He's losing it

[GrannyJen]

Max is going into meltdown tonight.

The simple mention of his name results in ears pricked back, nose darting everywhere ....

All so sudden. Been very much in pain with arthritis, medication is amantelin twice a day plus paracetamol... he's losing it with me tonight.

Anyone else with experience of this?

 

[SusiBus]

Sorry Gen, not a doggy (is that how you spell it?) person. Hope tonight goes well.

 

[AlisonF]

I don’t have experience of that and it sounds awful.
Hopefully giving him a cuddle and talking calmly will help? I found Peaches was more relaxed wearing her surgical suit, it acted a bit like a thunder shirt... no idea if that would help?
Sending hugs x

 

[BrugseB]

Hi Grennyjen, not a dog owner, but cats were in my life since young and had to let sleep in my favourite cat I got when at university. You'll remember the fine moments and it turns a smile on my face when thinking about some crazy habits of hers. But in the end, the animal you love is in pain, and I do think we should not let them suffer in vain. Just my personal opinion...

 

[GrannyJen]

Hi Grennyjen, not a dog owner, but cats were in my life since young and had to let sleep in my favourite cat I got when at university. You'll remember the fine moments and it turns a smile on my face when thinking about some crazy habits of hers. But in the end, the animal you love is in pain, and I do think we should not let them suffer in vain. Just my personal opinion...

I quite agree but Max is in otherwise very healthy condition. He has arthritis, a common problem in older dogs, it flared up a few weeks ago and gave him a lot of problems but a change to his medication has brought a lot of relief. For the last three nights I have not been woken up by him pacing around and when we go out and leave him he is a lot calmer.

I don't know what happened last night, whether it is the medication or what, but now when I call his name he doesn't recognise it, he behaves like he's heard a fly buzzing around him, head up, ears back, head darting around trying to catch the fly.

He's back to the vets today. Very strange.

 

[GrannyJen]

I don’t have experience of that and it sounds awful.
Hopefully giving him a cuddle and talking calmly will help? I found Peaches was more relaxed wearing her surgical suit, it acted a bit like a thunder shirt... no idea if that would help?
Sending hugs x

When I call his name he reacts as though there is a fly buzzing around and annoying him. Ears back, head darting around, even snapping at the air trying to catch it.

Very strange. I'm hoping it's the changes to his medication.

 

[BeagleMum]

Max is going into meltdown tonight.

The simple mention of his name results in ears pricked back, nose darting everywhere ....

All so sudden. Been very much in pain with arthritis, medication is amantelin twice a day plus paracetamol... he's losing it with me tonight.

Anyone else with experience of this?

There is no offence intended, as we know you only have Max’s best interest at heart, are you sure the paracetamol is a low enough dose?
There are vets including ours that say do not give a dog paracetamol as it be toxic to them.
We do hope Max improves, please update, as well as concern for Max our two dogs are on medication for arthritis so we would be interested in anything you discover.

 

[GrannyJen]

There is no offence intended, as we know you only have Max’s best interest at heart, are you sure the paracetamol is a low enough dose?
There are vets including ours that say do not give a dog paracetamol as it be toxic to them.
We do hope Max improves, please update, as well as concern for Max our two dogs are on medication for arthritis so we would be interested in anything you discover.

Max is on vet prescribed paracetomol. As with humans paracetamol can be toxic to a canine liver if too much is given and as you quite rightly point out the tolerances for dogs is lower than humans.

The rule of thumb for dogs is 10mg per kilo of weight, which for Max would be 280 mg and the dose he is on is 200 mg so hopefully will within limits.

I spoke to the vets this morning and they want to look and see if he has any foreign body in his ear that can be distorting his hearing. He is just back from a walk, a very blustery walk along the beach and half way through he started to respond normally to his name so the vets may have been right and whatever it was distorting his hearing could have ben dislodged.

Goodness that Mutt is giving me all sorts of heartache this year!!!

 

[AlisonF]

Max is on vet prescribed paracetomol. As with humans paracetamol can be toxic to a canine liver if too much is given and as you quite rightly point out the tolerances for dogs is lower than humans.

