What did the vet mean?

krlyr

I'm no expect but I'd have thought if it was something sinister like a brain tumour, you'd have seen a worsening of the symptoms over 4 years. Sounds like a long-term behaviourial issue - I know of one person who's dog is like this and she's tried all sorts, the only thing that seems to have lessened it is putting the dog on Fluoxetine (Prozac) - could be worth seeing a vet with good knowledge on medications for behavioural issues

teddysmum

A dog health website says that some dogs are genetically predisposed to tail chasing ( a version of OCD), naming terriers as one of the breeds.


It says it is of more concern if it suddenly occurs.

sangie595

krlyr wrote: »

I'm no expect but I'd have thought if it was something sinister like a brain tumour, you'd have seen a worsening of the symptoms over 4 years. Sounds like a long-term behaviourial issue - I know of one person who's dog is like this and she's tried all sorts, the only thing that seems to have lessened it is putting the dog on Fluoxetine (Prozac) - could be worth seeing a vet with good knowledge on medications for behavioural issues

If it is a long term behavioural problem then I would suggest that you exhaust other options before looking to medications. All medications have significant impacts. They may be the only option in some cases, but they often aren't, and before putting a human or an animal through treatment that is mind-altering, I'd recommend trying other things first.

Your vet is probably not sufficiently qualified in dog behaviourism, and a surgery is not the place to assess a dog anyway. If you have insurance, this may cover getting a consultation from a per behaviourist, If not, it is worth paying for at least one consultation in your home - obviously more are better, but most dog behaviourists know that not everyone can afford that, and they will do what they can to help your dog even if it is "occasional" appointments or advice. None of them want to see an unhappy dog.

A behaviourist would be able to determine the triggers for aggression and self-harming very quickly - it may be anger, but it could just as easily be fear, anxiety, frustration or even boredom. And those are just a few of the causes. Knowing the root of the problem is essential - each requires different approaches. But once you know, there is a lot of self-help available if you need it - books and on-line. I have an entire catalogue of useful ones, so if you can find out the trigger I could post up a series of things that would help in those specific circumstances. My module on aggression was very rigorous and there wasn't a stone left unturned, so there will be something useful in my lists.

My best guess would be that whilst this is a problem looming large right now, it probably isn't as serious as you might fear. If it were, you wouldn't have kept the dog four years, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time it was discussed with the vet. That doesn't mean there will be a quick fix - there never is. But it would suggest that there is a fix. That might be medications, but it might also be other things that are less intrusive on the dogs health.

emmsie123

Thank you her problems seem to be separation anxiety.
I had to crate her when i nip out, not for long, because she was literally destroying the house.
Tail chasing severe enough to amputate her tail.
Plus she now has a fear of the vets.
Apart from that shes a really nice dog and loves everybody, apart from other dogs.

sangie595

emmsie123 wrote: »

Thank you her problems seem to be separation anxiety.
I had to crate her when i nip out, not for long, because she was literally destroying the house.
Tail chasing severe enough to amputate her tail.
Plus she now has a fear of the vets.
Apart from that shes a really nice dog and loves everybody, apart from other dogs.

Forgive me but I have tried to come up with a better way of putting this without losing the point... You are being delusional. She is not in fact a really nice dog. She is destructive, aggressive, self-harming, and, is human aggressive at least in the vets and when you husband tries to muzzle her. And she is unable to socialise with others dogs due to aggression (which is not normal dog behaviour) and has learned that she can bite humans - that means there is a very high chance that she will increase that behaviour, so you are putting your friends and family at risk. She's also very unhappy, because this isn't a good place for a dog to be. The problem is escalating.

Separation anxiety isn't a condition - it's a result. There are underlying causes for why she suffers it. That will be the root of all the behaviours. It's like a human saying they have a depression. Some depression is normal - if you have had a bereavement, for example, depression is understandable and nothing to worry about. It's a reaction to an understandably negative event, and you will get past it. Other depressions have no discernable "real" cause, are debilitating and hurt the person in ways that cause them to act or behave in ways that may be damaging to themselves mentally or physically. In those cases people need help, and so does your dog.

If the vet finds no physical cause for her problems, then do try to at least get a better idea of what is going on with a proper assessment by a professional. It sounds broadly like a fear based aggression - but that is a guess and you shouldn't take it as gospel. But such aggressions would normally be expected to escalate if not addressed. And from the point where the dog is, the escalations "work" - if it bites then you stop doing what causes fear. And if you don't stop (say because you must muzzle the dog so stopping isn't an option) then you will become angry and frustrated, and that will come out in your own actions and behaviours which will reinforce the dogs behaviour in the future - get in there first before you get angry and frustrated! In such cases you are actually teaching the dog to bite first "and ask questions later".

If you can't do then then yes, ok, medicate. That is still a better option than continuing down this road. But be aware that medications do not simply change the single behaviour that you don't want. They change everything, and she may be less the same dog that you know. And they fix nothing. Which means that she will have to continue with the medications, probably for her whole life.

teddysmum

My sister once had a beautiful golden retriever, who was fine until he escaped from someone caring for him (November ) and was probably frightened by fireworks .


After this he was a nervous wreck every time there was a loud noise such as car horn, aeroplane, hammering, so the only way to treat him was by sedating him.


This reduced a lovely bouncy dog (when there was no noise) to a sleepy 'old' dog. He had no life.


My sister sadly decided, with her vets approval, to have him pts.