Rescue Remedy

[raffikki]

Hi all :D

I have a nearly 19 week old puppy who has injured herself and needs to be crated for up to 4 weeks

The injury happened Monday and she has been pretty good up until tonight, in the crate.

She is starting to get frustrated, and appears to have a lot more energy to burn.

It was suggested to me in our thread in the puppy section that maybe Rescue Remedy may help.

I have just rung our vet to ask about dosage but they didn't know and told me to ring a different vet on Monday.

I am wondering if just 1 drop would be ok to give her? And would it have any affect?

How often should I give it to her? Just when she is appearing anxious/stressed/frustrated?

ETA: she's an AST pup and weighs about 10-11kgs

Edited August 8, 2009 by raffikki

[sas]

It's not really something you can overdose on in a negative manner.

A drop or 2 is fine. Although I'm not sure if it's going to be a big help in this situation but it's worth a try.

You may like to consider mentaly stimulating the pup as that will drain the energy.

4 weeks is a long time for a puppy to be crated, what's the injury?

Edited August 8, 2009 by sas

[raffikki]

Hi sas ;)

The vet calls it "avulsion tibial crest" there is xrays etc in my other thread(in the puppy section)

I am trying different things....like training sessions(that don't involve too much movement), chew toys(but I need to supervise as she struggles with the Elizabethan collar on, so I take it off, but after some time she tries to chew/lick the stitches) and of course she gets lots of cuddles.

It's hard cause I have 2 pups, and can't be with her all the time.

At first when I left the room she's in she would just cry a little, now she's putting up more of a fuss and really sounds stressed

She's moving around a lot in the crate and I'm worried she may do more damage :D

[persephone]

rescue remedy is not a 'sedating' treatment- rather it is best used to help with extreme stress- like a dog scared of thunder, or a vet visit, or an injured or very anxious dog....

and of course she gets lots of cuddles.

..and make sure cuddles are ONLY given when she is being obedient/quiet/still.....and NOT just as you leave her in the crate, or on your return...

[raffikki]

Hi persephone, I have learned the hard way with the cuddles!

The first couple of days were absolute hell for me, with both pups crying

I only give any kind of attention after they have been quiet for at least 15 minutes(tantrums completely finished)

It's just tonight she seems to have so much more energy to burn, and is getting frustrated :D and I figure as she heals this is going to get harder for her.

So do you think rescue remedy isn't suitable in this situation?

[persephone]

So do you think rescue remedy isn't suitable in this situation?

It won't hurt- but don't be surprised if you notice no difference

Hope it DOES help !

[sas]

You may like to look into soft elisabethan collars, I ordered one from America as I couldn't find them here.

[raffikki]

Thanks sas :D

BUT she gets her stitches out on Thursday, it'd probably take longer than that to get here

I will definitely keep them in mind if something else should happen to either pup in the future though!

I'll see how she goes tomorrow, before I try the rescue remedy on her.

She still settles after about 10 minutes, I think that now she's feeling a bit better the crying and "tantrums" are just getting louder because she may be testing me, to try harder to get me to go back in to her

[Golden Rules]

Thanks sas :D

BUT she gets her stitches out on Thursday, it'd probably take longer than that to get here

I will definitely keep them in mind if something else should happen to either pup in the future though!

I'll see how she goes tomorrow, before I try the rescue remedy on her.

She still settles after about 10 minutes, I think that now she's feeling a bit better the crying and "tantrums" are just getting louder because she may be testing me, to try harder to get me to go back in to her

I think you are right, she is feeling better and is up to testing you

Rescue Remedy won't do much in this instance, it's more for anxiety, but just for future reference, you can give four drops every 15 minutes for an hour or so until you notice a difference, and then you lessen the dosage. ;)

[Erny]

Is your pup too big/heavy for you to carry and hold? If you think you can, and depending on the wound/injury and whether even doing this would cause an issue, why not take her out for some socialisation/habituation to the world? Things such as sitting with her (holding) at a street cafe - watching people; traffic; hearing noises; and so on and so forth can be very mentally stimulating. Although I did all of this with my boy when he was considerably younger than that, I know that even just such a trip would have him konked out in his crate for a goodly while afterwards .

Habituating her to train stations and trains and taking trips in the train to places is something else you can help to tire her out with. Take it gently (as you should with all early habituation/socialisation) so that she doesn't panic (for her confidence sake as well as for her injury sake) but as you are holding her it wouldn't/shouldn't be much unlike being crated anyway??

Edited August 9, 2009 by Erny

[raffikki]

Thanks for the replies Arty & Erny

She is pretty heavy, but I carrier her out the front for toileting, and I'm sure I could manage to carry her from the car to some different spots like you mention.

Last night she was at her worst so far

She was great all day, I had her out the front watching kids in the playground that's across the road, she watched footy on TV and chewed a raw hide for a little while. Each time I left her she hardly made a sound.

THEN in the evening at around 6ish, I had Rhino next to her crate and her almost asleep, b/f came home & wanted to give her a cuddle on the lounge, that went well for a while but then she wanted to start moving around too much/started getting mouthy/excited, so I put her back in the crate, once she was back in there she seemed ok.

