Changes in behavior

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shelby
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Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:57 am

Changes in behavior

Post by shelby »

So I'm not quite sure where to start with this. For the past week or so my dog has been acting differently in a couple of ways. I was gone for a few days and that seemed to be when the problems started but that may have been a coincidence.

To start with he's not eating as well as he normally does, he didn't eat his dinner at all tonight.

He also threw up twice the past week and some of his stools have been loose.

Two nights this week he pooped in the house. He never ever has accidents in the house. The stool was healthy looking but the fact that he did it in the house is very worrying.

He seems kinda...off. Different. It's hard to explain.

Twice today when I tried to pet him he growled and snapped at me. It seemed as if I had startled him but I'm not sure why. He was not asleep and I did not approach him any differently than usual

It seems me that he may be feeling sick and I am calling the vet first thing in the morning but I wondered if you all had any ideas about what could be wrong or what I should be doing for him.

He's a very nervous, fearful little guy even on his best day and we've only had him for 4 months or so. I just want to make sure we're doing everything we can for him.

In case it's pertinent information he is a one year old mixed breed, likely some lab and pit bull but he's pretty small, only 26 lbs.Thanks!
Bumble's mom
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Post by Bumble's mom »

If the vet can't readily identify a problem, I would ask for bloodwork, as it can reveal lots of stuff not readily noticeable...it may also be that he has pulled a muscle or something minor along those lines that has made him a little erratic in his behavior. Whatever it is, this sounds like a pain response of some kind. Let us know what the vet says...and good luck.
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DogzRule1996
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Post by DogzRule1996 »

The vet is the number one priority, but you said that you were gone for a few days. Did you have someone come and let him out? If you did, you could ask them about his behavior and how he was eating. If not, then that could be the problem. Your dog may think that you do not like her anymore and have left her for a while. She might be feeling a bit left out. I do not know a good solution for this problem. I only may know the cause. You should definitely contact the vet. Not eating his dinner could be because of an internal problem.
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ckranz
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Post by ckranz »

Vet check is paramount for sudden behavior changes. If regular blood work does not reveal anything, you may also want to visit a Canine Chiropractor.
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

Vet check is good, but what arrangements did you make for him when you went away? Something has happened and you need to find out what.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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shelby
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Post by shelby »

My husband was home with him. He was in his kennel more than he is used to but no more than 4 hours at a time. If my husband couldn't get home for lunch my mother came over to let the dog out. My husband is the one who usually walks him and feeds him anyway so that part of his routine wasn't too different.
shelby
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Update

Post by shelby »

We took Gabe to the vet yesterday. He had hookworms. They treated him and we got 6 months worth of Interceptor. I'm happy to know what is wrong with him but I was very unhappy with the vet visit. When I mentioned the growling to her, as something that was very out of character for him, she said he must be trying to assert his dominance and that I should be careful because he'll probably start biting. She said it's his real personality coming out now that he's comfortable at home. I disagree with all of this. I told her it seemed fear based to me, and she said no, absolutely not. How could she possibly know that having never seen the behavior? So, looking for a new vet now. Any tips on finding a good one? Also, could any kind soul link me some of the studies about dominance theory? I wanted to show my husband some of the stuff I'd read. Thanks!!
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

Vets are not, for the most part, behaviourists, and behaviourists are not, for the most part, vets. It is useful if each has a working knowledge of the other's discipline but in practice it is fairly unusual.

Your vet may well be a very good vet, but as you have found, she is not knowledgeable about behaviour. :? So you are right and she is wrong regarding the behaviour, but don't be in too much of a hurry to 'sack' her unless you find someone definitely better as a vet.

I'll let someone else see to the latter part of your post :wink: as I don't have links to hand.

Well done for not being taken in. The trouble is, those who are ignorant seldom realise they are :roll:
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Bumble's mom
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Post by Bumble's mom »

I second the vote for consulting a canine chiropractor. If he's gotten something out of alignment, it could be making him uncomfortable and cranky. I've seen chiro and acupuncture do great things for horses and dogs, and it's made a believer out of me even though I don't necessarily understand how it works. I'm lucky in that I have a great vet, and he also has an associate who is a veterinary chiropractor and acupuncturist. (The associate isn't that great a diagnostician, but the regular vet is, so the two together make an outstanding team that really work for what's best for the dog.)

What would bother me about your vet is that she dismissed your behavioral concerns. I would also be worried that she seems ready to chalk him up as a "bad dog", which would make me wonder how they will treat him at the vet when you aren't there. Did she do a really thorough physical? Most vets are not behaviorists, but certainly they should have some awareness that behavioral change can indicate physical problems...

Clearing up the worms should at least make him feel somewhat better.
Shannon L. Hill
shelby
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Post by shelby »

That was exactly my concern, that she seemed ready to label him has being "dominant" and "aggressive" when this was only the 2nd time she'd ever met him. I couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with the fact that he looks like he might be part pit bull. They have a pretty bad reputation around here. I don't expect her to be a behaviorist but I do expect her not to jump to conclusions about my dog. I wasn't overly pleased with the thoroughness of her exam either, plus she kept us waiting for almost 45 minutes. I'll see if we haven't anything like a canine chiropractor around here, it's a pretty small town but something like that sounds interesting. I personally have benefited greatly from chiropractics and acupuncture. Thanks.
Bumble's mom
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Post by Bumble's mom »

If you don't find one easily, call the nearest vet school and ask for a referral...if you're in Texas or Alabama, I can probably help you find one. Feel free to pm me if that would be of any use.
Shannon L. Hill
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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

I am all for alternative methods but be careful if you go to a chiropractor, the reason for this hasn't been established yet, chiropractors are not vets, they only deal with one aspect of dogs.

If this was my dog I would be watching him, watching his body language as much as I could. Looking at what his body language tells me before he growls etc.

I cut Ellie's nails the other day, she was sick for 24 hours afterwards and wouldn't eat. When my hand went near her she would back away. To look at Ellie you wouldn't think she was a nervous dog but she is, just cutting her nails really did upset her.

You have been away, his routine has been upset and he wasn't feeling too good with the hook worms anyway. I would watch him for at the moment to make sure this isn't his nervous playing up.

Links on dominance:

http://www.deaf-dogs-help.co.uk/help/packleader.htm

http://www.ttlntl.co.uk/3/BehAdv/domunder.htm

http://www.westwinddogtraining.com/html ... avior.html scroll down to They Are Not Out To Take Over the World: dispelling general myths of the dominant dog, it is a pdf file.
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Bumble's mom
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Post by Bumble's mom »

Good point - I think there are still some animal chiropractors that are not vets, but it's increasingly more common that vets who are interested do extra training in chiropractic instead of referring to a non-vet practitioner.

Actually in the US (don't know if this is true in the UK), many canine chiropractors are vets; it's a specialty field in which they can become board certified. And I would indeed recommend only using one that is a vet with board certification in chiropractic.
Shannon L. Hill
shelby
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Post by shelby »

I'm still a little concerned about this growling thing he's doing. He's done it in the past but it seemed to go away after he'd lived with us for a couple months. It's only if he's laying down but it doesn't matter where he is. Our bed, the couch, the futon, wherever. He also has never done it with my husband. I try to just give him his space when he's laying down but sometimes I need to reach for the remote or something and he'll get startled. He doesn't bite but he does make a really scary noise and kinda snap. Does anyone know why he might be doing this, why it's just me, and what I can do to make it stop?
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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

Is he asleep? If you wake some dogs up suddenly like you would if you were reaching over them you could startle them which causes them to growl. Before I got my Greyhound I was warned never to touch him or lean over him when he is asleep or I may get bitten. Since then I always wake my dogs first by talking to them or make movement noises.
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