This is what Jasmine's episodes generally look like. It is not easy to watch, much less in real life.
It seems that's where she wants to be. When outside, she wants to dig a hole to lay in, except she hardly ever actually lays in it (not during these episodes, otherwise she loves to use the holes she digs)
Being outside either makes her feel better or offers enough distractions to make it appear that way. Though if I just sit with her on the lawn she will actually lay down. Otherwise, getting her to lay down is difficult and if she does she won't stay for very long.
She does want attention and physical contact during these episodes, in fact, massage can calm her right down when the episode is mild enough. With marked episodes, she will still like the massage but it doesn't seem to help much otherwise.
She can be distracted during these, she will accept food, play, respond to stimuli in the environment. However, distractions do not end the episodes.
She did play with me, as she normally would, but it didn't solve the problem.
When I do succeed in getting her to lay down and she falls asleep, rapid breathing remains and sooner or later she will jump up and everything starts all over again.
Except for the massage, which helps sometimes, nothing we tried made any difference. There were many theories on and off the table but, frankly, the cause of this remains a mystery.
We tried therapeutic trials with pain meds, anti-inflammatories, Benadryl, antacid ... nothing seems to make a difference.
It can start about half a day before a storm and typically she calms down by the time the storm actually get here. Though last time it lasted through the entire nasty heatwave we had. The weather change doesn't need to include an actual storm.
What are you seeing? Has your dog ever gone through something like this? What was the cause behind it?
Related articles:
Jasmine's Acute Lameness
Jasmine Doesn't Like "Doing Time"
Our Of Jail Free Pass
When It's Looks Too Good To Be True … The Lameness Returns
The Day Of The Treatment
First Time For Everything: A Healing Crisis(?)
From Zero To Sixty In Four Days: Stem Cells At Work
The Calm After The Storm
If It Was Easy, It Wouldn't Be Jasmine
***
Meet Jasmine
I'm Still Standing! (Happy Birthday, Jasmine)
How Dogs Think (Well, Jasmine Anyway)
How The Oddysey Started: Jasmine's ACL Injury
Jasmine is Vet-Stem's poster child!
Rant About Quality Of Life Versus Quantity, And Differential Diagnoses
Jasmine Is Headed For Her Next Stem Cell Treatment
Jasmine's Stem Cells Are In
Arthritis? What Arthritis?
Guess Who Is An Ever-Ready Bunny And Really Liking The Bit Of Snow We Got?
Don't Knock It Until You Tried It: Animal Chiropractic
Jasmine's Fur Analysis
Back At Chiropractic Care
Further reading:
Jasmine’s Story: Can Chronic Diarrhea and Soft Tissue Injuries be Normal?
Jasmine’s Story: An ACL Injury and a Cancer Scare
Jasmine’s Condition Deteriorates: Another ACL Injury and an Abdominal Abscess
Jasmine Recovers from Surgery and Jana Discovers TCVM
Who’s Minding Your Pet’s Health?
Pet Owner Perspective On Stem Cell Therapy
Difficult to Manage Lameness Treated with Physical Therapy
Our Journey to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
One of the most important things that is not seen in this video is her desire to be outside.
It seems that's where she wants to be. When outside, she wants to dig a hole to lay in, except she hardly ever actually lays in it (not during these episodes, otherwise she loves to use the holes she digs)
Being outside either makes her feel better or offers enough distractions to make it appear that way. Though if I just sit with her on the lawn she will actually lay down. Otherwise, getting her to lay down is difficult and if she does she won't stay for very long.
She will jump up like a spring and get back to the pacing.
She does want attention and physical contact during these episodes, in fact, massage can calm her right down when the episode is mild enough. With marked episodes, she will still like the massage but it doesn't seem to help much otherwise.
She can be distracted during these, she will accept food, play, respond to stimuli in the environment. However, distractions do not end the episodes.
I specifically tested what happens if I offer to play.
She did play with me, as she normally would, but it didn't solve the problem.
When I do succeed in getting her to lay down and she falls asleep, rapid breathing remains and sooner or later she will jump up and everything starts all over again.
Sooner or later the episodes resolve on their own and everything is back to normal.
Except for the massage, which helps sometimes, nothing we tried made any difference. There were many theories on and off the table but, frankly, the cause of this remains a mystery.
She comes to me and wants me to do something, but what?
We tried therapeutic trials with pain meds, anti-inflammatories, Benadryl, antacid ... nothing seems to make a difference.
The onset is typically with a weather changes, usually before.
It can start about half a day before a storm and typically she calms down by the time the storm actually get here. Though last time it lasted through the entire nasty heatwave we had. The weather change doesn't need to include an actual storm.
So far the cause of these remains a mystery.
What are you seeing? Has your dog ever gone through something like this? What was the cause behind it?
Related articles:
Jasmine's Acute Lameness
Jasmine Doesn't Like "Doing Time"
Our Of Jail Free Pass
When It's Looks Too Good To Be True … The Lameness Returns
The Day Of The Treatment
First Time For Everything: A Healing Crisis(?)
