Doggy Panic Attacks?

abby1234519

I'm asking you because I don't want to take Dog to the vets and pay £21 just to find out that I am being paranoid.

Some of you might remember that my partner had said he wanted her out of the house (now a 9 month Jack Russell) so I was basically moving out so we could stay together yet I still be able to keep my best friend. Anyway things came to a head and Dog went to stay with a lady I met who had a dog and was happy to look after her for a month whilst I found alternative accommodation. I did visit her house etc and it seemed good, garden, dog was nice family was nice. Very hard to give Dog to someone else and I was very upset for a week.

Now I picked Dog up about a month later and she came with me to my parents for Christmas and she does seem different, she seems really skinny (maybe other dog has been eating all the food and I had said she won't eat bakers complete she eats james wellbeloved and i did give her enough however she appears to have been trying to give her BC), she also seems really nervous, like I am going to hit her. I say Doga nd she was cowering etc although she is okay at the moment and has warmed back up. My parents live in the Lakes and we went for a walk every day over the hills near Kendal, Scar Scout if anyone knows it and she looked like a stumpy gazelle leaping over the bushes. At home she constantly follows me around as if she needs to be close. I can tell she missed me and I missed her dearly. Right now shes in her new dog bed asleep, but if I move she'll wake up.

But am I being paranoid? Has Dog been maltreated or has she just been suffering seperation anxiety.
The other thing is we were sitting on my parents sofa, my boyfriend on one side and me on the other, dog was asleep between us. She sort of woke up and started heavy breathing like she was hyperventilating and then stopped. She did it again later but was awake to start with just looked scared then stopped and ran after the ball.

Last night we were cuddling on the bed just me and her and she did it again, about 4 seconds. Has anyone come across this. Dog is staying with me now we've settled in and we are okay. I haven't moved out yet, moving out in a week however Boyfriend has been good and said she can stay, he does love her really he just feels this house isn't appropriate for a dog so I am moving to a larger place with a garden and I am very excited. I just want to make sure Dog is okay because I love her and care for her deeply. Pfft just a dog I know...

Bagpuss741

To me it sounds like the dog missed you a lot and is scared that you will leave her again. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon with some advise.

foreign_correspondent

does she cower when you raise her hand? If so it is quite likely she has been walloped.

It is also quite likely that the other dog may have been eating all her food, some dogs will try and do this if left to feed together unsupervised. akers is also full of crap whichmay lead to her feeling more anxious and hyper (food colourings - not that the dog cares what coulour its food is, so completely uneccesarry additives)

You have also got to realise that although you may have known the new arrangement was temporary, of course she didnt - and may have just about settled in there and is now a bit confused and needs time to settle and get secure again with you. I seem to remember you took her on as a pup from her first owneer, so now, in her short life she has had three changes of home/owner which is unsettling.

Dogs do pant sometimes when stressed but also when too warm of course - its hard to say which this was without seeing her do it.

Did the woman who had her gove you any feedback? Did she say how she was, how she got on with her other dog, anything?

Did she seem sad to see her go or not? Just wondering if you had any clues to whether they were fond of her or not?

How is her toilet training at the moment?

abby1234519

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

does she cower when you raise her hand? If so it is quite likely she has been walloped. She does do that but did before anyway simply because I don't hit her however she does know its a punishment. She does seem to be cowering a bit more though if that makes sense, even if I have raised my hand but in a non threatening way.

. akers is also full of crap whichmay lead to her feeling more anxious and hyper Thats why I feed her James Wellbeloved, I'd rather she was on a diet that was suited to her, I think she has a sensitive stomach but then again it could be because she still is a pup really. I do think the other dog was eating her food, Molly won't eat straight away.

You have also got to realise that although you may have known the new arrangement was temporary, of course she didnt - and may have just about settled in there and is now a bit confused and needs time to settle and get secure again with you. I seem to remember you took her on as a pup from her first owneer, so now, in her short life she has had three changes of home/owner which is unsettling.
I do totally comprehend this, I'm not denying this at all. Thats why I am not prepared for her to go back to her I want her to be a healthy happy dog

Dogs do pant sometimes when stressed but also when too warm of course - its hard to say which this was without seeing her do it. It wasn't panting, it was almost hyperventilating in short shart loud bursts.

