And I'm really concerned as to what to do next! She gets freaked-out by any loud noises. There are new developings and building a new road close by and they shoot dynamite quite often. This is going on now for a year and by looking at the progress, I assume it'll take another year to 18 months.
I've told you about her chewing the wire-mesh that I've put up as a barrier so they can't get through the doggie door into the house during daytime. She chewed it and ripped it to pieces (with dental damage). So I took off the wire mesh and put a metal barr barrier in between the safety gate and the door into the house. She manage to get through it and "break into" the house. She did that often, causing some damage inside the house - eg. she once ripped the rubber door sealer of the washing maching to pieces. She shredded the couch, she scratched the bedroom door to pieces. She once managed to broke out of the yard, which is VERY secure, and into the street. Luckily a lady called me and told me she picked up my dog in the street. I nearly freaked out! Duncan, my vet, suggested that for the time being, we put her on a light tranquillizer. So I did it. It's working OK. But I'm concerned, as she gets 20 mg a day.
So, to prevent her from breaking into the house again, I took a wooden barrier as high as the door, put it, together with the metal barrs, between the door and the gate so it'll completely block her out. Yesterday, when I got back home after work, she managed to break through that barrier too. How she did it, is totally incomprehensible!!! She hurt herself badly. The whole door frame was bloody, the wooden barrier was ripped apart, totally bloody and there was blood stains everywhere on the floor inside the house. She got into the wash basin in the bathroom - it was bloody and muddy and I could see she was COMPLETELY at her wits end! The bath was smeared, the tiles on the wall too! My poor girl!!! I'm going to see Duncan this afternoon to see if there is any slow-release safe medication maybe that I can give her instead of this other stuff. The medication she's on now is Trepiline 20 mg per day and this morning I gave her 30 mg trying to prevent a re-occurrence of yesterday. This is not right. There has to be something else. I can't leave her anywhere else, this is her home and I have to work.
Please if you have any advice I would appreciate it?
(http://static.flickr.com/25/62096128_1f72f02779.jpg)
Oh my gosh Lauri! That poor baby...and poor you! That is a really tough one. Has she been sound sensitive always and it's now worse due to construction or is this a new developement? I have thought and thought and I have no idea what I'd do...when you say she breaks into the house, where is she? The garage maybe? At least she is escaping into the house and not out like she did that one time. I know that dogs who are afraid of noises have been known to get out of seemingly impossible places so don't feel bad that she was able to break through your barriers. My neighbors older, overweight golden once ran to another elderly neighbors house in a panic (when fireworks were going off), ripped down her screen door, tore a hole through her wooden front door, and went in to hide under her kitchen table.
I would suggest a crate to see how that would work but another friend with a different golden, Cedar would tear a hole in the vari kennel type of crate and get out! (when she got older and went deaf she no longer had the problem). And you certainly don't want her in something where she could hurt herself trying to get out. And I don't blame you for being concerned about the tranq's especially if you are not home. Do they work 100% when she is on them?
Have you tried having a radio or something playing fairly loudly in the house for her? I am doubting that would really work as she can no doubt hear the booms past it...
I've only known a handful of people who have gone through this and the only thing I can recall anyone trying is to play a tape when you are home with booms and bangs, quietly and then slowly louder over time in the hopes they will become desensitized to it. But honestly I never heard if that worked either. And like you said, you can't take her somewhere else easily. Does this happen every day? Does she calm down when you are home, or are the booms going on at that time of the day?
I will ask around my dog training circle to see if anyone has any suggestions. So sorry about this, how awful to come home and find her like this. Is she OK with her injuries?
Lauri I just googled sound sensitive dogs and here is a page that came up
http://www.caninecaregroup.net/hremedies.htm#SOUND%20SENSITIVE%20TREATMENTS%20-%20Sound%20Sensitive%20CD's and%20educational%20CD's
and here is an article on it
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:Wp28tHazCw0J:www.veterinarypetcare.com/dogfear.html+sound+sensitivity+dog&hl=en
They stay in the garage during the day. There are 2 doors (with doggie-doors), one to the garden that are always open, and one into the house, which I close during daytime. They have a real cosy wooden house inside the garage with lots of blankies and pillows to cuddle up. The radio is also playing the whole day. She breaks through the inside door into the house. The tranquilizers are working fine and she's only on it 4 days a week, the other week day Bettie is with them. When I'm home on weekends, I don't give her the meds and she's calm and relaxed. She's always been sound sensitive, but she's getting out of control now :dontknow:
Thanks for the websites DD, I'll have a look at it.
poor little poppet.
