Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I have had Zedley for 3 months (3yr old adoptee). He has been normally behaved, except for ONE night of thunder when he went all scared. I have got the Thunder CD, but have only played it once (very low, I couldn't hear it, for 2 seconds) and he went all scared again. For the last three weeks, every evening between 7 and 8 Zedley starts to panic. Tail down, checks all doors, shakes uncontrollably until we go to bed (he will not stay in the bedroom on his own) when he relaxes and is fine. Ok I took Zedley to the vet yesterday for his annual shot and a check up. The vet has taken bloods and will do a full panel on him (including Heartworm, as he has not been on HW treatment coming from NSW). She is going to check that there are no underlying causes for this behaviour. She may then give Clomicalm. Until them I have bought some rescue remedy but I am not sure how much/how often to give it. I have the drops (I used to use the spray on my sick poodle, but for different reasons). This morning Zedley started acting all scared before I left for work! I have racked my brains but cannot think of what has spooked the little fella. I would really appreciate any advice on how much Rescue Remedy to give him. TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly_Louise Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hmmm, can't help you with the Rescue Remedy Loraine, but that's really bizarre. Have you been able to figure out what sets him off? Obviously he doesn't like thunder, but have you noticed any other reoccuring instances that set him off? Maybe something happened to him as a younger boy and the fears are ingrained. My friend is giving me some rescue remedy drops for when Chloe has her second operation. She said that it doesn't seem to work for her dog at all... My red cattle dog Chloe has some bizarre behaviours as well. She has an issue if any sort of door or gate is left slightly ajar or if she doesn't hear the click of a door closing properly... then she's off like a shot. I'm not sure what started this behaviour (she is 7.5 yrs now and only had this issue for a couple of years), but perhaps when a door was left a bit open one day she may have tried to get through and it has shut on her or something? I don't know, but at first it was really strange and we had no idea why she was behaving so weird... I have no idea how to get her out of this habit. If we see her getting scared (even if the door is shut) we have to tell her "door is closed Chloe" before she will stop, or else open the door and shut it again so she can hear it. WEIRD... Well good luck with it anyway... hope you can help little Zedley overcome his fears!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbesotted Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 You can put a few drops in his water bowl or rub a few drops onto his ears, or a few drops onto the gums or under the tongue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 will do a full panel on him (including Heartworm, as he has not been on HW treatment coming from NSW). I don't understand this bit We do have heartworm here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Use the rescue remedy as required, there is nothing in it that will harm your dog, you cannot 'overdose' him. What happens or has happened between 7 and 8? Is that what time it was when you played the CD the first time? To be honest, it sounds like there is more than meets the eye hear, perhaps there are some signals that you're not picking up because you don't know what to look for, or you don't know that they are significant. You might want to consider having a home visit from a behaviourist. Definately get the vet to check him out and make sure there is no medical reason for his behaviour, but my personal opinion is don't reach for the Clomicalm right away, use it as more of a last resort. What I do suggest is a natural diet (with extra B vitamins, Vitamin C, copper and magnesium), a bach flower remedy, the use of a DAP diffuser in combination with good leadership and a desensitisation program. My own dog who has been treated for anxiety since I got him recently suffered quite a relapse and started compulsively licking himself to the point where he would bleed. One of the many things I am using to treat him with is a product called 5-HTP. It is a human supplement and I don't know if it is cleared for use in dogs, when I asked the Vet he didn't know anything about it but suggested I give it a go. It is a tryptophan supplement. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is converted by the body, in conjunction with Vitamin B6, to serotonin which is the chemical that regulates anxiety. He is doing a million times better since I started treatment, but I can't really say exactly what amount of recovery can be attributed to which treatment, but the best thing to do is to hit it with everything you can at once so that your dog can go back to being happy and healthy as soon as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mybestfriend Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I am a big fan of the Loud Noises CD. My lab Molly LOVES thunderstorms now. Try putting the CD and the lowest possible level and when your dog pricks his or her hears, do not raise the levels any higher. At the same time, give him treats or play with their favorite toy to distract them. When I first started Molly was a bit anxious, but the treats were a great distration. When they are happy, turn up the volume again slightly. I play the CD all the time now, when I am doing the dishes, reading a book etc, up so loud it almost hurts my ears and Molly ignores it completely. It took months of work, but I am so glad I did. I went out on NYE to enjoy the fireworks and spent the whole night worrying about how Molly was handling it. I got home and found out she slept the whole way through. It just takes a lot of time (and favorite treats). Good luck, Tanya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Just to hijack for a min...where can I get the Loud Noises CD from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haven Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I bought mine from ebay and from Borders, that shop that sells books, dvds etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mybestfriend Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 The Loud Noises to Calm Your Dog CD was made by audio engineer Brian Newington to help his scared dog. His number is 02 9999 1582. Costs about $20 and worth every cent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 will do a full panel on him (including Heartworm, as he has not been on HW treatment coming from NSW). I don't understand this bit We do have heartworm here. Dru I have noticed on this board that a number of folks do not protect against HW in NSW. The gal that sent my boy to me said he had never had HW treatment, so he will be getting it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Thanks Haven you are really informative What happens or has happened between 7 and 8? Nothing happens that is out of the ordinary, I even take him outside to show him there is nothing there, as I live alone the house is very quiet except for the TV or Radio To be honest, it sounds like there is more than meets the eye hear, perhaps there are some signals that you're not picking up because you don't know what to look for, or you don't know that they are significant. You might want to consider having a home visit from a behaviourist. I have had dogs for years and this is very baffling to me. I will consider a behaviourist. The thing is, he has been fine for 3 months, and then this has started - logically it means something has happened recently, but I am darned if I know what. Definately get the vet to check him out and make sure there is no medical reason for his behaviour, but my personal opinion is don't reach for the Clomicalm right away, use it as more of a last resort. Vet is having his bloods done, I check back on Monday. I really am reluctant to put a dog on drugs for something that is not an obvious illness. What I do suggest is a natural diet (with extra B vitamins, Vitamin C, copper and magnesium), a bach flower remedy, the use of a DAP diffuser in combination with good leadership and a desensitisation program. He is on raw meat, bones and dry kibble, and now RR. He does not get a lot of processed treats, he love chicken necks My own dog who has been treated for anxiety since I got him recently suffered quite a relapse and started compulsively licking himself to the point where he would bleed. One of the many things I am using to treat him with is a product called 5-HTP. It is a human supplement and I don't know if it is cleared for use in dogs. I'll have a word with my vet and also try to find a DAP diffuser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusky Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Lorraine what I don't understand re the heartworm is why they didn't give you the results immediately. I may be way way off here but if I were you I would keep a diary, so when he starts being odd write down what everyone else is doing, any noises TV programmes etc and what he does, ears up, down, tail up down over a 10 ot 15 minute period. Don't interact with him during this time just write it all down. If you get a pro to come to your home they will love the diary and it may be that you will suddenly see what the problem is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hmmm, can't help you with the Rescue Remedy Loraine, but that's really bizarre. Have you been able to figure out what sets him off? Obviously he doesn't like thunder, but have you noticed any other reoccuring instances that set him off? Maybe something happened to him as a younger boy and the fears are ingrained. My friend is giving me some rescue remedy drops for when Chloe has her second operation. She said that it doesn't seem to work for her dog at all...My red cattle dog Chloe has some bizarre behaviours as well. She has an issue if any sort of door or gate is left slightly ajar or if she doesn't hear the click of a door closing properly... then she's off like a shot. I'm not sure what started this behaviour (she is 7.5 yrs now and only had this issue for a couple of years), but perhaps when a door was left a bit open one day she may have tried to get through and it has shut on her or something? I don't know, but at first it was really strange and we had no idea why she was behaving so weird... I have no idea how to get her out of this habit. If we see her getting scared (even if the