Did the woman who had her gove you any feedback? Did she say how she was, how she got on with her other dog, anything? She said that her dog humped molly, as in how dogs do to be dominant and that one of her cats didn't get on with Molly. That Molly slept in her bed with her at night (:O)

Did she seem sad to see her go or not? Just wondering if you had any clues to whether they were fond of her or not?I think they were fond of her, shes a good little dog. As far as she knew Dog would be coming back to her for a week after Christmas, I'm sure she'd have kept her but the arrangement was never permanent, She was trying to do a good deed for me.

How is her toilet training at the moment?

It is a lot better!! I am really impressed, I am sure she has learnt this off the other dog, she did have atoilet incident on christmas day well at night but she barked to tell me she had done it, possibly before but I was dead to the world. Other than that theres been nothing, shes sat by the door to tell me she wants to go. Coincidentally the lady did say Molly had been having problems at hers, when I got her bed back as well as obviously she needed something to sleep on at my parents, there were poo smears, looked not new.

foreign_correspondent

has she recently had a check up at a vets? eg. when she as innoculated or anything - fast breathing can be a sign of some heath problems and if you are at all concenred I would say it is well worth £21 to eliminate anything being physically wrong.

Re: the humping - is she speyed?? and the other dog?

MrsTinks

The increased anxiety and more covering could simply be because she doesn't know if she's coming or going... Several new people and new houses and it's all a bit much for an already slightly nervy pup (which I seem to recall she was). The weight loss could be due to stress too - Kira was in kennels for a couple of months before we got her and despite being on a good diet there she was loosing weight like no tomorrow and there was no other dogs to steal her food! She was just so stressed out she was burning the calories off!
Also a thought - she might be generally more headshy if one of the cats have batted her one I know Kira eventually has gotten less headshy (just don't try and sweep the floor with a broom!) but she's still a little jumpy, mainly I think because one of the cats bats her one across the nose if she gets too excited and too close and personal
and as FC has asked... is she spayed or if her dog neutered???
And definitely get her checked for the breathing thing. It MIGHT just be general anxiety or it could be a respiratory problem - better safe than sorry

foreign_correspondent

the breathing could also be a sign of a heart problem - not so likely, but odd breathing is worth getting checked out if you have any concerns!

abby1234519

The other dog was also female, just a sign of dominance I think.

Its weird, shes only a nervy dog when she is calm. Otherwise she is Miss Cheeky. I mean this morning she barked at the doorbell and then since then has sat next to me on the sofa asleep.

It could be that the other car was batting her which is why shes timid with regards to myself raising her hand. Something thats really upset me though is we used to go for walks with another dog whos two months younger than molly, shes a funny little thing she looks exactly like her just black so sort of an inverted Molly, her owner has decided to give her away at some point because she's pregnant and I just feel that Molly will get really depressed!

She does seem to be defending be just that tad bit extra, maybe from people who'd split us up!
I think I will book her into the vets for this week I guess its best to make sure she doesn't have fleas etc anyway.

Thank you though, I do find it easier to ask you!

MrsTinks

Ok... I appreciate you love her to bits but you have to stop all these human emotions and problems to her She is a dog regardless of how much you love her!
She's not going to get depressed because a dog you walk her with has been rehomed, she's not cheeky only in certain mind frames - all her behaviour is linked, and she doesn't have the faintest idea who "might" split you up...

However if you THINK this then you will be anxious around certain people, you will act like there is something to be anxious about and she WILL start displaying behaviours that could be read as depression, aggression and a multitude of others.

Dogs live in the moment and she needs you to live in the moment too

foreign_correspondent

It is tempring to look at animals emotions in the same way as humans - and whilst dogs certainly have 'feelings' thay are different to urs.

Dogs do thrive on routine, and they ae social animals and do form stong bonds with their 'pack'. Both of these have been disrupted for this one, so she is most likely feeling a bit out of sorts.

Try and work on letting her settle in without worrying too much, but remember that spoiling her will confuse her even more. Keep exercising her, and working on her training and se will soon she will feel much happier - a busy dog is a happy dog!

abby1234519

I don't link my emotions with hers, its just I don't know how to describe it.

Surely if she has spent a lot of time with another dog and then suddenly doesn't spend any time then it will affect her especially if she felt they were part of the same pack