The rule of thumb for dogs is 10mg per kilo of weight, which for Max would be 280 mg and the dose he is on is 200 mg so hopefully will within limits.

I spoke to the vets this morning and they want to look and see if he has any foreign body in his ear that can be distorting his hearing. He is just back from a walk, a very blustery walk along the beach and half way through he started to respond normally to his name so the vets may have been right and whatever it was distorting his hearing could have ben dislodged.

Goodness that Mutt is giving me all sorts of heartache this year!!!

If he goes back to snapping flies then I would certainly insist on a vet appointment and potentially a specialist. I can’t find the posts right now but remember reading something on a Toller breeders group a year ago.

 

[GrannyJen]

If he goes back to snapping flies then I would certainly insist on a vet appointment and potentially a specialist. I can’t find the posts right now but remember reading something on a Toller breeders group a year ago.

Your concern is well-founded Alison.

It can be a sign of seizure. It also ties in with other behavioural oddities, occasionally he will be lying down asleep or snoozing and suddenly jump up startled and run across the room as though he's heard something like a bang. All this has been concurrent with his arthritis flare-up which has masked it. Now his pain is under control there could be something else happening.

He's responding perfectly normally to his name now, no alarm at all.

 

[AlisonF]

Your concern is well-founded Alison.

It can be a sign of seizure. It also ties in with other behavioural oddities, occasionally he will be lying down asleep or snoozing and suddenly jump up startled and run across the room as though he's heard something like a bang. All this has been concurrent with his arthritis flare-up which has masked it. Now his pain is under control there could be something else happening.

He's responding perfectly normally to his name now, no alarm at all.

I found an article earlier that said it can also be gastro related - which due to the meds he’s on may also tie in.
Sending hugs and hope you get to the bottom of it soon x

 

[GrannyJen]

I found an article earlier that said it can also be gastro related - which due to the meds he’s on may also tie in.
Sending hugs and hope you get to the bottom of it soon x

This is sound-stimulated. We had another little burst tonight. Calling him, it's nose in the air, ears pinned back, head darting from side to side. Vets tomorrow. Something is going on and I don't like it.

The arthritis was no big deal, very painful and distressing for him but medication now is doing the job. I've stopped the Panadol and changed to tramadol but if he has something going on that could be neuro then I'm not overly happy giving him opiates.

 

[AlisonF]

This is sound-stimulated. We had another little burst tonight. Calling him, it's nose in the air, ears pinned back, head darting from side to side. Vets tomorrow. Something is going on and I don't like it.

The arthritis was no big deal, very painful and distressing for him but medication now is doing the job. I've stopped the Panadol and changed to tramadol but if he has something going on that could be neuro then I'm not overly happy giving him opiates.

Keep us posted please. And sending huge hugs xx

 

[GrannyJen]

Keep us posted please. And sending huge hugs xx

I'm really hopeful it might be nothing more than ear wax. Dogs ears are so sensitive at certain registers, he might be hearing my voice but to his brain from a different angle to the obvious.

Everything else about Max is brilliant for an old dog: Blood tests are perfect, He's eating well: His eyes are clear, walking with me today he wanted to play, his poo is normal, now his pain has gone he's really happy and sprightly.

Fingers crossed.

 

[BeagleMum]

Max is on vet prescribed paracetomol. As with humans paracetamol can be toxic to a canine liver if too much is given and as you quite rightly point out the tolerances for dogs is lower than humans.

The rule of thumb for dogs is 10mg per kilo of weight, which for Max would be 280 mg and the dose he is on is 200 mg so hopefully will within limits.

I spoke to the vets this morning and they want to look and see if he has any foreign body in his ear that can be distorting his hearing. He is just back from a walk, a very blustery walk along the beach and half way through he started to respond normally to his name so the vets may have been right and whatever it was distorting his hearing could have ben dislodged.

Goodness that Mutt is giving me all sorts of heartache this year!!!

