Separation Anxiety

[jmcconv]

Update - within the last two hours Roxie has started to make this hacking noise and has coughed up white phlegm a couple of times. I called the vet because obviously I don't want to give the ace to Roxie and leave her home alone tomorrow if it's going to have side effects. The doctor asked me why she was on ace if she had separation anxiety and that he thought he prescribed it for storms. I told him his tech must have miscommunicated earlier because I specifically told them what it was for and that she must have been mistaken because I mentioned I tried the thunder shirt first. He told me ace side effects wouldn't onset this late and told me rox probably has kennel cough, which is odd because she was fine until today and I don't kennel here and she hasn't been groomed lately. Her eyes are all squinty from being sedated, poor thing. ANyway, he recommended that I switch her to Prozac and that the ace be out of her system for at least 24 hours before I give it to her so now I have to try to escape the house tomorrow morning and drive another hour out of my way during the work day to pick up her new prescription. And so the saga continues.

[jmcconv]

Side note: part of me is thinking he's making me feel guilty because Roxie doesn't have an updated bordatella vaccination (even though she's has the others) because she had an allergic reaction following it once and I thought maybe it wasn't necessary. I suppose now I should have it updated...

[pstinard]

Originally Posted by jmcconv

Update - within the last two hours Roxie has started to make this hacking noise and has coughed up white phlegm a couple of times. I called the vet because obviously I don't want to give the ace to Roxie and leave her home alone tomorrow if it's going to have side effects. The doctor asked me why she was on ace if she had separation anxiety and that he thought he prescribed it for storms. I told him his tech must have miscommunicated earlier because I specifically told them what it was for and that she must have been mistaken because I mentioned I tried the thunder shirt first. He told me ace side effects wouldn't onset this late and told me rox probably has kennel cough, which is odd because she was fine until today and I don't kennel here and she hasn't been groomed lately. Her eyes are all squinty from being sedated, poor thing. ANyway, he recommended that I switch her to Prozac and that the ace be out of her system for at least 24 hours before I give it to her so now I have to try to escape the house tomorrow morning and drive another hour out of my way during the work day to pick up her new prescription. And so the saga continues.

Would it be possible for the vet to phone the prescription to a vet or pharmacy that is closer to where you live, or get it through 1800PetMeds - Order Now! Anyway, thumbs up on the Prozac, and I hope it works!

[Lolasmom1211]

I always get my fluoxetine (Prozac) from either CVS or Target pharmacy. I just picked up 30 pills, 10 mg, yesterday for $4.00. Surely they can call it in for you. I have never noticed Nash looking groggy or having squinty eyes from the med. It may take a few weeks to start working, so you may not see an immediate difference.

By the way, I don't board my babies so I don't give them the bordatella vaccine either - ever!

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by jmcconv

Update - within the last two hours Roxie has started to make this hacking noise and has coughed up white phlegm a couple of times. I called the vet because obviously I don't want to give the ace to Roxie and leave her home alone tomorrow if it's going to have side effects. The doctor asked me why she was on ace if she had separation anxiety and that he thought he prescribed it for storms. I told him his tech must have miscommunicated earlier because I specifically told them what it was for and that she must have been mistaken because I mentioned I tried the thunder shirt first. He told me ace side effects wouldn't onset this late and told me rox probably has kennel cough, which is odd because she was fine until today and I don't kennel here and she hasn't been groomed lately. Her eyes are all squinty from being sedated, poor thing. ANyway, he recommended that I switch her to Prozac and that the ace be out of her system for at least 24 hours before I give it to her so now I have to try to escape the house tomorrow morning and drive another hour out of my way during the work day to pick up her new prescription. And so the saga continues.

Oh man, what a mess! I think this could be a side effect, despite what he said. Ace is known to be able to cause breathing issues, so for me, it's too big of a coincidence to have coughing after giving Ace. How long btwn giving Ace did the coughing start?

Originally Posted by jmcconv

Side note: part of me is thinking he's making me feel guilty because Roxie doesn't have an updated bordatella vaccination (even though she's has the others) because she had an allergic reaction following it once and I thought maybe it wasn't necessary. I suppose now I should have it updated...

