Could This Be Behaviour Or Medical Problem

[mumtoshelley]

Hi everyone just wandering if this is a behaviour problem or a medical problem with my 3 year old whippet Missy. She use to be friendly towards every dog she meets,Wanting to play etc but now she is getting snappy and growly at other dogs even sometimes towards my other dogs. Like with my other dogs one minute she is playing with them the next she is growling and snapping at them. She is also acting like shes straving to death no matter how much food she eats. I know Missy is what I consider a highly jealous dog specially if another dog is playing with 1 of my other dogs.

[Guest donatella]

How is she going with your new pup? Do you think it's anything to do with this or had it started before? In anycase vet is a good first stop to rule out illness

[DeltaCharlie]

Have you had her thyroid tested? I'd be starting with a full blood work up and also testing the thyroid. It is responsible for so many functions in the body that it can manifest in a number of ways. We have 3 dogs with thyroid issue, 2 are underactive and 1 overactive. Overactive is pretty rare in dogs, with ours it turned out to be caused by the pet meat he was eating as it was actually beef neck meat and full of thyroid tissue which sent his thyroid through the roof (all the others are on roo meat but he can't stomach that).

Of the 2 that are underactive, 1 is pretty typical. Less energetic, bad skin and prone to hot spots, puts on weight easily and she also suffers from seizures. The other underactive dog was so low she hardly registered on the scales. Her symptoms were not at all typical of hypothyroidism but were very similar to what you are describing. Her behaviour was very erratic, she was impossible to get weight on no matter how much we fed her, and she showed signs of aggression towards unknown people and dogs.

I prefer to rule out medical first while managing the behaviour. It could well turn out that there is no underlying medical reason for her behaviour, but at least then you know and can use that to guide you in your next move. All the behaviour modification in the world won't help if there is a medical reason causing it, all it will do is offer a bandaid solution.

[mumtoshelley]

How is she going with your new pup? Do you think it's anything to do with this or had it started before? In anycase vet is a good first stop to rule out illness

She is good with Axel the puppy but gets jealous when another dog wants to join in and play, Which means Shelley my 7 year old female golden can't really play with Axel as Missy gets annoyed. She has always been this way even when out of the yard meeting a strange dog. Its either all about her or nothing. I have at times had to up her when playing with Axel as he will runing and she will grabed his ear as he runs past, Since Axel has had 2 ear infections since his been home I don't want his ears been messed with.

[mumtoshelley]

Have you had her thyroid tested? I'd be starting with a full blood work up and also testing the thyroid. It is responsible for so many functions in the body that it can manifest in a number of ways. We have 3 dogs with thyroid issue, 2 are underactive and 1 overactive. Overactive is pretty rare in dogs, with ours it turned out to be caused by the pet meat he was eating as it was actually beef neck meat and full of thyroid tissue which sent his thyroid through the roof (all the others are on roo meat but he can't stomach that).

Of the 2 that are underactive, 1 is pretty typical. Less energetic, bad skin and prone to hot spots, puts on weight easily and she also suffers from seizures. The other underactive dog was so low she hardly registered on the scales. Her symptoms were not at all typical of hypothyroidism but were very similar to what you are describing. Her behaviour was very erratic, she was impossible to get weight on no matter how much we fed her, and she showed signs of aggression towards unknown people and dogs.

I prefer to rule out medical first while managing the behaviour. It could well turn out that there is no underlying medical reason for her behaviour, but at least then you know and can use that to guide you in your next move. All the behaviour modification in the world won't help if there is a medical reason causing it, all it will do is offer a bandaid solution.

No I haven't had her thyroid tested the dumb vets in this town don't know what that is as I have asked about it before with Shelley my female golden.

[Kirislin]

Perhaps it's just pack dynamics, now there's more dogs in her pack she feels threatened about her place and thinks she has to assert her authority. Sometimes things like this can trigger fighting between dogs who used to get on well.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Kirislin

[RuralPug]

i would actually think there could be an underlying medical problem given that her eating habits have changed as well as her behaviour - unless this hunger is only happening when the other dogs are eating or being offered food, in which case it is possibly resource guarding and you may need to discuss this with a behavourist.

What area are you in MTS so that DOLers can recommend a behaviourist within reach?

[mumtoshelley]

I know of a behaviourist in my area so I'm fine with that. Her acting like straving is a new thing but in saying that if I go to feed her more of her food she won't touch it, But wants human biscuits,potato chips and any huma food. As soon as she hears anyone in the kitchen she is up and at them begging for whatever food they have, She never did that before.

[persephone]

perhaps it's a reaction to the new pup? She is not enjoying sharing, and seeking your company/attention the only way she knows how?

[RuralPug]

I know of a behaviourist in my area so I'm fine with that. Her acting like straving is a new thing but in saying that if I go to feed her more of her food she won't touch it, But wants human biscuits,potato chips and any huma food. As soon as she hears anyone in the kitchen she is up and at them begging for whatever food they have, She never did that before.

Somebody has succumbed to the begging is my guess, maybe even a visitor that you didn't know was slipping her some yummy human foods? So the begging is just trying to repeat the magical handout...if you find it too hard to ignore her, then give her a time out if she begs for treats after she's been told no. If the begging stops getting rewards shw will stop doing it once she works out that it is no longer working.

If there is resource guarding over the new pup ( the resource being you or whoever else is paying attention to the new pup, including the old girl) then a good behaviourist can teach you how to sort it out quickly. Really quickly if everyone in the household chips in! :)