Poodle Separation Anxiety

[Oaklegs]

HELP!! We have a 12 years old Miniature poodle who is causing us lots of stress. He is blind and a diabetic and he howls for Australia whenever left alone.

Vet prescribed Clomav 20mg which we have not used as it is expensive 15 days supply for A$60. Has anyone used it and what are your findings? did it work and what are the side effects. Urgently require advice as we live in a retirement village and complaints are happening.

[Dogsfevr]

I think firstly you need to sit back & remember your stress is nothing compared to what the dog is going through.

The dog is blind & a diabetic plus being old & most likely very reliant on humans to give him comfort & reassurance .

How mobile is the dog & is the dog able to find its water bowls,the door & move around the house easily ??or is the dog very reliant on humans to assist when you are home .

Does the dog have its smell ??

What is the best option only you now but there will be no quick fix or easy option ,

[Rascalmyshadow]

Poodles are naturally very clingy dogs at the best of times, I wouldn't be leaving your dog alone for more than an hour or two with the health problems it has.

I would be setting up a large puppy pen with everything in it so there is less chance of your dog becoming disorientated and not being able to locate water bowls etc when you go out.

[Scottsmum]

Some good advice above. I'd also be asking the vet if they would write you a script to get the medication cheaper or to call a few vets and get prices - when my dog started on his anxiety medication I was paying appox 90c a tablet - I swapped vets (I moved) and started paying 50c a tablet. I recently moved (again) and now I'm paying 0.16c a tablet.

[*kirty*]

Have you thought about cataract surgery? His vision loss may be causing the anxiety.

[_PL_]

I've used Clomav and doggy prozac. I'm not sure it will do much for a dog who is freaking out so my advice is trial it, if it doesn't work then you won't need to keep using it. If it works, you will see little improvements and a less frantic dog. It doesn't work like magic though so Rascalmyshadow's suggestion of a pen is worth incorporating. And line the bed with clothes that have your smell. Leave a slipper that you've been wearing a while ;) and change your schedules so that someone is home at any one point of the day. Or ask someone to be a sitter if you can't avoid leaving him alone.

But also please make yourself familiar with dementia behaviour as well which can cause personality and cognitive changes often dismissed as 'getting old' but can be very distressing for everyone involved. Keep a basic diary for your vet. There are treatment options, I've found Inderal quite effective. Here's a short list from Google but there's lots more; http://willmydoghateme.com/dog-health/canine-cognitive-dysfunction-a-vet-explains.

[wonder]

Agree with many suggestions and advice given above, and this is not a "try this instead", but could complement whatever advice you choose to take - do a bit of research on Bach's Flower Rescue Remedy for Pets (there is a human version too, but the human version has an alcohol based preservative so not fit for dog consumption) - it's concoction of flower extracts and all natural, which helps with anxiety. I'm only just starting it now with my pup who has mild separation anxiety so can't comment on my own experience just yet, but from the research I've done and what I've seen from others, there seems to be something in it, so worth a try. My Pet Warehouse stocks it. Anyone else on here tried it?