There is really no such thing as "being overdue" for kennel cough bc kennel cough is TOTALLY elective - it's not a core vaccine (like rabies, parvo, distemper). You do not have to get it, at all. I never get it for my dogs, and never will as it's unnecessary. And btw, dogs can actually *get* kennel cough infection from the actual vaccine itself .

[jmcconv]

Oddly enough, Roxie didn't cough anymore after the other night. Yesterday morning was particularly bad since I didn't give her anything and she came to work with me again. Last night I needed to go to an event, so my coworker came and sat with her. She held her while I left and then Roxie was mostly fine, except periodically crying at the door (my coworker thought she needed to go out and would take her out, Roxie would sit where I normally park my car and cry). She was really tired last night because she didn't sleep at all yesterday while at work, even though she normally naps throughout the day. This morning I was able to get out of the house without her by putting some broccoli in her bowl. I am going to get as much done as i can this morning. I started her on the fluoxetine last night, and I know it will take a while to get in to her system. I hope she is getting more comfortable in our home. I think it will help if I can get something to help her get on and off my bed. She was able to do so in our old house, but now I have my furniture back and my bed is very high. The steps they sell are much to short and not wide enough to give her clearance to jump. I may look for a local carpenter to build something (the things we do for out pets!!) again - I appreciate everyone's support and advice! I love that no one here treats me like I'm crazy

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by jmcconv

Oddly enough, Roxie didn't cough anymore after the other night. Yesterday morning was particularly bad since I didn't give her anything and she came to work with me again. Last night I needed to go to an event, so my coworker came and sat with her. She held her while I left and then Roxie was mostly fine, except periodically crying at the door (my coworker thought she needed to go out and would take her out, Roxie would sit where I normally park my car and cry). She was really tired last night because she didn't sleep at all yesterday while at work, even though she normally naps throughout the day. This morning I was able to get out of the house without her by putting some broccoli in her bowl. I am going to get as much done as i can this morning. I started her on the fluoxetine last night, and I know it will take a while to get in to her system. I hope she is getting more comfortable in our home. I think it will help if I can get something to help her get on and off my bed. She was able to do so in our old house, but now I have my furniture back and my bed is very high. The steps they sell are much to short and not wide enough to give her clearance to jump. I may look for a local carpenter to build something (the things we do for out pets!!) again - I appreciate everyone's support and advice! I love that no one here treats me like I'm crazy

Now listen...I didn't say you weren't crazy.......I just think you're amongst very GOOD other crazy people . Takes one to know one .

No seriously though, you are doing a tremendous job of caring for and about your kiddo. I fully believe you'll achieve some sort of success just based upon your sheer commitment to it and your willingness and open mind...that combo has got to result in success of some sort, ya know?

There is an ebay guy who builds these custom, carpeted steps at pretty reasonable prices. I got mine for Wylie from there (he will ONLY use ONE step, not multiples, so I needed a custom order)...and it's such great quality...I'll see if I can find him again.

[Wylie's Mom]

Here is the seller who makes the steps: topdogsteps on eBay

You can give him very specific measurements, if you need custom. He was super easy to work with.

[Lolasmom1211]

Originally Posted by jmcconv

Oddly enough, Roxie didn't cough anymore after the other night. Yesterday morning was particularly bad since I didn't give her anything and she came to work with me again. Last night I needed to go to an event, so my coworker came and sat with her. She held her while I left and then Roxie was mostly fine, except periodically crying at the door (my coworker thought she needed to go out and would take her out, Roxie would sit where I normally park my car and cry). She was really tired last night because she didn't sleep at all yesterday while at work, even though she normally naps throughout the day. This morning I was able to get out of the house without her by putting some broccoli in her bowl. I am going to get as much done as i can this morning. I started her on the fluoxetine last night, and I know it will take a while to get in to her system. I hope she is getting more comfortable in our home. I think it will help if I can get something to help her get on and off my bed. She was able to do so in our old house, but now I have my furniture back and my bed is very high. The steps they sell are much to short and not wide enough to give her clearance to jump. I may look for a local carpenter to build something (the things we do for out pets!!) again - I appreciate everyone's support and advice! I love that no one here treats me like I'm crazy