20 minutes later she started whining, moving around, just so restless

She was crying, but only to get out, and it didn't seem like she wanted to be with us, as much as she just wanted to be able to play, run and move about freely.

I did give her some of the rescue remedy, it's hard to explain how she was, but it was so different to her normal crying :D

She eventually settled but I think more from exhaustion than the few drops I gave her.

Although it's sort of off topic, should I be putting her crate in a different room? So she's not distracted by us?

I just want to see her heal as well as possible and want to avoid her getting so upset

[Golden Rules]

Although it's sort of off topic, should I be putting her crate in a different room? So she's not distracted by us?

I just want to see her heal as well as possible and want to avoid her getting so upset

Not off topic at all, and no, I wouldn't put her in a room away from everything. You aren't a distraction, you are a stimulation and really, she needs that while she's crated. You just have to put up with the crying etc

Do you leave the TV or radio (talkback) on for her?

[raffikki]

Hi again Arty

I'm glad you said that! I would really hate to need to shut her up somewhere by herself!

When she's in the lounge room by herself, she has the TV on.

Edited August 10, 2009 by raffikki

[raffikki]

Hi again, things have sort of been worse today :D

To begin with last night she started digging ferociously in her crate while we were all in the same room.

It was about 40 minutes after dinner and she'd had a short training session(sit,lay,shake etc) she was seemingly settled for a nap and just burst into digging and tossing herself around in the crate, it went on for at least a full 5 mins and then she abruptly stopped, looked at us, and then peed (She had also toileted after dinner)

Today, it seems every time I leave her alone she does the same digging.

Just now, after being out the front for about 15 minutes(and having a wee) she went back in the crate and looked peaceful.

I left the room and heard her start up, by the time I got back in there she was sitting to one side and I realized she'd soiled the crate

I've been giving her the rescue remedy, a couple of drops every couple of hours, but I'm not sure how often I should be giving it to her and if it's doing any good

I'm also wondering if having me around more, I have spent most the morning close by, is actually making it harder for her?

Although it's sort of off topic, should I be putting her crate in a different room? So she's not distracted by us?

I just want to see her heal as well as possible and want to avoid her getting so upset

Not off topic at all, and no, I wouldn't put her in a room away from everything. You aren't a distraction, you are a stimulation and really, she needs that while she's crated. You just have to put up with the crying etc

Do you leave the TV or radio (talkback) on for her?

[laffi]

What are you doing to entertain her?

Do you give her kongs or other food toys that take a while to get through?

How about some clicker training... nothing that requires her to do anything strenuous of course. But teach her behaviors like lying down with the front paws crossed, or turning her head... some targeting maybe?

You need to tire her mentally for her to settle down.

[raffikki]

Hi laffi

I have been giving her raw hide chews, which she thoroughly enjoys, but after about 15-20 mins, she starts to get excited and the digging begins :D

She is obviously feeling heaps better, but still needs complete rest for another week, so I'm trying to limit her energy.

I haven't tried clicker training, with the normal training I use treats BUT it's getting harder and harder to get her to focus on me

She seems distracted by the slightest thing, and ready to bolt(to do zoomies) if I should relax my hold on her.

I'm really struggling at the moment and it seems to be getting harder

[persephone]

Could she have a urinary infection, if she is peeing more frequently?

i see the digging etc as trying to get out of the crate to toilet.... but perhaps it isn't...

one or two drops of lavender oil in a burner, or near her crate may be calming.....

the frantic digging etc is putting pressure on that leg , unfortunately.

If she were mine, I would be asking the vet for something to settle her .. so she doesn't damage herself physically or psychologically...

[raffikki]

Hi persephone

I have no idea about a urinary infection, she doesn't seem to be peeing more, but will go every time I take her outside(which is every couple of hour)I will ask the vet about that on Thursday(or should I ring them tomorrow?)

ETA: That was before last night & today. As I was replying she had another outburst and peed in the crate again. She'd only been out about 1/2 an hour before :D

When I've taken her outside today she has been...the only way I can describe it, is like a toddler on speed, wanting to bolt, looking everywhere, but at me. :p

I did ask for something to settle her, but the vet wouldn't give even mild sedatives to pups, but did give me BEHAVE paste saying that it MAY help.

I told them about he digging, and that I was concerned she may hurt herself, but they said that she shouldn't be able to hurt herself in the crate :rolleyes:

ETA again: I'm thinking of insisting the vet give me something, this behavior is only going to hurt her, like you say either physically or psychologically

Edited August 11, 2009 by raffikki

[persephone]

Ok. I figure if a dog is 'throwing themselves around' ..and digging, bouncing..they may do damage...

have you tried the behave paste yet?

[Golden Rules]

I agree with persephone, you maybe need a sedative to help calm your pup for the next few days, although if your pup is toileting every time you take her outside, maybe take her more often?

Call your vet, sound confident and assertive while you ask for something, rather than ask for the vets opinion. Heck, when my old Goldie had a bleeding tail, even the vet then gave me something for the dog to settle him for a few days to see if the tail would heal (he kept wagging it and pulling the dressing off).