Well, Tuesday evening I found out that Duncan has giardia when the rescue shelter called with his fecal results. We both fell asleep watching TV, me on the floor and he on the futon. At 3:45 a.m. Wednesday morning I woke to hear Duncan in distress and discovered he was having an epileptic seizure. I lightly layed my hands on him to keep him from falling off the futon. Once the tremors stopped he was upset and tried to run around the room but had trouble standing. That passed in a few minutes and I took him outside in case he needed to go. I moved his dog bed to the living room and spent the rest of the my night on the floor (2 hrs) with my hand touchnig him to help calm him.
Wed night he threw up his dinner almost immediately after eating. We started the giaria meds Wed after waiting awhile after dinner reappeared. I spoke with the medical service coordinator at the shelter when I picked up the medication. Turns out he had had a seizure on June 30 during a medical procedure (dental to remove 13 teeth?) but the volunteer who ran through the signout with me on Sunday forgot to mention it. The MSC said the shelter will cover cost to do blood work to try find the cause of the seizures as long as they do the testing. (Yeah, I know he's been through a lot of stress.) I spoke with her again today to voice my dissatisfaction with timing of when I was given information and the seemingly chronic marking when I'm only a couple feet away from him. I will be keeping the appointment with my vet Friday morning and will have a frank talk her regarding the whole situation and whether I should return Duncan to the shelter. The MSC is aware of this and will work with me whatever my decision is.
So, any suggestions on how to stop a chronic marker?
Parker marks too, usually my husband's property (clothes left on floor) because he doesn't respect him. He also marks my stuff when he's mad at me.(If I'm outside and leave him in the house). I confine him when I'm not home, and use a belly band if I think he's in a bad mood or I've done something to annoy him. The belly band reminds him NO Marking. He is also scolded if I catch him. He also pees in his bed, probably mad because I work. I put kibble in his bed (dogs don't mark where they eat) and that seems to have resolved the problem. When I forget, the bed is marked. It's a good thing he's so darn cute!!!
When I first got Solly, he was a marker. I used several methods when I caught him. A can filled with rocks, and a spray bottle of water. When I shook the can, it scared him enough to put his foot down but not stop the stream. The spray bottle of water worked the best. Solly hated water. Hope this helps. :pray: that you can work his isssues out and keep him. I know you will do what is best.
Darcel
I hate to hear that Duncan is having such a rough time. I have a feeling the marking is probably stress related to his health issues and all the changes lately. I have had good luck too with a squirt bottle - but it does take time. Keeping good thoughts that everything can be worked out and his medical issues even out. Thanks for giving him a chance Mike...... :comfort:
That really stinks that you weren't given his whole story so you could have made an informed decision. As for the marking ... maybe a basic obedience class. This might get you 2 where you need to be - him to respect you. Meanwhile, try some easy, basic, work with him. Put a treat in your hand and a clicker in the other. Put the treat hand down and as soon as he looks at you, click and treat. This will start him bonding with you. You can also put a treat between your fingers and put your hand out. When his nose gets to your hand, say "touch" and click and treat. Over time, do it without the food and with the other hand - then to objects (plastic lids, CD's). Cyrus and Elli love that game and are very good at it.
I can NOT believe they didn't tell you about his seizures!
Both of my boys mark, and particularly when I have a girl in heat (Cricket's having her first now), so they wear belly bands almost all the time in the house when the girls are in. The key is to catch them in the act-if needed, tie them to you with a leash so you don't miss the behavior. Even still, I feel more secure with them wearing the bands-they still make mistakes from time to time, and I'd rather band the boys than replace the carpet. :wink:
H'oh boy. This is ruff. What ever you decide, Mike. We're on YOUR side. Poor baby Boy (Duncan). Maybe he just needs to calm down. I have a friend who has an epileptic Dachsie. One little Phenabarbitol (sp) a day and Zoey is as good as all better.
Best wishes! Let us know how things are going.
Oh Mike I am so sorry you are both having this experience. I know how hard this must be--and the decision to keep him, too, that's just the fre***king stress icing on the cake. Whatever you decide, we are behind you!!! :pray: going out to IL from PA.
What an awful way to start out for you 2, I'm praying hard things will blow over and everything will be fine, I just can't believe they would forget to tell you he had a seizure!
Oh, wow! A seizure and you were not told? Heidi-Angel had seizures the last few years of her time on earth. The vet ran tests and said IF she began having them more often than 30 days between, she should take phenobarbitol - which she did about the last two months of her sainted life. Heidi has been my only dachsie who would actually seek out tile or laminate flooring if she knew her tummy was upset - or get outside if she had time. I had never ever punished her for any kind of accident - she just did that on her own. She would even come get me and show me so I could clean it up if she was out of my sight!
I hope the spray bottle/can with pennies, leashed to you ideas work with Duncan. If not - yes, we are with you 100% in whatever decision you need to make.
:scratch: I think I remember reading, in "Merle's Door" by Ted Kerasote, that neutering a dog after he is an adult, say after age two or three will often be too late to stop marking. So I think the leashed-to-you method is the only way. And if he won't stop, pick him up and carry him out, even in mid-pee.
Auntie Keren :thumb:
P.S. great book!