Fingers and paws crossed for you and your baby. I know how difficult this can be! I'm glad you care so much about your little one - that's a lucky baby!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by windwalker

Crate or pen her when you leave, you need to deal with this now as it can lead to other behavior problems if not. Crate her before you start your leaving preps, her favorite toy. I would get her used to the crate again before using it for leaving, never throw her in the crate. Use a cookie or toy to get her to go in by herself, saying some word such as "Crate", after a few times, close the door for a few minutes, increasing time till she gets used to it. After a few days, crate her for short trips to store or whatever.


Force yourself to get up early, and walk her for 30 minutes, crate her, get your shoes on, say "I'll be back" and go. She will whine but get used to it in a few days and go to sleep. Make sure the Crate/Pen is big enough, 3'x2' or more.


This is not a dog problem, the dog is feeding off you even if you do not realize it. Many bad Dog actions develop over time as a result of some sub conscious human action, the human does not even know they are doing it. Find a trainer that knows and deals with separation issues. It can be fixed if you want to fix it, but ignoring it can lead to serious other problems.


If you want to "Med" it (Bad Idea IMO), have Vet show you how to insert pill and start swallow action. Dogs are not born with Separation Anxiety, they develop it from their owners

Originally Posted by Lolasmom1211

I respectfully disagree with you. I have been seeing an animal behaviorist for 2 years with my rescue. There are very few board certified animal behaviorists in the country (approximately 50) and for sure very few in Texas. She is a board certified veterinarian that went back and added 2-3 years of rigorous, advanced training program in behavior specialty - much like human psychology. Crating is not the answer for anxiety and can make the problem worse. Each case needs to be looked at and dealt with. Some anxiety disorders are most definitely in an animals genetic make-up. I think in this case your pups problem may be increased by crating her. Just my opinion, I'm certainly no expert. I would consult a vet I trusted and/or a behaviorist, not necessarily a trainer. This problem, unfortunately, may continue to get worse. My Nash's did until I sought professional help. He is now doing fine. Good luck.

Agree that crating is not the answer for separation anxiety. I know of one case of a pup that died in a crate when the family left it there for an hour. They did not know what it actually died from but the crate was across the room and upside down and the pup was dead.

[windwalker]

The crating is not the answer, I agree you can pen, block off half the house if you want. The point is to get the pup away from the visual prepping and leaving area that is accelerating the anxiety. But no ones interested in this so I'll drop it and let everyone take the easy out and med


Pretty obvious what that dog died from "crate was across the room and upside down and the pup was dead". Obviously they took great care in acclimating the dog to the crate!!!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by windwalker

The crating is not the answer, I agree you can pen, block off half the house if you want. The point is to get the pup away from the visual prepping and leaving area that is accelerating the anxiety. But no ones interested in this so I'll drop it and let everyone take the easy out and med


Pretty obvious what that dog died from "crate was across the room and upside down and the pup was dead". Obviously they took great care in acclimating the dog to the crate!!!

What is obvious to me is that you have never had a pup that needed medication. There are extreme cases and giving meds is NOT taking the easy way out.

Some animals, just like some people, need extra help (medication).

Saying that the people whose pup died did not acclimate him to a crate is just so wrong. I know the case and you do not....you are just so closed minded here it is sad in my mind. SOME pups cannot tolerate crating. My son had one...and meds were not the answer for him; but I can tell you that crating made him crazy if even for one minute. There was no "acclimating" him to a crate.

[ladyjane]

And BTW, you don't just medicate a dog to "fix it". You medicate it so that it is amenable to training.

Managing Canine Separation Anxiety

From that link:

Crating your dog
One common behavior among dogs suffering from separation anxiety is attempting to escape confinement and find their owners. Crating or containing your dog can result in destruction of the crate or room or in self-injury if she tries to escape. In fact, this practice can escalate symptoms instead of relieving them.

