Help with severe anxiety

[Mellypups]

Hi all! 

I have a 7 year old shih tzu x with a whole lot of anxiety. We adopted her almost 3 years ago and she came from an animal hoarding environment. When we got her all of her anxiety really centred around storms and thunder. She would pant, pace, drool, shake etc. as soon as she could hear one coming. It was manageable though as we would just leave her inside and she would be fine once it was over. She broke her leg while in foster care when she escaped once and was told they didn’t know why she escaped or how she did it. We realised after adopting her that “flight” is her thing when she panics and she will do whatever she needs to do to get away from the scary noise. 

 

Over the past year or so her anxieties have gotten worse. As well as storms she is now scared of any loud noise (we have just moved to a new house and are in the flight path for the local airforce base so even the most fat off rumble will get her going) and is having unexplained anxiety at night time in the early hours (she sleeps with us in our bedroom). She will pace, whine, scratch at the bed for hours and I don’t even know why.

 

We started using a Thundershirt which helps a little with the night time behaviour. Out of the past week and a bit using it she has only had one anxiety episode when before the shirt it was about 70% of the time. It does nothing though to help her noise anxiety.  I have also ordered an Adaptil collar today after she got out during one of her episodes and got herself bailed up by two staffies in their yard. I am also planning on starting to try to crate train her. We are moving overseas in October and I want her to be comfortable enough on the flight. Also the fact that we are moving to New York will mean that she won’t be able to go outside when we go out during the winter months and will need to be safe kept inside. 

 

Is is there anything else I could be doing or that I am missing? I love her to absolute death but she is a very difficult dog to handle. She just seems so scared all of the time. 

[Boronia]

Hi Melly,

contact Jane Harper, she has been recommended many times on Dogz and the sooner the better it would seem.

Good on you for trying for a solution for your little one's problems

http://www.dogsontrack.com.au/

[Diva]

Flying is a noisy experience, if she is scared now by a far off rumble I would be very concerned that her noise phobia is going to make such a trip extremely difficult for her. I agree you need some professional help as soon as possible. 

[Dogsfevr]

She needs help ASAP especially with your planned move .

To be honest if she shows any severe distress in the crate prior to being loaded Chances are they will refuse flying her and drugging is not feasible,you seriously need to get help in a hurry.

 

My dogs are frequent flyers but cope in the situation,I would have serious concerns about flying this dog and her safety 

[Guest crazydoglady99]

I agree with others. It sounds more severe than thundershirt & adaptil collars (unfortunately). 

 

I've had my fair share of anxious dogs, and I think the sooner you see a veterinarian behaviorist, the better. It really sounds like you need some professional help.

 

Good luck! Let us know how you go.

[mackiemad]

@Papillon Kisses might be able to give you some info, techniques, further reading etc as her boy has generalised anxiety disorder I think. 

[Dogsfevr]

You need a vet behavourist who can use medications not just some training .Your running out of time with the flying part so you need to start at the top in a hurry