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Old May 23rd, 2010, 08:14 AM
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serenamlambe serenamlambe is offline
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Doggy Panic Attack?

Can dogs have panic attacks?

When I came home yesterday evening, Connor was not himself. First of all, he nearly came right through the door when I put the key in. When I opened the apartment, he begged to come up in my arms. (Generally, he just lies on my bed until I come to him).

Then, as my boyfriend and I got ready for bed, he jumped in the tub (which he usually avoids like the plague) and would not get out. If we would take him out, he would just jump back in there. I turned on the water (just to see if this was some weird way of asking for water, though water usually makes him run for the hills) and he just stayed there.

He was panting like a madman and shaking like crazy. Freaking me out!

Then... I heard some fireworks in the neighbourhood. They continued periodically for about an hour, on and off. So, I assume there were going off before we got home, as well.

He has never liked fireworks, but he usually just sits on my lap and is fine. Last night, though, he was all-out shaking and hiding in the bathtub. He wouldn't accept cheese or liver treats or anything.

I eventually snuggled him into bed with me and my boyfriend, he seemed to calm a bit, and the fireworks had stopped. This morning, the liver treats have dissappeared and he's eating/drinking again. He seems the same as ever.

I`m not worried about his immediate health, but is it possible for a dog to have something similar to a panic attack?
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Old May 23rd, 2010, 08:58 AM
pugsrule pugsrule is offline
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Absolutely!! when he heard fireworks before, he had you to snuggle up to and take comfort. Dogs take their attitude so much from their parents. If you were not scared, then he knew not to worry too much. But this time the poor guy was alone!! Lots and lots of kisses and hugs are in order!
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Old May 23rd, 2010, 10:38 AM
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You could try Rescue Remedy next time. It usually calms them down when there's thunderstorms and fireworks.

Also , it's very important to not baby him when that happens , to not reinforce his fear.
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Old May 23rd, 2010, 12:07 PM
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Yeah, I've been told before not to baby him. I was trying to distract him at first, but when that failed we just went to bed! Hahah.
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Old May 23rd, 2010, 06:25 PM
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Hi
Oh 75lb lab is scared of thunder and also fireworks until she know it's not thunder. We just keep her with us when it happens just so she's not by herself. We don't baby her, but we do let her lay down by us.
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Old May 23rd, 2010, 08:23 PM
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A sweatshirt or tightly wrapped towel might help some the next time if you're home. Or you can get something like this http://www.thundershirt.com/.
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Old May 24th, 2010, 12:28 AM
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Good advice Frenchy!
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Old May 24th, 2010, 08:33 AM
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Goldfields Goldfields is offline
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Because we've tried to show a dog in the past that was very scared of thunderstorms, fireworks or loud bangs, like trolley lids being dropped shut, with all our young dogs now we treat thunderstorms like a big game. Using an excited happy voice we'll urge the bolder ones to get after it,(the noise) revving them up, letting them bark, then we go back to our routine chores, maybe with the TV up just a bit louder, but ignoring any nervousness. After a while they look at me like I'm some sort of nut if I start that and they ignore me and the storm. Rescue Remedy would be great as Frenchy said if you can't be there, a friend told me it definitely works because she tried it one day at a big show when she herself was a nervous wreck, and had a bit more, and a bit more .... then went and made a bit of a spectacle of herself in the ring.
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Old May 24th, 2010, 09:31 AM
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Thanks Dr Lee

I must confess that Rescue Remedy did not work too much with my goldens. I also tried the sweater thing LP mentioned (but with a blanket) it's harder when you have more than one dog dealing with this , I think they feed on the others fears.

make sure you give the rescue remedy an hour before ,when you know there will be fireworks , or when you know there's going to be a thunderstorm (which can be hard to predict)

there's also Valerian. Another natural product , safe for dogs , so far I haven't try with the dogs but I did try it myself , with so so results
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Old May 24th, 2010, 11:34 AM
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Frenchy,

For my patients, the rescue remedy is hit and miss I agree. I have had some better results with it than others. Valerian root is used as a sleep aid for people but it does have a weird cheesy smell to the pill. I think a lot depends upon the level of pet agitation. I have seen high adrenaline states combat anesthetics.
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Old May 25th, 2010, 09:29 AM
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Buddy HATES fireworks (and whats with people lighting them off for days before and after Victoria day ) and he hates thunderstorms.
We actually take him to the park to play with other dogs who aren't afraid, to help him get over his fear.....but that doesn't work to good when you have fools in the neighbourhood setting them off at midnight and later last night.....sorry very tired not enough sleep

It's so sad, he shakes all over, pants and drools.... We are trying to work on it, and he is pretty good sometimes, but is completely frantic at other times.
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Old May 25th, 2010, 09:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Lee View Post
Valerian root is used as a sleep aid for people but it does have a weird cheesy smell to the pill.
omg tell me about it ! I have the liquid formula and it stinks
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Old May 25th, 2010, 10:20 AM
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serenamlambe serenamlambe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by happycats View Post
He is pretty good sometimes, but is completely frantic at other times.
That's the same way with Connor. Last night, he was okay with the fireworks and just settled in his bed next to mine.

Maybe after having heard them for 3 nights in a row, it's old news?! Hahaha.
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Old May 26th, 2010, 04:35 AM
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Dogs can indeed have panic attacks. A fullblown panic attack is mainly a side effect of adrenaline and some other chemicals being heavily pumped into the body causing a flight reflex. It starts out with something causing anxiety and mental unease (fireworks could definitely do that for a dog). Since the dog was home alone with no one to look to for comfort it could easily send her into panic mode.
Most animals have a fight or flight reflex, and a panic attack is just a the flight reflex going into overdrive.
Though, panic attacks, technically are when the panic happens unrelated to something that should cause panic. Because your dog panicked over something that an animal would LIKELY perceive as danger (loud, unknown noises) I think it would more likely just be called panic/flight reflex rather than a panic attack. An actual panic attack, or panic disorder, would be described relating to an event that shouldn't cause panic, or an attack that happens at random.

Walnut once destroyed part of our carpet because of fireworks. She wasn't scared of loud noises, even gun shots, when we were around, but apparently when she was at home alone and heard fireworks going off around the 4th of July it just freaked her the heck out. When we got home we noticed she'd been digging at the carpet trying to get out of the house and she was panting heavily.
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Old May 26th, 2010, 09:17 AM
NEPEANDOGS NEPEANDOGS is offline
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Doggie "safe room"

It would be nice to have a "safe room" (like the one Jodie Foster made for herself in the movie of the same name a few years ago) for dogs, or even a soundproofed closet, where you could take the dog during thunderstorms or fireworks.

My sister has a sheltie that freaks out during thunderstorms, once it managed to break out of the house during a storm and they found it several miles away in a rain-drenched field. I was visiting her during a storm one day and I remembered that her boyfriend had built her a spare bedroom in the basement that was semi-soundproofed, so I took the dog downstairs and put her in there, but it wasn't fully soundproofed so it didn't totally work.

If someone could make a soundproof crate, that would be a good idea, too. Maybe with nice relaxing music or bird sounds piped into it, and calming aromatherapy diffusers. Wouldn't that be cool? Actually I wish I had something like that for myself sometimes, too. I could keep it under my desk at work (reminds me of that "Seinfeld" episode where George Costanza built himself a little nook under his desk.)
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