Pixie has extreme anxiety

[JMuedog]

Originally Posted by Patti

Thanks. Pixie has Xanax on an as needed basis. But it doesn't seem to do anything. I am going to try giving it to her every 8 hours over the weekend to see if it helps.
I tried comfort zone and a natural calming medicine from the vet.
She is so completely out of her mind now with any car, motorcycle or semi loud noise that I am at my wit's end.
She has the whole walk in closet with crates and beds in it. That's where she sleeps a lot of times.
But when she is like this she just keeps jumping in my lap then throwing herself backwards. I upright her and she throws herself back again. She has always thrown her self back when you hold her but usually just lays like that. I am not kidding when I say she is freaked out 80% of the time now.
Today she didn't want to walk on our walk. I am going to take her back to the vet to see if she needs some type of medicine daily like Taylor suggested. Life is miserable for both of us.

I'm wondering if an antidepressant would help. Since the Xanax isn't doing something, sounds like she needs something constantly in her bloodstream. We fill antidepressants for a couple pups at my store.

Gwenni really started having issues with loud noises last year, and we've had the best luck with distraction. She's obsessed with fetch and squeaky toys so we started associating thunderstorms w/ play time and she doesn't seem bothered by them anymore. We also would just try to have her around loud noises more often to sort of increase her exposure.

[hearttx]

This is interesting. My Bella just turned 5 and she was a little afraid of storms but NOW is just like Pixie. She is terrified of them. She is panting and nervous and pacing all over the place at the sound of thunder. We have tried Amitriptyline and thunder shirt but does not help. The only thing that has help is environmentally adaptation. Bella usually is sitting in my lap or my husband who is watching tv. So we turn the tv up really loud so it is louder than the storm somewhat and close the curtain so she cannot see the storm. She has calmed down that way but makes late nights when storms are in the middle of the night. Our vet says she can sedate her with medication so she is so sleepy if I want. I do not know what to do either. Her safe place would be her crate but she would think we are punishing her to put her in it in the middle of the night or when everybody is up during the day.
I wondered if age had something to do with this. She was somewhat ok til she turned 5 and then this has heightened.
Open for suggestions.

[Patti]

It is weird about the age as I know someone else's dog became afraid of thunder at the age of 5. Pixie is now afraid of a little louder than normal car sound, planes motorcycles and I have no way of knowing when one will go down the street or fly by. It's summer so it's like every 10 minutes. I don't even have the windows open.
Jenni, I think the antidepressants may be the only answer right now. Pixie is scared 80% of the time.
She has never been one to play with toys but I try and distract her with treats. I am going to get her to her vet this week and see what she can figure out.
Thanks for the good ideas and thoughts.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Patti

It is weird about the age as I know someone else's dog became afraid of thunder at the age of 5. Pixie is now afraid of a little louder than normal car sound, planes motorcycles and I have no way of knowing when one will go down the street or fly by. It's summer so it's like every 10 minutes. I don't even have the windows open.
Jenni, I think the antidepressants may be the only answer right now. Pixie is scared 80% of the time.
She has never been one to play with toys but I try and distract her with treats. I am going to get her to her vet this week and see what she can figure out.
Thanks for the good ideas and thoughts.

Praying you can find the right thing for Pixie. I can imagine how hard it is on both of you to have her anxious 80% of the time.