Jump to content

Can Dogs Suddenly Change In Behavour?


Ben and Jerry
 Share

Recommended Posts

Sorry if this seems like a silly question. Today my dog seems to be acting quite a bit differently to his normal self. When I woke up I went to let him inside and he didn't come to the door as he usually does so I just assumed he was off sleeping somewhere which he occassionally does. Later in the day I went to let him in to go for a walk and again he did not come so I went to look for him and when he saw me he came running up. A little later on I went out to play ball with him. We were playing for probably 2mins before he dropped the ball and ran off to the corner in the yard where I had thought he was sleeping most of the day. I would squeek his ball and throw it in his direction to get him to play but he wasn't interested. Now my dog is absolutly obsessed by his ball and as soon as someone steps outside he is right there throwing his ball at you in hopes you will throw it for him. When somebody else got home he did his usual go out the front to say hello but when he was called back inside he ran down the street and just sat down refussing to come home. Whilst dinner was being prepared he just stood there not even interested in trying to scab any food and now he is just sitting in a wardrobe. He seems to be shaking/quivering a little bit in the back legs and was occassionally panting. I've also had a look around the yard to see if something may of happened to him between the time he was let out and the time I woke up but can't see anything.

When I tried to play ball and he didn't want to I thought maybe he can sense a storm coming as we have had fairly heavy winds on and off during the day but storms have never phased him in the past. He has had his Thunder shirt on for the past few hours but it doesn't appear to be of any help :(. I have given him a few treats but he isn't interested in them so I have just left him be at the moment.

Does this sound like it could be anxioty of some sort for a possible storm or something else? Can dogs suddenly change how they feel about storms? He hasn't had any bad experiences with storms he is normally inside asleep or running around under the veranda playing ball when they do happen. I've never had a dog whose been like this before or been anxious about things. If he is still this way tomorrow I'd like to take him to see someone but don't know if I should see my vet or behaviourist if he is available.

Again sorry if this is a silly question, I've just never had a dog whose done anything like this :confused:.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest lavendergirl

I would be thinking you should see a vet rather than a behaviourist considering the possible weakness in the back legs etc. If you weren't in the ACT I would be suspecting a tick but it could be a bite of some kind. I would take him to the vet ASAP just to be on the safe side. Sorry I don't have any other suggestions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please take your boy to a vet tonight ...

those behaviours can be pain - relates , and better to be told it's nothing, than have him get worse overnight :(

What is like with toilet today? urinating/pooing as normal?Has he eaten anything different over the past couple of days..or different bones etc ?

Panting/shaking , looking preoccupied, etc are all signs of pain.

I hope he gets a thorough check at the vets , and that he's feeling better tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would take him to the vet. I had a dog with changed behaviour and muscle weakness a few years ago that turned out to be a neurological poison she had picked up somewhere. I am not suggesting that this is what it is as her muscle weakness got worse in the space of a few hours, but is always better to be safe than sorry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry if this seems like a silly question. Today my dog seems to be acting quite a bit differently to his normal self. When I woke up I went to let him inside and he didn't come to the door as he usually does so I just assumed he was off sleeping somewhere which he occassionally does. Later in the day I went to let him in to go for a walk and again he did not come so I went to look for him and when he saw me he came running up. A little later on I went out to play ball with him. We were playing for probably 2mins before he dropped the ball and ran off to the corner in the yard where I had thought he was sleeping most of the day. I would squeek his ball and throw it in his direction to get him to play but he wasn't interested. Now my dog is absolutly obsessed by his ball and as soon as someone steps outside he is right there throwing his ball at you in hopes you will throw it for him. When somebody else got home he did his usual go out the front to say hello but when he was called back inside he ran down the street and just sat down refussing to come home. Whilst dinner was being prepared he just stood there not even interested in trying to scab any food and now he is just sitting in a wardrobe. He seems to be shaking/quivering a little bit in the back legs and was occassionally panting. I've also had a look around the yard to see if something may of happened to him between the time he was let out and the time I woke up but can't see anything.

