# Advice for my mom, please?



## Bentley's Mom (May 19, 2011)

Have you tried a thundershirt? It might help the anxiety when your mom is at work. And if it doesn't work, they have a 45 day refund policy so you wouldn't be out the money. I wish I could be more help but I don't have any experience with this.


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

*"Also, she does this strange thing where she will stare at nothing... and will literally not break her gaze until you say something or touch her. It is really odd."
These could very well be " absence seizures". Before when you were describing her behavior, I thought seizure dog, but then when I read this part, I am pretty sure she is having some kind of seizures. Has she had her thyroid checked? A consult with a Neuro would be your best bet at this point.

*


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Thanks both of you for the advice. We have not tried a thundershirt. I had thought about it because it might help her, so I will see if mom is interested in investing in one. 

Susan Marie, I also thought about seizures; her bloodwork is normal; we did have her thyroid checked (not a full panel). I don't remember what her values are exactly, but next time I go to work I can look. I am pretty sure they weren't near the low end or my vet would be concerned. I'll talk to my mom and vet about this, too. I want to say that she hasn't been doing this since we got her as a pup; I cannot remember at what age she started acting out like this. 

I hope to get more advice, too, thanks for all your help so far!


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## Blondie (Oct 10, 2009)

Any chance your mom could hire someone to exercise Sydney? What about daycare options, so that Sydney could go to daycare and get some activity and exercise during the days your mom needs to sleep? I'm a nurse and suffer from sleep deprivation at times when I am scheduled to work the night shift, so I am very understanding in your mom's situation, however, if your mom could possibly change her routine to be more fitting for Sydney. I am a day/night rotating nurse. I am scheduled to work tonight at 12am. I get off at 8am and will come home and walk Maggie before going to bed. This way, we will both be sleeping. 12 hours is tough, but I bet your mom can find some options to help Sydney. Best of luck.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Thanks again for the advice. It is good to have another nurse on here. She works labor and delivery from 7pm-7am 3-5 nights a week. I'll see if that is possible; I will be home in May so I will be able to help exercise her, but I will probably need someone else since it will be hard to walk 3 dogs at once (especially since Beamer just wants to play with them when we walk together). 
I wonder though if Sydney would stress out at daycare or not. We have only left them at the kennel for a week at a time for vacation in the summer. It looks like Sydney does stress there but there is really no other option.
At least since we have gotten Beamer, she is a bit more active, but not much. Beamer tries to play with her, but she really doesn't play that much.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

I would continue to advise your Mom to consult a vet behaviorist. Even though she is resistant that is a much better choice than deciding to give the dog away to rescue. At least she would have exhausted all avenues before making a drastic decision.
One of my friends has a border collie that has been having odd behaviors. Her vet recommended Clomicalm on a trial basis. She has had great results with it. Her aging border collie was having significant anxiety issues and, though my friend was concerned about using meds in a 16 year old dog, her dog has had no side effects and is a much happier pooch.
I am so sorry your Mom is going through this but maybe you could offer to go with her to the behaviorist for an evaluation. They would have a wider set of options to offer and may also have some behavior interventions that might be helpful. Your Mom may be contributing to the dog's issues in subtle ways that might be noted by an outside observer.
I hope you are able to come up with a solution to help both your Mom and Sydney.
Best wishes to you...


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

Buddy will drive you nuts of he does not get exceise. I too am a nurse who works 7p to 7a Med- Surg, mostly orthopedics and neurology. No matter how tired I am I must exercise him first. The yorkies could careless they will play with each other all day. Buddy is very attached to me too. He has some anxiety when I leave him with my parents to go to work 3 nights per week but nothing like you are discribing. 

If she was hypoxic at birth she could have absent seizures that are causing her behaviors. Seizures can be brought on in some people by high stress or anxiety. This could be occurring with her. Have you talked with your vet about maybe having her seem by a neurologist since you were already thinking seizures yourself?

Seeing a dog behaviorist may not hurt either.

I hope you are able to help her.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

All the advice makes sense. I think tiring her out would be the cheapest and first thing to try. If not daycare then a dog walker. If she is exercised fairly hard for several weeks and is not improving you could do the more expensive items on the list. If the meds aren't helping, perhaps their is a dog sleep aid your mom could give so Sydney won't wake her up. Good luck. Sounds like a tough situation.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Thank you all for your advice. I'll have to see what my mom wants to do. Exercise is hard to do when you have 3 kids, a full time job and have to manage the home by yourself. There are a lot of things we could do, but it is really up to her to do them, which is what she has a hard time doing anyway. I hope maybe this summer I can convince her to seek a behaviorist at the very least.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Talked to my mom and she is going out to get a thundershirt this evening, so hopefully that will help her.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Another update on Sydney. Mom has had the Thundershirt for about a week. She says she cannot believe something so simple helps her so much. I have not been home, so I haven't seen anything first hand, yet. From what she says, her shaking spells have almost disappeared. She might start shaking a little bit but will now calm down and stop almost immediately. 

That's as much as I know for now. I asked mom if it was the best $40 she ever spent and she definitely said yes.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Wow. That's great. I'm so glad for your mom. Has it helped the dog sleep thru the night better?


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

That is a good question, and I don't know. She really hasn't gone into much detail about her other than what I have told you. I am going home for the weekend of April 8th, so we will see then.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Update:

So, I went home last weekend (sorry for not updating sooner). Everything seems to be fine. Sadie doesn't seem to have any lasting effects and she was very grateful that Beamer was home and had someone to play with. Sydney does seem better with her thundershirt on. Granted, she still spends the majority of the day either with mom or staring out the window waiting for her to come home. She didn't have any shaking episodes when I was home, either, even if it was only for two days.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Rainheart*

Rainheart

So HAPPY to read that the Thundershirt is helping Sydney!!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Rainheart said:


> Another update on Sydney. Mom has had the Thundershirt for about a week. She says she cannot believe something so simple helps her so much. I have not been home, so I haven't seen anything first hand, yet. From what she says, her shaking spells have almost disappeared. She might start shaking a little bit but will now calm down and stop almost immediately.
> 
> That's as much as I know for now. I asked mom if it was the best $40 she ever spent and she definitely said yes.


 
I'm glad to hear it's working so well for Sydney.

I felt the exact same way your mom does. I got one for my Roxy, she has Separation Anxiety and is destructive.

It has been the best $40 investment I've ever made and I was totally amazed how such a simple idea can provide such fantastic results-it's unreal.


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## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Mom also said that the thundershirt has been a great investment. I told her that it doesn't work for all dogs, but she might as well try (plus they have a money back guarantee). She is wearing it 24/7. I don't really think there is an instance she can really take it off, unless it is when mom is sleeping after coming back from work in the morning.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

I'm glad the thundershirt helped. Just a note about bloodwork for seizures, in a lot of cases the bloodwork doesn't show anything but the dog does have seizures. I think it would be a good idea to talk to the vet about that possibility. Maybe a small does of some type of seizure medication would help her calm down even more. 

You might also consider investing in Dog Appeasing Pheremones, it comes in diffusers, sprays and plug-ins. Can be helpful in calming a dog. 
Dog Appeasing Pheromone - Cure Your Dog's Anxiety

(exercise would really help, but you know that already).


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