It’s so worrying when our dogs are unwell, we hope the improvement Max showed this morning continues for him. It’s really encouraging that his bloods are clear and he seems to be pain free, that really is a blessing.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

I know nothing about dogs but as an avid cat owner, I can appreciate how worrying it is when these things happen. Really hope the vet can work out what’s going on and remedy it for you both.

 

[Dottie]

I ended up with a MRI for Dottie...maybe that would help? There was hope that there was an option of a couple of ops, albeit that wasn’t how it worked out.
so sorry to hear of your concerns with Max...so worrying.
i hope things work out well for you both.

 

[GrannyJen]

Max has been normal for the last three days. A lot of pacing around last night but I think that was as much to do with the presence of the neighbourhood foxes as anything else.

No more strange reflex actions thank goodness, pain under control, still eating well so signs are good.

 

[GrannyJen]

Well good morning everyone,

I'm not ashamed to say it's a very emotional morning for me. I feel as if I have my Gentleman dog back again.

Max is a joy to take camping. In the close environment of van or caravan he does his best to not disturb. Even though he may see rabbits, foxes, other wildlife outside that he wants to chase he will not disturb anyone else. He will lie or stand, quietly, patiently, until I rouse myself, until I am ready.

After weeks of pacing, panting, restlessness last night I never even knew he was there. After a long day I was glad to get to bed, and had a completely undisturbed 7 hours of sleep until about 6.15am. There he was, stood by my bedroom door, waiting to go out but standing still and quiet for goodness knows how long. Probably his first movement for hours was when he saw me sit up and his tail started wagging and he came over to say "good morning Auntie Jen, when you are ready can you let me into the garden?".

I'm now looking forward to taking him camping again.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

Well good morning everyone,

I'm not ashamed to say it's a very emotional morning for me. I feel as if I have my Gentleman dog back again.

Max is a joy to take camping. In the close environment of van or caravan he does his best to not disturb. Even though he may see rabbits, foxes, other wildlife outside that he wants to chase he will not disturb anyone else. He will lie or stand, quietly, patiently, until I rouse myself, until I am ready.

After weeks of pacing, panting, restlessness last night I never even knew he was there. After a long day I was glad to get to bed, and had a completely undisturbed 7 hours of sleep until about 6.15am. There he was, stood by my bedroom door, waiting to go out but standing still and quiet for goodness knows how long. Probably his first movement for hours was when he saw me sit up and his tail started wagging and he came over to say "good morning Auntie Jen, when you are ready can you let me into the garden?".

I'm now looking forward to taking him camping again.

That’s fantastic news Jen! So pleased he has picked up and hope you can get out ASAP when things open up.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Re odd behaviour in dogs... our spaniel decided this year that she is completely unimpressed by rugby on TV. She's five and it's never been an issue before. But this time from the first Six Nations match she started getting agitated, then actually shaking, then went out and sat half way down the garden. At first we thought it was the "canned" crowd noise but seems she also does it even on games without that.

(I do realise England's performance this year would have horrified anyone of course.)

Then last night Mrs VD was watching the docu about Jack Charlton, with some match sequences, obvs, and Betty started same thing again.

We love 'em though don't we.

 

[GrannyJen]

Re odd behaviour in dogs... our spaniel decided this year that she is completely unimpressed by rugby on TV. She's five and it's never been an issue before. But this time from the first Six Nations match she started getting agitated, then actually shaking, then went out and sat half way down the garden. At first we thought it was the "canned" crowd noise but seems she also does it even on games without that.

(I do realise England's performance this year would have horrified anyone of course.)

Then last night Mrs VD was watching the docu about Jack Charlton, with some match sequences, obvs, and Betty started same thing again.

We love 'em though don't we.

Max is terribly old-fashioned.

He really can't stand the "F" word being used in public. Even when it is uttered with no emphasis, as calmly and undramatically as possible, he still detects it and walks out of the room.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Max is terribly old-fashioned.

He really can't stand the "F" word being used in public. Even when it is uttered with no emphasis, as calmly and undramatically as possible, he still detects it and walks out of the room.

We can't use the "W" word (woods) as Betty infers the prefix "Shall we go to the..." and starts to go ape.