Please Help Me Save My Dog

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Jelly - most vets won't prescribe Chinese herbs or even listen to the discussion on them.

There is one vet in Sydney and they do in person and by phone consultations - they are expensive however. I have referred people with dogs with sep anx to them and I've used their herbs for kidney disease and dementia with absolutely incredible results.

A few years ago before I knew about them I rescued an old Foxy. Her sep anx was so severe that nothing worked - I tried Clomicalm for a few weeks and it made no difference. She wasn't so keen on my other dogs and so had to be kept separate unfortunately. The last straw was when I came home and she'd destroyed her bed leaving blood everywhere and splinters in her mouth. My vet said I'd done everything I could - i now know that wasn't the case but all I did at the time was what my vet recommended and it was all that I knew. It was very distressing, I love Foxies and also love old dogs, I didn't take the easy way out for it caused me so much guilt and upset even though I'd only had her a short while.

Years on, I would now try the Chinese herbs and perhaps even acupuncture.

There is a Facebook page called "Herbal Hound". They are curerntly mixing up some herbs for one of my dogs as she has a behavioural issue I'm having trouble coping with - bringing in poo from the garden and playing with it on my sofa, bed, the other dogs' beds etc before eating it .... it is truly revolting. She came from many years of living with a breeder in a breeder's environment and this was perhaps an outlet for her during that time. People suggest I lock her out of the bedroom but this still leaves access to the sofa etc.

I'm hoping the herbs work! As I say, I've had amazing results before with dementia which is a condition affecting the brain so I would really hope that it would help with sep anxiety and bad habits !!

[redangel]

Read this thread and hoping for you a good outcome. I too had a rescue that ate through car seats, couch, walls scratched at doors till his nails bled and architraves. He had been abused relentlessly in his former home and was just a perfectly loyal companion (excelled at obedience work)but alas he couldnt be left alone. We contained him in a small area like his own personal panic room so he couldnt injure himself. Alas it still causes me pain to this day that one day he freaked out chewed through a window lock & we never did find him.

Owning him was a real emotional rollercoaster. I can only add that I feel for you.

Edited January 26, 2013 by redangel

[Jellyblush]

Thank you dogMad! I have sent them a message through their facebook site with a ink to this thread,and I will call them on Monday.

[Animal House]

Edited

Edited January 26, 2013 by Cazablanca

[Greytmate]

Read this thread and hoping for you a good outcome. I too had a rescue that ate through car seats, couch, walls scratched at doors till his nails bled and architraves. He had been abused relentlessly in his former home and was just a perfectly loyal companion (excelled at obedience work)but alas he couldnt be left alone. We contained him in a small area like his own personal panic room so he couldnt injure himself. Alas it still causes me pain to this day that one day he freaked out chewed through a window lock & we never did find him.

Owning him was a real emotional rollercoaster. I can only add that I feel for you.

That is very sad.

[temperamentfirst]

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for your comments.

Rosetta, I will be seeing her behaviourist again on Wednesday morning, and I hope you are right and that a different medication may assist - I have absolute faith in her and she will let me know.

.

I would very much like some more information on chinese herbs - is this something I could ask the vet or behaviourst about? Or just order one for anxiety online and try it?

Thank you to everyone for your support and helpful comments.

Something I have had success with is Dr Schuessler's Tissue Salts Nerve Tonic Combination 5. They are available from most health food shops. Try giving 2 to start with. I had a bitch who had two pups but was convinced she had more somewhere! She was totally anxious and stressed. I spoke to the naturopath at our local store who happens to have dogs and she told me to use these. I have also used on a terrified rescue dog. Worked a treat. Won't hurt your dog but may make a huge difference.

Good luck!

[MelissaS]

Without wanting to sound heartless, the dogs you are describing have no quality of life and I think it's cruel to keep them alive.

As an anxiety sufferer myself, I know what a lousy existence it can be, and to leave a dog 8 hours a day like that is wrong.

You wouldn't leave a dog in pain for 8 hours every day would you?