From Zero To Sixty In Four Days: Stem Cells At Work
The Calm After The Storm
If It Was Easy, It Wouldn't Be Jasmine
***
Meet Jasmine
I'm Still Standing! (Happy Birthday, Jasmine)
How Dogs Think (Well, Jasmine Anyway)
How The Oddysey Started: Jasmine's ACL Injury
Jasmine is Vet-Stem's poster child!
Rant About Quality Of Life Versus Quantity, And Differential Diagnoses
Jasmine Is Headed For Her Next Stem Cell Treatment
Jasmine's Stem Cells Are In
Arthritis? What Arthritis?
Guess Who Is An Ever-Ready Bunny And Really Liking The Bit Of Snow We Got?
Don't Knock It Until You Tried It: Animal Chiropractic
Jasmine's Fur Analysis
Back At Chiropractic Care
Further reading:
Jasmine’s Story: Can Chronic Diarrhea and Soft Tissue Injuries be Normal?
Jasmine’s Story: An ACL Injury and a Cancer Scare
Jasmine’s Condition Deteriorates: Another ACL Injury and an Abdominal Abscess
Jasmine Recovers from Surgery and Jana Discovers TCVM
Who’s Minding Your Pet’s Health?
Pet Owner Perspective On Stem Cell Therapy
Difficult to Manage Lameness Treated with Physical Therapy
Our Journey to Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine
If Jasmine would scratch at the walls she could be twins with Jersey.
ReplyDeleteReally? Well, she will mostly scratch at the doors, but sometimes other places also ... did you figure out what's behind Jersey's?
DeleteJersey will hide in corners, usually under something like a desk or table and scratch the dry wall and she wants out of the house. This was a behavior that she only exhibited in the mornings. As soon as we left the house to run errands, she'd be fine.
DeleteRecently she has started exhibiting these behaviors in the evening, specifically when Sean gets home.
She has been on 20mg Clomicalm and this past Monday, the vet increased the dosage to 30mg. We'll see how the new dosage works, but we might have to try a new med.
You can read the who;e thing on my blog.
http://www.doggiestylish.com/blog/2012/06/whats-up-with-jersey/
Thank you, Karen. Jasmine does not hide, but does want out of the house. Will try the thundershirt and some aromatherapy first, see what happens. Hers used to come late at night, but generally they can happen any time of the day or night.
DeleteJasmine looks a lot like how Bella looks when Bella is frightened. (Generally by storms and bugs but lately she has been having 'episodes' like this at night when we go to bed and we haven't been able to identify the cause.)
ReplyDeleteI assume you have had her checked by a vet to rule out anything physical? Have you tried anxiety aids like the thundershirt or melatonin/DAP (dog-appeasing pheromones)?
If you do feel the episodes are storm-related, I would recommend the Storm Defender cape http://www.stormdefender.com/ (as opposed to the Thundershirt). The reason being, the SD cape has an inner lining that is supposed to deflect/discharge static electricity build-up which might be what Jasmine is reacting to. It honest to goodness works with Bella.
It does hurt to watch them go through this and not be able to fix it. One thing we still do with Bella is bring her to the basement where it's quieter. She now asks to go there when something frightens her... Don't know if that's an option for you but it's the only reliable solution we've found. Good luck.
Hi Leslie, she has been checked by a number of vets a number of times ...
DeleteHere is the thing, I am quite positive she is not afraid (she won't flinch during fireworks not a thunderstorm), and she is not a fearful dog in general. Just the other day we were on the way to her chiropractor and got caught in a thunderstorm, there was one which was so close, made me jump, Jasmine perked her ears and tilted her head - to me that is curiosity/inquisition, not fear. So that makes it that much more confusing.
There may or may not be a storm with the weather change, but these typically happen before, not during .... *sigh
The static electricity, however, could have something to do with it. Cannot take Jasmine to the basement, unfortunately, since the stairs are too steep and we don't want to risk it with her legs ... *sigh
I do agree that the thundershirt or SD cape won't hurt to try, so that's what we'll try next, thank you.
Poor Jasmine, that was difficult to watch. Viva had such an episode only a couple of times, so I know how you must feel. Only in her case the cause was easy to find and fix, she overdid it on the walk the day before.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you find what is causing it, if there is anybody that can, it will be you!
So in Viva's case it was back pain or something like that? Jasmine's don't respond to pain meds ...
DeleteSo many things considered and dismissed, so many people involved ... but we keep trying.
Yeah back pain, from too much romping around the previous day.
DeleteReminds me of Chester, who's afraid of storms. Given that you've ruled that out, though, what about anxiety attacks? Similar to panic attacks in people- ? Something chemical in basis, brought on by weather changes - or the static electricity as you mention?
ReplyDeleteYeah, were thinking something chemical ... possibility could be thyroid hormone (though on medication and it seems to be good levels ... the normal range is so broad though ... that's certainly one thing being considered)
DeleteConsidered atypical cushing's, but her vet said that the effects of the treatment worse than the situation, so we left that alone for now.
Increased B vitamins and other nutrients in order to support system against anxiety ... planning on trying the thundershirt and things to see whether it might make any difference.
Even if the cause is not psychological it still might have calming effect, hopefully.