain Dogs dont have the logic to put two and two together and understand that the sensation may have come from something like an ant on the ground rather than the ground itself. Thats how corrections work in training - if done properly the dog doesn't think the correction came from you, he thinks it was caused by his behaviour. If it was my dog I'd probably take him to the chiro for a check up just in case something was out too. Better safe than sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 I've heard about the famous Iggy Death Scream, sounds like you've heard it for real. I hope he's OK now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I think it may have been spooks around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I would like to clarify what I wrote. You are quite right the dog got a fright and panicked. Some of us just refer to them as tantrums. Fear does not equate to a Tantrum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skitch Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 It's been a week since the incident now and he's not had any further problems so I dont think I'll be taking him to a chiro.. not that we have one or even anything similar in Port Pirie anyway LOL! Our big dog is due for her vaccination in a couple of days so perhaps I'll bring him along to the appointment and get the vet to have a general feel over.. I've palpated him extensively from tip to toe and nothing has produced anything more than some agitated wiggling because he doesn't like to be held still (like any self respecting iggy pup! Lol). I think for now I'll just put it down to something that caused him a bit of pain (cramp, insect bite etc) and italian greyhound theatrics lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I would like to clarify what I wrote. You are quite right the dog got a fright and panicked. Some of us just refer to them as tantrums. Fear does not equate to a Tantrum. I know that, we just call it a tantrum. Mind you, you tell a wog that when in it's in the middle of death screams. Has to been seen and heard to be believed. I assure you it would frighten the s*%t out of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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