Because the anxiety they are feeling is WORSE than physical pain.You aren't helping them, you're just prolonging their suffering.

For a dog to be so distressed enough to self harm, rip doors off fridges and ovens, scratch at concrete and chew metal bars till their teeth fall out is horrendous.

And to keep up that existence for 3 years is wrong, you are doing itcause you'll feel guilty if you PTS, guilty that you can't "fix" them, guilty because you think it's your fault somehow.

it isn't for the dogs best interests, their quality of life is bloody awful, and it stinks that you can't see that.

If I offended anyone, sorry, but I can't honestly just stand by and read this without voicing my opinion.

I guess I'm lucky as my dog has improved and is leading a happy and full life. She is on Meds and it took 6 years of solid work and training and behaviour modification etc... It has been incredibly hard. She is now happy to stay in her room when we are out- she isn't destructive anymore if she is in her "safe room". She has a comfy bed, toys, kongs etc... She will even go in there by choice when we are home.

She still has some issues but things have changed considerably for the better in the last 6 years. If it had remained at the worst level I would have PTS as her quality of life is the most important thing to me. She isn't nealy as anxious and she loves her walks and visitors the most. My other dogs calm nature also helped her calm down and her adjusting to being in a secure pack.

In saying all this I wouldn't do it again, I couldn't do it again emotionally or physically. I have learnt so much in the last 6 years, it has equipped me with some valuable tools.

Awful situation for OP to be in. I really hope the OP can come to a decision that will give her and Roo some peace.

[Jellyblush]

If I offended anyone, sorry, but I can't honestly just stand by and read this without voicing my opinion.

Why not? Anyone reading this thread can see that I am coming to the decision of putting my dog to sleep, making me feel guilty by telling me I've not done my best by her serves no purpose and doesn't help her or me.

But of course, you haven't really read the thread, or you would know that I only have one dog, and that the other dog described was the dog of a different poster. You would also know that my dog hasn't been in pain for 8 hours a day for some time, she has been reasonable successfully medicated until recently.

Voicing your opinion by saying I should consider putting her to sleep for her welfare is great, constructive feedback. Saying "it stinks that you can't see that" and laying the guilt on me when I'm struggling through a very painful and difficult decision and trying to make the right one is pretty poor human behaviour in my opinion.

[Rosetta]

.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Rosetta

[MelissaS]

Jelly I commend you for your dedication and love for Roo.

I think the fact this has such an impact on your life and you still want to exhaust all options to help her is amazing.

Edited January 26, 2013 by MelissaS

[Animal House]

Edited.

Good luck with the change of meds or herbs.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Cazablanca

[Animal House]

1359186725[/url]' post='6102741']

1359169552[/url]' post='6102481']

Without wanting to sound heartless, the dogs you are describing have no quality of life and I think it's cruel to keep them alive.

As an anxiety sufferer myself, I know what a lousy existence it can be, and to leave a dog 8 hours a day like that is wrong.

You wouldn't leave a dog in pain for 8 hours every day would you?

Because the anxiety they are feeling is WORSE than physical pain.You aren't helping them, you're just prolonging their suffering.

For a dog to be so distressed enough to self harm, rip doors off fridges and ovens, scratch at concrete and chew metal bars till their teeth fall out is horrendous.

And to keep up that existence for 3 years is wrong, you are doing itcause you'll feel guilty if you PTS, guilty that you can't "fix" them, guilty because you think it's your fault somehow.

it isn't for the dogs best interests, their quality of life is bloody awful, and it stinks that you can't see that.

If I offended anyone, sorry, but I can't honestly just stand by and read this without voicing my opinion.

I guess I'm lucky as my dog has improved and is leading a happy and full life. She is on Meds and it took 6 years of solid work and training and behaviour modification etc... It has been incredibly hard. She is now happy to stay in her room when we are out- she isn't destructive anymore if she is in her "safe room". She has a comfy bed, toys, kongs etc... She will even go in there by choice when we are home.