When I tried to play ball and he didn't want to I thought maybe he can sense a storm coming as we have had fairly heavy winds on and off during the day but storms have never phased him in the past. He has had his Thunder shirt on for the past few hours but it doesn't appear to be of any help :(. I have given him a few treats but he isn't interested in them so I have just left him be at the moment.

Does this sound like it could be anxioty of some sort for a possible storm or something else? Can dogs suddenly change how they feel about storms? He hasn't had any bad experiences with storms he is normally inside asleep or running around under the veranda playing ball when they do happen. I've never had a dog whose been like this before or been anxious about things. If he is still this way tomorrow I'd like to take him to see someone but don't know if I should see my vet or behaviourist if he is available.

Again sorry if this is a silly question, I've just never had a dog whose done anything like this :confused:.

A dog will not change its personality and predilections overnight.

Quivering and panting are as persephone said, indicators that something is bothering your dog - enough to alter his normal behaviour and thinking patterns. For creatures of habit, this is a big thing :)

I would check his pupils (are they dilated) and gums (if you press the gum does the blood return immediately)?

and take him to a good vet asap.

Oh is he is sitting in the wardrobe

it could be snake bite.

They seek the dark

and become almost paranoid at first

Gooo to the vet!

Best wishes.

Edited by lilli
Link to comment
Share on other sites

His poo's seem to be same as normal and his urine looked to be the same colour as usual when he had a pee on our walk. I gave the vets a call to see about getting him in but they were just about to close up. The girl I spoke to said to keep an eye on him as she believes it is just anxioty and if anything does get worse to contact the emergancy number.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His poo's seem to be same as normal and his urine looked to be the same colour as usual when he had a pee on our walk. I gave the vets a call to see about getting him in but they were just about to close up. The girl I spoke to said to keep an eye on him as she believes it is just anxioty and if anything does get worse to contact the emergancy number.

That's very dangerous advice for someone to be giving over the phone without even having seen the dog.

Ring the emergency number now. Vet nurses are not vets and don't have the training to make those decisions- they certainly are not behaviour experts. Your dog may be anxious because it is sick!!! Dogs don't randomly become anxious about nothing overnight!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is how Weez acts when he is scared, but he has an established history of fear. Doesn't sound like your dog does. In addition to checking eyes, gums, I would try 2 more things :

- run your hands over every part of your dog to look for a reaction to touching a specific spot.

- take him away from your house, by car if needs be. If he is then back to normal and taking food, he's probly had a fright. If he's still the same way, to the vet at TOP speed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys! We managed to see a vet and he checked eyes, gums, all over his body and tested his temp. He offered a couple treats and he seemed happy enough to eat them. He told me if he hadn't taken the treats he would of done some blood tests. Said nothing our of the ordinary and just to monitor for next 24 hours making sure he is eating/drinking as normal and to make sure he's going to the toilet as normal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PLEASE get him to a vet NOW. The shaking/shivering could be an indication that he is in pain.

It's better to be safe than sorry, they can be taken from us so quickly. :(

ETA Sorry just read your post B&J that he has been to a vet.

How is he going now?

Edited by k9angel
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since getting home he went outside and back to the corner. He didn't want to come back inside and manager to finally get him in, he is now laying in the family room.

There was quite a lot of wind today so he may possibly have been scared by flapping blinds or my sisters cat likes to play swipe at anything that walks past so maybe she hit jerry in the face or something and thats scared him from being inside :confused:. I wasn't awake when he was let out this morning so don't know if anything inside had actually happened but I've asked and apparently he was normal so if something has scared him it must of been whilst he was outside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm glad you took him to a vet otherwise I would have recommended mine LOL. Yeah it's been awful today. I'm freezing and was wearing 3 layers to work today. I feel like it's winter. The wind has been awful though. Hope he is doing ok now. It could be the wind. I swear when it's really windy my girl can't hear me. But then again, I think it's cause she's having a great time running around that she pretends not to hear me LOL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...