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Post by adoptapitbull on Jan 19, 2010 11:01:49 GMT -5
I agree with all the PP. Once you can rule out all possible medical reasons, then you have to decide what is best for you, your family, and Boomer.
Don't give up hope yet, though! Keep us updated!
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Post by michele5611 on Jan 19, 2010 11:35:19 GMT -5
It could be a physical thing that you just don't know about yet (or hasn't surfaced enough for your vet to see). My last dog was very sweet and then she started having major reverse sneezing episodes (vet xrayed and did blood work and it all came back fine) and she also randomly started growling and snapping at my younger brother. All her vet work went fine again. A month later she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancerous tumor in her nasal passage that seemingly cropped up within a few days. A month later we had to put her down because she wasn't breathing right (it spread to both nasal passages and was pressing into her brain they found out) and she was also getting randomly aggressive (bite down hard on my mom's hand one day. It could be a physical thing thats causing him pain or discomfort and you just can't see (or hasn't exposed itself enough to be known). That is horrible! I am curious how often these reverse sneezing episodes occured and or how long the lasted. When my dog has them they last quite long so of course after reading the above I am a bit concerned! Thanks!
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Post by adoptapitbull on Jan 19, 2010 11:46:00 GMT -5
Snorts has little episodes, too, lasting only a few seconds. Then again, I did name him Snorts because he makes all kinds of cute nose noises, so I'm sure that's why he does it. If your pibble's nose is shorter, it's more common. My other two have never done it!
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Post by RealPitBull on Jan 19, 2010 11:54:08 GMT -5
Hey Amy, have you checked to see if there are any veterinary behaviorists in your area?
This does sound like it is health/pain related. There are LOTS of sneaky health things that show up looking like behavioral issues. A normal once-over at the vet, bloodwork/thyroid could miss it. Also consider sending the bloodwork to HemoPet/Jean Dodds, even if your vet says all looks clear.
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Post by sugar on Jan 19, 2010 12:15:34 GMT -5
That is horrible! I am curious how often these reverse sneezing episodes occured and or how long the lasted. When my dog has them they last quite long so of course after reading the above I am a bit concerned! Thanks! At first it was short episodes, one a day, then more often. Then they would last 30-45 seconds, then eventually they went out for about 2-5 minutes. My vet did her blood work (everything) and took x-rays of her head and snout. Everything came back clean. He just said "sometimes dogs get this, but if everything else is fine I wouldn't worry too much". They scared me a little because in those 2-5 minutes, she shut her mouth and almost sounded like she was being strangled (you saw every rib when she inhaled because she did it with such a force), but right after everything would be fine and normal. Then one day I come home from my capoeira class and there was blood everywhere and she was sneezing it all out in big sprays. I rushed her immediately to the Animal Medical Center (essentially its like the Mayo Clinic for pets) and they checked her out. She bled for about 20-45 minutes but she didn't have a clotting issue and she was fine otherwise. I took her back for a CT scan and they also put a camera in her nasal passage. Thats when they found it. They said the tumor was so aggressive that it probably got that big in only a few days time. Inoperable, and wouldn't respond to radiation or chemo. Apparently what she had was very rare in dogs (really only seen in cows, weird). They said she had five months. But she had those awful bleeding episodes and eventually it expanded into her other nasal cavity casuing breathing problems and erratic behavior (from pressing into her brain) and she was put down about a month after. It was very hard on my whole family, but especially on me because I can't even begint ot explain what its like to be covered in your pup's blood. She was a shepard mix and was about 5-6 when she was put to sleep. I don't want anyone to be alarmed because what my dog had was very very very rare in canines (most of the doctor's had never seen her type of cancer in that location in a dog before). The only reason I mentioned it was because in the begining, I brought in a behaviorist because she was suddenly getting aggressive with my brothers, had bitten my mom's hand and was acting odd sometimes (and this was after the first xray came back clean so I thought I had ruled out physical problems). I really do hope for the best with your pup and will keep him in my prayers that it isn't something that can't be fixed.
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jan 19, 2010 15:16:11 GMT -5
Alright Mary, I will definitely do that. There are no trainers or behaviorists in my area. Ok, let me correct myself…There is one in Mason City which refuses to work with any kind of “bully” breed. My vet is confused because Boomer has NO other changes. Nothing. He doubts it the thyroid because nothing else has changed with Boomer. He said most dogs with thyroid problems loose hair on their tail and back and become lazy. Boomer (especially today) has had more energy than usually. I see one option if these behaviors continue and there are no health issues. I just pray/hope they quit. If not I seriously wonder if there is something not right in my boys head. Do you guys think I should have the vet scan his brain?
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Post by loverocksalot on Jan 19, 2010 15:21:11 GMT -5
I think its pain. Dogs cant tell you they are in pain. Well he is trying to tell you but we dont understand.