Is there any way you could take her to a doggy day care, or leave her at the vet for the times you are at work, may not be what you would like but at least she would be safe till this is over.
Roberta
Roberta, I have thought about that and I spoke to Duncan about it too but it's not an option because I need a long term solution - for about the next 18 months :scratch: If that was the only option, then she'd be in a crate for 9 hours of the day, expect the times they'll take her for a walkie and to do her business. I can't do that to her either. I feel she must be in her own environment - and - the 4 Bratsies are very close.
Laurie - just wanted to say I'm thinking of you and Jessie. I just don't have any ideas right now, but I'll keep pondering it and let you know if I come up with anything.
Poor baby! I feel so badly for both of you. Have you thought about maybe putting a small CD player in the garage somewhere and playing classical music? When Toby was sick he would whimper when I put him in his crate for his naps. As soon as I turned on the music he would curl up and go to sleep. Of course, it wouldn't completely drown out the construction noises but perhaps it would be soothing.
Let us know how it goes!
She is such a sweet looking girl. I hate thinking about her being so scared. Would it be possible for someone to stop by everyday to check on them? Do you think that would help any? Maybe a neighbor or Bettie could stop in for a few minutes when the blasting is at it's worst. I just don't know what else to suggest unless you could take her to work with you, but that's not usually an option for long term.
Lauri - how frusterating...poor Jessie - to be so scared. I don't know of any remedies at the moment but will do some looking around on line...... Is there any such thing as doggie ear plugs? Will keep good thoughts and send rays that something is figured out for sweet Jessie.
Laurie my order from KV Vet Supply JUST came and in it was this little insert about the following product. It might be worth looking into for Jessie:
htto://www.anxietywrap.com
http://www.hearingcenter.com/Questions/Q_Dog_hearing_protect.html
Another site said you might be able to find some plugs at your local pet store......
Poor sweetie-pup, and poor mom. Here's hoping that the ear plugs work. It's hard to have one of the babies on meds like that because of something that's out of our control. Lots of rays to both of you.
Lauri,
I am so sorry you are going through this. I wish I had an answer. I have used the Springtime, Calmplex and some different stuff but I haven't had any real luck. I think any of the natural remedies are work trying. They have worked for some dogs just not Tofu. I have used the Peppermint Extract with success with him but you would have to apply it often so that wouldn't work. The only thing I can think of is maybe some T-Touch but I haven't found anyone in my area to teach me and I can't figure it out from the books. They do have a video but I haven't ordered it yet. You might think about day boarding her at the vet also.
Oh dear, Lauri! I sure hope a solution is soon in coming. Unfortunately, I have no good answers but I can send Rays to Jessie and good thoughts to you.
How are things going with Jess now Lauri? I've been thinking about you guys so much.
Hi DD and Hallie!
Thanks for thinking of us. I've been to Duncan and he is looking into some other medication with less effects. We talked about slow-release meds as her worse time is early afternoon. I'm very much concerned about the level of toxicity in her liver right now, as the present medication has a half-life of 24 hours and she gets a daily dose of now of 30 mg :thinik: Duncan confirmed that we have to find another alternative so I've started taking her off the Trepiline, slowly over a period of about a week to 10 days, then we'll try some new meds.
I was suppose to ride Geduld in an expo over the weekend, a 2-hour drive away. We wanted to show off the stallions with renaissance dresses :grin:. So after being loaded, Frits started kicking (we're used to that) but after about 60 km, he went ballistic and nearly threw the horsebox over (4-horse carrier). We stopped but couldn't get him to calm down so we had to turn back. He kicked the horsebox to pieces :BangHead: Luckily he did'nt hurt himself!
Hug Hallie for us :heart: