Pixie has extreme anxiety
 

I didn't know whether to post this in here or sick and injured as Pixie isn't really "sick". I thought maybe more people would see this and have some ideas.

A couple of years ago Pixie at about 5 years of age became afraid of thunder. The thunder shirt and natural calming medicine helped.

This year, any loud noise outside, a plane going over, a motorcycle going by, a loud car you name it sets her off. She starts shaking, tries to climb up me, but then throws herself backwards. Many times I have caught her just before she would have fallen off the bed.

This happens day and night. I would say she is calm for about 6 hours of the day and night. I never know if a plane going overhead etc will set her off, sometimes it does, sometimes she's fine. She is always listening for noises ready to go in to an anxiety attack.
The strange thing is if we are outside and she hears any of these noises, she doesn't react at all.

I am going crazy trying to get her calmed down and get some peace myself.

I have Xanax as needed. for her now and it doesn't help much. I will be taking her back to her vet soon, but was hoping someone on here would have some ideas.
Thanks

Poor girl. I don't have any advice, just wanted to let you know I'm thinking about her. Hopefully you can figure something out that will work.

I'm sorry to hear Pixie is still battling anxiety. Teddy was similar with his fear of storms -- he was terrified in the house, but fine if we went out in the car during a storm. The Thundershirt helped him and we stopped using it, but now he is starting to have some anxiety again when it rains. He goes underneath a corner table by the couches.

Does Pixie have a "hiding" place or does she always come to you?

I can imagine how difficult this is for you when she reacts to everyday noises too, like airplanes.

I hope other people will have some suggestions for you to help Pixie get some relief.

Will she train and play and walk 2-3 times a day, Patti? Just wondering if she is a dog that would respond to a job training her to do new, interesting things like learning new commands, agility and such. Often getting a highly sensitive dog very, very busy working will help them.

My own Tibbe was having quit a few panic attacks when he was still symptomatic with what we suspect is his MVD. He would hear a sound he didn't like like a certain high sound or a circle saw and just begin to pant, pace, look about constantly, run to me and then break away. Of course I started desensitizing him on circle saw sounds all day long played on the computer. We tripled up on his training and obedience. I even bought him a Thundershirt and it helped a lot. But he was beginning to worry me he seemed to be having these sessions so frequently when he heard a sound he didn't like.

More than anything, getting him squared away on his half-hepatic diet(more than half seems to cause itching) has seemingly stopped his panic attacks. Now that he's no longer sick, spitting up and is feeling his old self seemingly, his panic attacks occasionally occur but all it takes is my saying "Reeeeee-lax" slowly and he'll lie down and compose himself. He's always begging me to train him and to teach him something new now.

Is there any chance she is feeling under the weather and her extreme fears connected to her just not feeling "right"? Kind of like a cry for help by getting so nervous and panicky?

I was even thinking of starting a thread asking if anyone with a dog that had panic attacks ever noticed if they were often connected to the dog also concurrently feeling ill, not being healthy, having some concurrent physical symptoms or pain. Tibbe is so much better now with his panic attacks - which seemed to just restart again in March/April - just about the time he was having more of his MVD lethargy and anorexia and spitting up, diarrhea - I almost couldn't help but wonder if they came from his just feeling bad. Or, if he had toxins in his brain from the MVD, if they were perpetuating it.

What do you think?

You may have already read this, but here is an interesting thread from Jodi:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...try-again.html

There are suggestions other than Rescue Remedy.

I would think she might need an anxiety medicine that she takes every day. Would one of those things that make white noise help? I know this is very very hard to do but is it possible to ignore her when she does it to see if she still does it? Callie gets worse if she is being babied during a storm.

I wish I had advice. I know how frustrated you are and you just don't get a break. Hugs to you!

I'm sorry nothing has helped Pixie... praying for relief for her and you. Has she had a neuro consult?

Just a thought...do you think it might be a hearing sensitivity she has developed recently? Maybe they could check her little ears. Kyra has a high fear of storms and doesn't like loud noise like the lawn mower and such but storms are the only thing that causes the severe reactions. Will be praying for Pixie.

I'm dealing w/3 poor nervous fur butts here too. Some idiots blow up fire works & what sounds like loud gunshots every night...so not looking forward to July the 4th. So whenever something goes off, I'll turn on the bathroom fan & Princess, Turbo & Mimi will sit there & shake it out.:( I try to distract them by turning on the radio & dancing. They look @ me like, 'wat r u doing mommm':rolleyes: hahaha! Nothing bothers Momo...hope you'll find some comfort for little Pixie.

Mikki has moments were she gets very scared. She has a "hiding place" in my bedroom. That is where she goes every time. So this might be a good idea for Pixie too. Maybe a crate or bed area? Mikki goes under my chaise lounge in the corner. It just makes her feel better.

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.

That poor girl. There is something going on there. I'm glad you are taking her back in. Without help or medication, she'll eventually hurt herself. Maybe the vet can medicate her well for a couple of weeks and get her past whatever is going on if she is healthy enough for the sedation and nothing else seems wrong. I'll be praying for her Patti. No little baby should have to do through this - it sounds terrible for her. And I know it hurts you so to see her like this.

Patti,
What dose of Xanax are you giving and how much does she weigh?
Cali had terrible anxiety after her hawk attack. Agility has really helped. Xanax was a super life saver but I have found that not many vets get the dosing right

Of course check with your vet but it may be a good idea to get her on one of those all natural calming meds like Rescue Remedy on a regular basis. I know some people put it in their drinking water while others put the drops directly in the mouth. Maybe a continues low does might keep her from being so on edge. If she seems to do better for a while you could try doing a tapper down with the medication and she how she does.

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.

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.

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.