She still has some issues but things have changed considerably for the better in the last 6 years. If it had remained at the worst level I would have PTS as her quality of life is the most important thing to me. She isn't nealy as anxious and she loves her walks and visitors the most. My other dogs calm nature also helped her calm down and her adjusting to being in a secure pack.

In saying all this I wouldn't do it again, I couldn't do it again emotionally or physically. I have learnt so much in the last 6 years, it has equipped me with some valuable tools.

Awful situation for OP to be in. I really hope the OP can come to a decision that will give her and Roo some peace.

I'm pleased your dog has improved, it would be hard on everybody to go through that.

[Sheridan]

If I offended anyone, sorry, but I can't honestly just stand by and read this without voicing my opinion.

Why not? Anyone reading this thread can see that I am coming to the decision of putting my dog to sleep, making me feel guilty by telling me I've not done my best by her serves no purpose and doesn't help her or me.

But of course, you haven't really read the thread, or you would know that I only have one dog, and that the other dog described was the dog of a different poster. You would also know that my dog hasn't been in pain for 8 hours a day for some time, she has been reasonable successfully medicated until recently.

Voicing your opinion by saying I should consider putting her to sleep for her welfare is great, constructive feedback. Saying "it stinks that you can't see that" and laying the guilt on me when I'm struggling through a very painful and difficult decision and trying to make the right one is pretty poor human behaviour in my opinion.

I have read the entire thread, I was commenting on both dogs, yours and the other posters. I'm entitled to my opinion, and I still stand by saying what you've done is not in the dogs best interests, simple. If you're having a hard time, I'm sorry, but my concern is for the dog.

And repeating the rudeness doesn't help, it only cements it. I don't think your concern is for Jelly's dog at all. You just seem to want to be right.

[Animal House]

So a different opinion is now rudeness?

Whatever, good luck with your dog Jellyblush.

[raineth]

I am sorry you and Your dog are going through this

Have you thought about taking up sas's offer at all? Maybe that and a change of meds might bring about change?

[Jellyblush]

So a different opinion is now rudeness?

Whatever, good luck with your dog Jellyblush.

not at all. lots of people have said pts would be kinder in this thread, and I have appreciated those comments and taken them on board. you are the only one who has stated that it is a personal failing of mine that I haven't done it already.

if you don't understand the difference and why it matters there's nothing I can say that will convey it to you.

[Animal House]

Sorry, that reply was to Sheridan, not to you.

As I said before, good luck, I sincerely hope the change of medication or one of the other suggestions works for you, I apologise for being so forthright, it was bad judgement on my behalf to post what I was thinking, and yes, it wasn't any help.

[westiemum]

Jelly last Wednesday, a 9 year old westie, who was in danger of destruction came to my notice. After eyeballing the dog (and the owners) on Wednesday evening, we decided this dog was worth a second chance in a different environment sans children. So off he's gone to foster care for assessment with experienced westie breeders, rescuers and rehabbers.

The point of my story is there is no 'formula' for second chances - they take as long as they do and they go up and down as they do - it might be months for us but its been years for you and Roo. And both are fine. And only you can decide what is right for you and your dog. And as I suspect there will be for us and this westie, there will be ups and downs along the way - and only you (or we) can decide when a 'down' needs to be the last 'down'.

Just never forget we'll support you in whatever and whenever you decide... cos we aren't in your shoes.

Big hugs to you and Roo.

[Simply Grand]

Jelly, I agree that you are doing so much for Roo and she is lucky to have you. I so hope that you find something that works for her, and whatever happens, you clearly love her and whatever her issues, I believe she knows that.

I do want to say though that I definitely understand where you are coming from Caz

[Jellyblush]

Sorry, that reply was to Sheridan, not to you.

As I said before, good luck, I sincerely hope the change of medication or one of the other suggestions works for you, I apologise for being so forthright, it was bad judgement on my behalf to post what I was thinking, and yes, it wasn't any help.

Sorry if I misunderstood, thank you for your response.

Thanks everyone else who has commented too. I have decided to take two weeks of work to ensure that Roo is not under any stress while I have a proper think about the situation. I have been in contact with the herbal hounds people too - thank you for that idea.