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Is It An Age Thing?


Pollywaffle
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Our beautiful little boy, Basil (maltese x) suffers from big dog syndrome - thinks he's 150 metres tall and built like a truck - and fearless. But at the tender age of 9 he has all of a sudden, become totally terrified of our washing machine...when I put a load on he starts shaking and then runs, cowering to the other end of the house..where he sits until the load is done. I was just wondering if this is an age specific problem and whether any of your ageing dogs have displayed similar strange behaviour - I can't think that OH or I have caused this reaction, so am hoping it's age

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As it happens, he is scheduled for an annual check up on Saturday - so will do as you suggest..but in every other way, he's totally normal - hence my wondering if it was age related, or dare I say it, a mental issue?

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Renae has never been an anxious dog, but at almost 11, shes not been in great health of late and has starting having some health and older age related symptoms. One is some shaking just at random times, not at anything in particular. We are trying out some natural herbal stuff atm to see if it helps, as the vets cant seem to help with it :(

Edited by Jules❤3Cavs
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As it happens, he is scheduled for an annual check up on Saturday - so will do as you suggest..but in every other way, he's totally normal - hence my wondering if it was age related, or dare I say it, a mental issue?

Definitely have his ears checked. Dogs have much more sensitive hearing that we do and there might be a noise the machine has started to make that you aren't aware of.

OT :D I have a little female Maltese X who is also 9+ and she has discovered her inner puppy. She was always a bit noisy :o , but very timid with it. She seems to want to play with the other dogs whereas before Danny was the only one she'd play with.

Good luck with Basil. They are lovely dogs.

Edited by Danny's Darling
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dare I say it, a mental issue?

;)

a lot of things are 'mental issues' .

his hearing/sight may not be processing things accurately ...

He may have had an experience which hurt/scared him once when the machine was going, and so now associates the noise with something nasty ...

Is there anything else which has also changed?

His routine?

His general behaviour?

have you noticed him behaving any differently on walks ?

was there anything happening in/around your house when this behaviour started?

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Renae has never been an anxious dog, but at almost 11, shes not been in great health of late and has starting having some health and older age related symptoms. One is some shaking just at random times, not at anything in particular. We are trying out some natural herbal stuff atm to see if it helps, as the vets cant seem to help with it :(

Try very small doses of valium.

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Thanks everyone - as you say, Danny's Darling, he is the most super little chap - so full of life, so kind and loving too. I would hate to think that we have caused anything to upset him...but as you've all suggested, it might be health related, even though it seems to manifest itself in strange behaviour. I have also noticed that he is licking his feet more - which he never really did. I guess these are all questions I have to raise on Saturday with the vet. Hopefully, it's something very routine and can be resolved easily. He's too precious to be suffering.

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Renae has never been an anxious dog, but at almost 11, shes not been in great health of late and has starting having some health and older age related symptoms. One is some shaking just at random times, not at anything in particular. We are trying out some natural herbal stuff atm to see if it helps, as the vets cant seem to help with it :(

Try very small doses of valium.

I havent got any of that DD ;-)

Im trying naturally to start with so giving her organic oats and charmomille tea .. see how we go with that first.. I thought the vets would have suggested something by now, but they haven't.. but she also have very small fits/trances now as well frown.gif

Edited by Jules❤3Cavs
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Try very small doses of valium.

I havent got any of that DD ;-)

The vet should have it or they can give you a prescription to take to the chemist. I get it from my vet for Myrtie who, like Basil, thinks she is 150 metres tall but is terrified of storms - first dog I've had how is afraid of storms. Even is there aren't any signs for me, her body language tells me that a storm is coming, I give her 1/4 tablet and she is back to her normal self.

Edited by Danny's Darling
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The vet should have it or they can give you a prescription to take to the chemist. I get it from my vet for Myrtie who, like Basis, thinks she is 150 metres tall but is terrified of storms - first dog I've had how is afraid of storms. Even is there aren't any signs for me, her body language tells me that a storm is coming, I give her 1/4 tablet and she is back to her normal self.

well im surprised the vets haven't said about trying some, and we have told them we are concerned about her shakes etc (they have seen her do it. its just the front part of her).. If what im trying atm doesn't help, then next time she goes there, I will ask! would it help with the trances/mini fits as well?

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Thanks everyone - as you say, Danny's Darling, he is the most super little chap - so full of life, so kind and loving too. I would hate to think that we have caused anything to upset him...but as you've all suggested, it might be health related, even though it seems to manifest itself in strange behaviour. I have also noticed that he is licking his feet more - which he never really did. I guess these are all questions I have to raise on Saturday with the vet. Hopefully, it's something very routine and can be resolved easily. He's too precious to be suffering.

Hope you are able to get some answers and help him with it Pollywaffle !

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Thanks everyone - as you say, Danny's Darling, he is the most super little chap - so full of life, so kind and loving too. I would hate to think that we have caused anything to upset him...but as you've all suggested, it might be health related, even though it seems to manifest itself in strange behaviour. I have also noticed that he is licking his feet more - which he never really did. I guess these are all questions I have to raise on Saturday with the vet. Hopefully, it's something very routine and can be resolved easily. He's too precious to be suffering.

Hope you are able to get some answers and help him with it Pollywaffle !

thank you! Hopefully it is ageing!

Edited by Pollywaffle
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well im surprised the vets haven't said about trying some, and we have told them we are concerned about her shakes etc (they have seen her do it. its just the front part of her).. If what im trying atm doesn't help, then next time she goes there, I will ask! would it help with the trances/mini fits as well?

I'm sorry, but I don't know about that, Jules. You would have to talk to your vet about it, and go further afield if you want to learn more. I'm not a great one for pill popping, but as a doctor said to me once when I expressed concern about a medication and being on it for the rest of my life: if you had a heart problem you wouldn't worry that you would be on the applicable medication forever.

So, if something works, the side effects are nil or minimal, particularly in an older dog, why not try.

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Thanks DD smile.gif Ill give the natural stuff im trying atm a go first, if not I will see if i can get some. Shes already sleeping too much as it is and would hate anything to relax her too much more..

Ps.. I will do a search too on here. I had some once so i could cope with getting in a MRI, and i walked into the glass doors of the hospital after. Luckily I din't get badly hurt !! laugh.gif

Edited by Jules❤3Cavs
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Thanks DD smile.gif Ill give the natural stuff im trying atm a go first, if not I will see if i can get some. Shes already sleeping too much as it is and would hate anything to relax her too much more..

Ps.. I will do a search too on here. I had some once so i could cope with getting in a MRI, and i walked into the glass doors of the hospital after. Luckily I din't get badly hurt !! laugh.gif

Oh dear - you can only laugh !!! :laugh: :laugh:

Sorry Pollywaffle. I've taken it all a bit off topic :o , but looking forward to hearing how Basil goes at the vets.

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