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Post by RealPitBull on Jan 19, 2010 15:38:29 GMT -5
I have to look over some notes from a health seminar later tonight. There are a whole slew of health issues that can cause really serious aggression.
Have his eyes/hearing been checked? Just curious.
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jan 19, 2010 15:44:28 GMT -5
The vet checked his ears yesturday. He had a mild ear infection a couple weeks ago but the vet said both of his ears look good. No redness or discharge (The nasty brown gunk).
His eyes havent been tested but they seem fine. He can see deer moving through our timber from inside the house and trust me, they are hard to see. They blend right in.
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Post by maryellen on Jan 19, 2010 15:48:24 GMT -5
have the vet run a thyroid test, some dogs dont show common signs of it so its possible its his thyroid... a friend of mine his dog did the same thing, and it turned out his thryoid was out of wack and he had no other symptoms, once they got him on a regulated dose of thyroid meds his weird behavior went away
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jan 19, 2010 15:52:54 GMT -5
Yea his thyroid was one of the things the vet is running tests on.
We will hopefully get the results back tomorrow! Fingers crossed... Ive been wondering about it like crazy!!!
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Post by adoptapitbull on Jan 19, 2010 16:22:43 GMT -5
I'd wait to do any scans until last resort. They're super expensive, and may not show much. If he had a brain tumor or something, it'd probably show up, but then the outcome will most likely be the same
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Post by loverocksalot on Jan 19, 2010 17:49:37 GMT -5
What are we crossing fingers for are we hoping for a thyroid problem? I would think so if meds can alter the behavior.
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jan 19, 2010 20:49:07 GMT -5
I was hoping everything is A-ok and he was just sore. I really doubt that at this point though. He is proving to be less and less trustworthy. He hasn’t growled at Gustavo or me but Gustavo has 3 friends here right now and Boomer was being an idiot (I do have him crated). I try not to get frustrated but when Boomer is running in circles barking his head off, I get frustrated. I didn’t know they were coming and I was upstairs. Gustavo didn’t crate Boomer before letting them in (didn’t really think about it I guess). I seriously doubt my dog at this point. Tonight he exhibited a charging behavior. When he would bark and growl he would run right at Gustavo’s friends (Which Boomer knows quite well). Boomer has been acting fine all day. Not even slow moving or stiff…Normal. I really doubt my boy at this point. Gustavo truly believes that if he wasn’t right there his friend would have been bit. As I mentioned he is in his crate right now and is acting the same way he did when there was another male in our home (Whining, keeps doing circles, and growling at every sound). So loverocksalot, let’s hope it’s his thyroid.
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Post by RealPitBull on Jan 20, 2010 14:13:31 GMT -5
You may be able to do a long distance phone consultation with someone like Nancy Williams, Karen Overall or Pam Reid. It might be worth a shot trying to contact one of these ladies.
I've been wracking my brain over this, consulting notes, etc. All I can say at this point is that nothing should be assumed 'ok'. Check for whatever health issues you possibly can - even something seemingly behaviorally-innocuous like an undetected UTI can cause issues.
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Post by loverocksalot on Jan 20, 2010 16:51:34 GMT -5
Well when I go back I remember having a talk about Boomer possibly having guarding issues as like he is guarding the baby. Is that possible. Lets look back and find that thread. I specifically remember writing it off as a guarding behavior.
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Post by loverocksalot on Jan 20, 2010 16:55:23 GMT -5
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jan 20, 2010 17:02:35 GMT -5
Loverocksalot, I’m not sure that it would be guarding. Boomer used to be kind of possessive over my daughter and myself but it is now ME that he is growling at...For no apparent reason. To strangers, maybe but to us is questionable. When he growls at us it seems like it’s because we are doing things he doesn’t like. He has NEVER been food aggressive, EVER. I could take food right out of his mouth, even meat but lately if you walk by him when he is eating he freezes. He does not growl or anything just quits eating and stands real still...This is a warning. He NEVER did this before. I have no idea what his deal is. It just breaks my heart to see my boy so unhappy. Boomer behavior with Gustavo’s friends really freaked us both out. He didn’t seem afraid he seemed pissed that someone dared to enter without his consent. I wish I knew if the vet had results yet!
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Post by adoptapitbull on Jan 20, 2010 17:09:23 GMT -5
That still sounds a bit like resource guarding, at least in the food perspective.
With my deaf/blind Aussie, he had a sign that meant "It's OK". We used to use it in stressful situations. Do you think you could teach Boomer a command that would make him calm down? Maybe when he's barking at your friends, you could say the command and he would learn that it is not necessary to bark. I didn't read all your posts about this so maybe I'm missing something, but do you think you could try that?
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Post by AmyJo27 on Jan 20, 2010 17:11:20 GMT -5
The thread Loverocksalot is referring to is titled: Boomers New Self.
When I click on the link it just takes me to the behavior section, not the specific thread.
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