door is shut) we have to tell her "door is closed Chloe" before she will stop, or else open the door and shut it again so she can hear it. WEIRD... Well good luck with it anyway... hope you can help little Zedley overcome his fears!!! Kelly Louise, I used RR spray on my mini-poodle when he had Cushing's disease. It was to help him with the side effects his chemo pills, and it did appear to help. I wonder if your dog and mine are suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Lorraine what I don't understand re the heartworm is why they didn't give you the results immediately.I may be way way off here but if I were you I would keep a diary, so when he starts being odd write down what everyone else is doing, any noises TV programmes etc and what he does, ears up, down, tail up down over a 10 ot 15 minute period. Don't interact with him during this time just write it all down. If you get a pro to come to your home they will love the diary and it may be that you will suddenly see what the problem is. Thanks Rusky, I do keep a diary (had to with Coco's illness) so just do it now for Zedley. I think with the HW they send the bloods off! I do ignore his behaviour as much as possible, but he will jump on my lap from time to time, and I don't really want to just shove him away in case that makes him worse. I try to distract him with play, but he is just not into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusky Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I meant a second by second for 15 mins, try it with no interation and yep they must send them away but I thought they had a strip test, maybe I am thinking of another test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 will do a full panel on him (including Heartworm, as he has not been on HW treatment coming from NSW). I don't understand this bit We do have heartworm here. Dru I have noticed on this board that a number of folks do not protect against HW in NSW. The gal that sent my boy to me said he had never had HW treatment, so he will be getting it here Wow! Pretty big risk of them to take. I've seen quite a few dogs with it before when vet nursing and have also had rescues who came in with HW. Good thing he's coming to you where he will be protected from it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Thanks for that info Haven and mbf, will try and get a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 will do a full panel on him (including Heartworm, as he has not been on HW treatment coming from NSW). I don't understand this bit We do have heartworm here. Dru I have noticed on this board that a number of folks do not protect against HW in NSW. The gal that sent my boy to me said he had never had HW treatment, so he will be getting it here Wow! Pretty big risk of them to take. I've seen quite a few dogs with it before when vet nursing and have also had rescues who came in with HW. Good thing he's coming to you where he will be protected from it Thanks Dru Since I came home from work (I only work mornings) he has been strange again. I gave him 4 drops of RR and really watched him. He was up and down to the doors, sitting behind or beside my chair, following me around the house, tail down, ears pricking up and down, watching the walls whilst all the time shaking like a leaf. He then got on my knee and almost immediately fell asleep for about 10 minutes. He suddenly startled awake (nightmare?) and started shaking again. When he is like this he refuses to play or be distracted in any way Right now he is beside me in the computer room, asleep and not shaking - wonder if there is something about my lounge room that he has taken a fear of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noisymina Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 A dog with an unknown past is rather an interestimg experience. Our Dobe had a few "issues" - none serious and not as traumatic, but interesting nonetheless. There is a book called "Getting in Touch With Your Dog" by Linda Tellington-Jones. I found it pretty good in helping to calm Kaisie and help her settle - and stop snapping at me when I was grooming the rear end Now she just loves it all. There are "cues" we have noticed eg we do not have a door bell, but when one goes off on the TV she goes ballistic It's pretty much an automatic reaction. She is also very aggro toward young men - 18- 25 age group. Suspect there is some history there and have to keep a check on her if we know a visitor in that category is due. Not that she has actually done any damage to date. So, I imagine anything could be eliciting the reaction in your dog - as you say, maybe there is something about or in a particular room that he associates with a bad experience. Hopefully, after a while, he will begin to realise that nothing bad is happening and will begin to relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loraine Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Thanks for that info Haven and mbf, will try and get a copy. Cazbear I got my CD from an Australian Geographic shop, it is Sounds of Nature Series - Tropical Thunderstorms: 3 tracks Virin Ran and Light Thunder Heavy Thunder, wind and rain Refreshing Gentle Rain and Thunder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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