Torrid week with Hector

[Red-1]

A couple of weeks on, and Heck still looks a bit daft from his clip for scans, and is still a bit skinny, but his character is coming back in spades.

We made a mistake in giving him a squeaky ball, just for 5 minutes, just after I last posted. That 5 minutes put him back a fair few days.

The vet wanted a urine sample, to see if is kidneys have improved so we know it it was temporary damage or permanent, but Hekkie would NOT wee anywhere near us! He is now playing though, and I mean jumping around, happy noises and everything.

The only thing is, he has returned to not house trained. I don't know if this is as a result of the pancreatitis, or because he has been a bit clingy since he was ill. I think he knows he nearly died, and we did not leave his side for ages. When left alone now he is stressed, panting, sweating, barking....

And he poos. And he wees. And it smells!

This can be at night or if left in the day, even if he is left for just an hour.

I have started a program where we ignore him before and after we leave him, to try to lessen the stress levels around being left. I am, however, no dog behaviourist, so if anyone has a better idea I will read with interest!

 

[gunnergundog]

Am no vet and don't know what (if any) medication your dog is on, but you may wish to discuss with your vet the use of drugs such as Xanax or Amitrptyline to help him relax and feel better about himself......serotonin levels and all that. The panting, barking, messing are all signs of extreme separation anxiety, although they could be signs of other ailments and as I said I am no vet.

Have for the first time in god knows how many years had a problem with an old bitch who had formed a strong attachment to an even older dog who recently passed away. The bitch has exhibited grief and SA as I and my vet have never seen before; reluctantly I agreed to medicate and it has helped her no end to relax and return (almost) to the dog she once was prior to the loss of her buddy.

The drugs won't work on their own - they will need to be part of a re-education program. Special treats (kongs, Buster cubes, bones etc) only given when left alone. A crate made into a proper den (door open) with a duvet lining the entire of the inside to create a safe place. A camera to film at what point he starts stressing will help you with the timing of your re-education program. Ignore all the poos and wees - just pour yourself a large glass of something or other!

I also set up a baby intercom in the room downstairs where the dog sleeps and placed the receiver in my bedroom; I also put a bell on her collar so when in bed I could hear her moving. You soon learn to differentiate when the dog is having a shake or a scratch or when it is on the move and maybe distressed. The intercom I purchased from Boots allows me to talk to the dog and, although my sleep is disturbed, I am able to talk to her and settle her remotely without getting out of bed and I no longer need to sleep downstairs with her on the sofa! My back is eternally grateful!

It's not been easy, but I am beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there and best of luck.

 

[Red-1]

Thank you gunnerdog for that comprehensive reply, it has given me stuff to think about. Heck was a stray before, and found near to death. He was the last thing we wanted, but it was near Xmas and the council kennels said by all means to bring him in, but he would be PTS. I could not do it, so he stayed...

Initial house training went OK, and he went from a crate to a larger area under the stairs with a baby gate (it is all open - not like Harry Potter under the stairs!). He has a plastic igloo under there too, with loads of Vetbed, as he has always felt the cold. In fact, in winter he has to more or less live in a jacket unless the fire is lit as well as the heating. This is all new to us, as we have always had rufty tufty GSDs before!

Heck is happy to go to bed, in fact, if we stay up late he will sometimes get up and put himself there!

Thinking about it, I think the messing overnight is to do with his recent illness. His pancreas was well inflamed, liver injured and kidneys not functioning. He is much better now, but perhaps overnight was too much. That has calmed down now, with OH staying up until midnight, and me up for 6am.

The times we are away in the day, that IS stress. I think I will do as you say and video with a GoPro today so we can see the extent of it. If it is not just as we leave and as we get home then it may well be better to ask the vet for further help. You can lock him away when we are home and he is OK, unless there are visitors, when he is stressed. He has always been a bit stressy about being left, even in his own bed, it is just since the illness that the messing has happened (other than before he was house trained).

It is quite urgent to get an improvement, OH and I are going away together for the first time in YEARS to go horse shopping in Ireland next month. I have a lovely house sitter staying here, for the dog and horse, but Heck will be alone for part of the day.

We do now ignore the mess, come home, let him out, clear up, and still don't react when he comes in again.