AND:

You are part of the solution

Because separation anxiety is a medical condition, it can be possible to treat it with a combination of medication and training, also known as behavior modification. Elanco’s Reconcile® (fluoxetine hydrochloride) for the treatment of canine separation anxiety is a chewable, flavored tablet given once daily. It is FDA-approved for use in dogs in conjunction with a behavior modification plan. When given in combination with the BOND™ simple training plan, Reconcile has shown significant results in treating separation anxiety.

Practicing BOND behavior modification training each day along with the daily dose of Reconcile — and reinforcing it after treatment with Reconcile — will help you manage your dog’s separation anxiety and reduce behaviors associated with the condition.

Time apart will be less stressful for both you and your dog, and your time together will be more enjoyable.

[jmcconv]

Thanks for the link for the stairs! I am going to look in to it. Today will be Roxie's 3rd day on fluoxetine. I know it will take a few weeks or so to get in her system. Today I took her for a long walk on a nature trail by our house, probably did about 2.5 miles. When we got home she laid on the couch and I went to yoga. I gave her a dentastick on the couch and she took it but dropped it and bolted when she saw me walking toward the door. I ended up going out the back door, but it's sliding and I had no way of locking it. Since I live alone I am especially uncomfortable with leaving the house unlocked, but I had no choice. I stopped on the way back at Petco to get a diffuser. Online they have it priced at 27$ but it's 50 in the stores. They told me they couldn't price match their website so I took my business back across the street to petsmart. They were having a sale on a free refill with the purchase of the diffuser, so I did that. I'm going to stop going to Petco even though the inside of the store is nicer, because the staff is rude and they never have exactly what I want. Weird that they price match other stores, but not their own website. When I got home and came through the front door, Roxie was surprisingly calm. Smiling and wagging her tail, but not barking much. I thought maybe we are getting through this... And then as I was putting my purse down on the bench, I noticed the blinds. She has been scratching and biting the blinds on my front window!! I moved the bench, but I rent and I've only been in this place 2 weeks! There goes my deposit!

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by windwalker

Crate or pen her when you leave, you need to deal with this now as it can lead to other behavior problems if not. Crate her before you start your leaving preps, her favorite toy. I would get her used to the crate again before using it for leaving, never throw her in the crate. Use a cookie or toy to get her to go in by herself, saying some word such as "Crate", after a few times, close the door for a few minutes, increasing time till she gets used to it. After a few days, crate her for short trips to store or whatever.


Force yourself to get up early, and walk her for 30 minutes, crate her, get your shoes on, say "I'll be back" and go. She will whine but get used to it in a few days and go to sleep. Make sure the Crate/Pen is big enough, 3'x2' or more.


This is not a dog problem, the dog is feeding off you even if you do not realize it. Many bad Dog actions develop over time as a result of some sub conscious human action, the human does not even know they are doing it. Find a trainer that knows and deals with separation issues. It can be fixed if you want to fix it, but ignoring it can lead to serious other problems.


If you want to "Med" it (Bad Idea IMO), have Vet show you how to insert pill and start swallow action. Dogs are not born with Separation Anxiety, they develop it from their owners

It's so sad when people don't understand anxiety it's just a shame whether it's dogs or humans. Callie was 6 when she broke her tooth in her crate one night because she kept getting up so I zipped her create up and use a clip to clip the zippers because she can open it and she some how chewed on the clip breaking the tooth. We took care of the tooth with a vet dentist. At night she started panting and pacing even if put in her pen or a play pen she would pant for hours and hours until I said this is not going to work she is going to get extremely sick. So we tried everything for weeks training, calming sprays, you name it we did it minus anything cruel. We finally went to the vet and had a check up to make sure everything was ok with her and it was so I broke down an told her the issues and everything we tried and she suggest a medicine and we tried it and finally everyone could sleep and Callie got into her routine again so after two months we weaned her off and everything sense has been great. Medicine for anxiety is not always a long term thing and saying it's the owners fault it hurtful, mean and just not true in a lot of cases. Humans certainly do not just get anxiety from other humans and it's the same for dogs!