Help with anxious dog!!!

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fathorselover

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I don't really know where to begin, but my dog is having some massive anxiety issues and we don't know how to help her, it really is starting to have a huge effect on the whole family.

She is a staffy and we have had her for 7 years now- she is probably 9/10 years old, we got her from a rescue centre. Generally she has never been an anxious dog, any problems we have had have centred around fireworks but she has always gotten over it as soon as they have stopped. Overall she has been a joy to own and is a firm part of the family, although understandably everyone is a bit fed up at the moment.

Over the last few months she has gotten more and more anxious. She has been seen by a vet and there is nothing physically wrong with her, but when at home she spends the whole time panting, shaking and often trying to hide or escape. She is unable to relax and it is awful because we just don't know why. There haven't been any changes, her diet is fine, we live in a quiet and relaxed house. Walking her more doesn't seem to make any difference at all. There just seems to be no rhyme or reason behind it. The behaviour doesn't get reinforced either- largely we try to ignore it.

It is getting to the point where we need some help but don't know what to do, I often work from home but it is very stressful to have this panting shaking dog mooching about constantly- anybody got any ideas as to what the problem could be and what we can do to help her?
 
Sorry to hear this about your dog FHL it does seem very odd. Can you think of anything that has changed within your home within these last few months, from family, friends visiting (staying) to a change of carpets/flooring, anything at all that could have possible brought on such a change in her behaviour?

If all the above have been addressed and nothing discovered, I can only hazard a guess that it may be due to perhaps some neurological disorder she has developed (possibly due to her age?) Did the vet check her eyesight? Do her eyes flicker at all? Trying to hide herself or escape is very worrying. Perhaps you could ask your vet for a referral to one of the main Veterinary hospitals for further investigation. I think that's what I'd be doing if she were mine. It certainly sounds serious enough to me to warrant it.
 
Something is obviously going on and if there are no outside influences then it has to be medical, what exactly did your vet do or was it just a once over checking to see if it was pain related in anyway. Did they do bloods? I must admit if it was my dog I would be back to the vet for more intensive tests, I would be concerned that it might be some sort of dementia, is she on any sort of medication? was her eyesight and hearing tested, if she is a very sensitive dog she might be suffering because of them failing.
 
She'd be back to the vet, or a different vet if she were mine. I'd take some video of her at home so they can see how she is too.
 
Second opinion, third or fourth. In meantime offer her a dark den (crate covered with a blanket or similar) where she can go if the world is too big or scary.
I had a dog like this and it was extremely distressing for everyone so I hope you get to the bottom of it, it's not normal for that sort of behaviour to present suddenly later in life.
 
My staffie became ill 2 years ago and started panting and worrying. Trip to vets, chest infection diagnosed. Only the antibiotics didn't help, nor did the subsequent antibiotics afterwards. For a whole year I was back and forth with my upset and frightened boy. Panting away. Emergency dashes to the vets when he overheated and could not cool down. It broke my heart. I finally decided enough was enough. I loved him far to much and I didn't know how to fix him and nor did anybody else.
Do you know what it was? It was lungworm. A year of every single test and tablet. He had lungworm. By the time of his death I couldn't have fixed him anyway. His lungs were so damaged.
I am not saying that is what's wrong with your baby but it's another angle maybe to look at. I wish you all the love and luck in the world op and hope you find an answer xx
 
The vets checked her ears eyes heart etc just gave her a good going over to see if there is anything painful anywhere, nothing, physically she is in good health. They did take bloods too but nothing came back- everything normal! I am worried it could be some sort of dementia, in the grand scheme of things she really isn't that old though and still runs round like a pup when out for a walk. There haven't been any changes at home at all- she did seem to get a bit neurotic when my husband blocked off part of the garden because of a hole in the fence (awaiting repair!), she spent a lot of time trying to get through, things like that really upset her.

I like the idea of videoing her- I think I will go back to the vet and see if there is any medication they can put her on. And get a second opinion - she isn't right bless her and it's horrible to watch 😢
 
Poor girl.It could be a form of dementia and there is medication to help with this. I'd go back to the Vet with such a distressed dog. They need to carry out further investigations and get to the bottom of it and treat. Hope you have a good outcome.
 
I wonder if meanwhile, whilst awaiting further veterinary investigation, an Adaptil Collar might help. (similar to what Feliway does for anxious cats) www.adaptil.com and/or even a Thundershirt. (www.thundershirt.co.uk)

I agree with CorvusCorax, a dark den for her to hide/escape sounds like a very good idea, along with ester's suggestion of videoing her to show the vet.

I do hope you find an answer OP and quickly. It sounds awful for both you and your girl. Wishing you both well.
 
Ooh, I have never heard of an adaptil collar, it certainly sounds as if it's worth a try! I have tried the dark den thing, she prefers to sit somewhere where she can stare at me while she shakes and pants (try to imagine how unnerving that is, if you will!) I have booked to go back to the vets tomorrow, am hoping they can come up with some further suggestions. Something that is worrying me is that she might have a tumour or something somewhere - but physically she is fine, and she loves going for walkies. Maybe she's frightened of the house! At this moment in time she seems fine, is lying calmly on the sofa but staring at me. I just wish she could talk!
 
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