My heart is breaking reading about you and Pixie. Your love of your little girl is so touching. My little ones had a lot of thunderstorm anxiety, and that started to generalize to just heavier rain, too. I gave Ashley and Gracie Valium and Kiwi Acepromazine because I worried about the stress it could cause on their bodies. I stopped after a short while since I think that might have caused more fear not understanding what was happening to them. My very little girl, Gracie, became completely fearless on medication, but she also acted as if she was on speed. I wish I knew about the Thundershirt. I understand all of your fears, and I also grew to be anxious when it rained heavily because I worried about my girls. Even now as it is thundering, I remember the toll it had on all of us. Your last post about Pixie was much more encouraging. I know a lot more love from you is helping Pixie. I've read all about not reinforcing their fear, but I've found a lot more love and encouragement makes all of the difference in the world. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your beautiful, sweet little girl. I hope Pixie continues to get better and that you can have peace of mind again.

Thanks so much! I just can't not hold her when she is so scared and wanting to be comforted. It is so hard on them not knowing what is going on.

Pixie has had 2 good nights in a row. No storms. She is starting to act more like herself. She has started eating her treats again and barking when she wants something. She is also back to spending most of her time on the bed and not in the closet. I think the nutricalm has helped her relax and get back into her normal routine. It doesn't seem to help much during the storms but it helps her get back to normal quicker. Thanks

That is wonderful news!! So it sounds definite that it's a storm anxiety issue. As long as you can bare the bad weather with her it seems like she's going to be just fine:) You must be so relieved that you had 2 good days.

That's great news!

I can only imagine how baffled you must be. It's so hard when they just can't tell us what is wrong.

I just wonder if something happened that you can't recall that made her start acting this way.

I am sure you've been over every which thing but about 6 months ago, Jackson suddenly became terrified of swatting flies. He would come hang in my bedroom during the day but at night time, he refused to enter my room. Our normal routine was let out to potty, get a treat, and come lay in my bed and he wouldn't come in for any treat and I had to chase him around the house to grab him. It hit me when I realize he was scared because I had killed a fly a few nights before. I knew it was this because when I did it again, he ran away and hid. But it came on so sudden - he had never been scared of such a thing before. We are still working on it. He comes in my bedroom fine now but I also don't swat flies around him anymore. It causes him huge panic and stress, even if I act very nonchalant about it and extremely quiet.

Sometimes they have these weird little quirks that are almost impossible for us to figure out what goes on in their brains and sometimes things just trigger it maybe.

How is Pixie? I read in another thread that you were expecting storms last night. I hope she did ok.

Thanks for asking. Pixie could get a job at the weather forecasting bureau. It looked like the rain was going to pass above us and it didn't look bad. About 1/2 hour before some severe storms blew up over us Pixie was panting and wanting to be held. Nothing on the radar showed the storms. But I gave her her Nutricalm and put on her Thundershirt just in case. When the thunder started, she was panting and wanting to be held but it wasn't as bad as before. Then I got busy doing things so she couldn't sit by me and she just laid on my bed for a good portion of the storm. So I definitely think the medicine and the thundershirt combination are helping.
Brittany- I keep trying to recall anything that would have started this sudden fear and can't think of anything. It seems like her personality has changed and I am looking forward to a long period with no storms to see if she gets back to her old self. Thanks

Patti, I so happy to hear that Pixie is doing better with the Thundershirt/Nutricalm for the storms. This is what I do for Bogey as well and it seems to be working very well here too. The one thing that I make sure to do it to put the shirt on well in advance of the storms and give a dose of (I use) RescueRemedy early. You can always give a second dose if needed. I've also noticed that if I ignore VS comfort him he does much better during storms. He will lay at my feet if all goes well and I am able to catch the storms early enough. It's weird, normally he likes to either lay next to me or on my lap but when he has on the Thundershirt and RR he will lay at my feet.

Thanks! I was afraid to put the thundershirt on too early for fear it would get Pixie thinking about storms. From now on I'll put it on when ever there are storms predicted and she gets the nutricalm morning and night. I did find last night when I was busy she just laid down. We have to mute the TV when there are storm warnings out (that beep beep beep) because as soon as she hears it she starts getting stressed.

Patti, I am happy that the Nutricalm and Thundershirt combo are helping and that you are finally making progress with Pixie's mystery behavior. My Teddy could join her in predicting storms, and like you turning the sound down on the weather radar, we can't say rain, thunder, or storm without Teddy understanding. The sky can be clear and blue and Teddy will start getting nervous, hours in advance of a storm. Like you, I worried that putting on the Thundershirt early would signal him that something bad was coming. Putting my comforter on the couch also helps. That seems to be his designated safe place.

I pray that it won't be long before Pixie is back 100% to her old self.

I am soooo glad to hear that Pixie is doing some better. I am going to try the thunder shirt for Kayla. She has so much anxiety when she has to go to the vet or anywhere. Then she has collasped treacha and its all down hill from there. Pants for hrs. even after she gets home. I was thinking too, do you think the Tramadol could be the cause of some of her anxiety. I am asking because I have been on it the longest of my pain meds and when I take it, sometimes I just walk the floor and cry from the way it makes me feel. Jittery, can't sit still and feel like you are completely losing it. It was just a thought that maybe it could add to some of her anxiety. Hope and pray that little girl gets better. She is so fortunate to have you to love and care for her.

Prayers Pixie is feeling better soon. So strange for her to have started all of this so suddnly.

C/mon baby girl, feel better soon

Thanks! I don't think the Tramadol was a cause as I was giving her the tramadol to see if she was having any pain issues. I know what you mean with the collapsed trachea and anxiety. My last yorkie before this bunch had a severe collapsed trachea and a fear of storms. I lived in fear of a storm as it would send her into a spell so bad with her breathing she ended up at the ER vet in an oxygen chamber. She had such a severe CT that a final storm sent her into a spell she couldn't get out of and I lost her at 6 1/2 years old. I would definitely try the thundershirt and possibly the Nutricalm for vet visits. I hope Kayla can get some relief.
Maybe Teddy and Pixie can get a career going!