Unsettled strange behaviour - thoughts/advice welcome!

[Lou78]

So for about 10 days Ollie has been displaying the following odd behaviours;

*half yawning. ...more just opening and closing mouth. Then he probably is doing more actual yawns too.
*not settling in one position for more than a few minutes, lies down then jumping up and running round the room
*digging at bedding and carpet and outside where he can
*sniffing! Constantly can see his chest going as he sniffs the air
*ears back -not happy, not as playful
*licking his blankets!
*refusing to come in from outside. This is a weird one, he comes back to the door but when we open it, just stands there.

This can be one or more of these at a time...or a cycle of different things. Originally we put it down to too many Xmas treats. Then new year fireworks. However he is still displaying these strange behaviours.

He doesn't seem in pain. I have felt his stomach, legs ....nothing bothers him. He would definitely let you know if he didn't like it! I read that if they have stomach ache, they stretch and arch their backs. He does this a lot anyway so can't use that as a judge! He is still eating ok, not a big eater anyway. He is still eager for his treats and walks. He is drinking. Weeing and pooping normal. I did give him some probiotic paste just in case it was his belly troubling him. I don't know if this calmed him down any more or if it was just more psychological for me!

For any of us to get sleep, I have taken to spraying a bandana with Pet Remedy spray and it calms him down enough to sleep but I am aware this is not a long term answer.

Any ideas gratefully received. Hoping now we are back in the normal routine, he will return to normal but I am worried there is something more serious going on!

Sorry this is long but i am a bit concerned that he doesn't seem to be improving or "getting back to normal".

Thanks all. X

[Oscar 12345]

Hi Louise, it does sound as though Ollie is in discomfort. The yawning and other stuff can be a sign of stress and the not settling definitely a sign of discomfort. Off the top of my head,

impacted anal glands
enlarged prostate
heart pain

For peace of mind I would take him to the vet with your complete list of what you are seeing.

Hope it turns out to be nothing. Good luck

[Lou78]

Thanks Julie. I am concerned about it being a heart problem as that is something i had read online (the root of all evil where self/dog diagnosis is concerned!). I was although thinking "stress" but about what i have no idea! When it started I was at home with him every day over the holidays. We had had some disruption to the normal routine with staying over at relatives at Christmas and then having people over to our house (including children which he isnt used to) but i was thinking this would have passed by now.

He does have anal gland issues where they "pop" every so often but this is something we manage. Hadn't considered they might be impacted.

My other concern was that is wasn't physical at all and there was some thing psychological/neurological thing going on which i suppose would be harder to see.

Another thought i had (and this is a massive long shot but I am thinking of everything at the moment) is that from Boxing Day we have had family issues, resulting in a death in the family on Sunday which i have been totally stressed and worried about and was thinking he was picking up on this. Yes, now i have written it down that sounds mad, but i am at the end of my tether.

I know it is going to result in the vets....I just cannot afford it at the moment and I do try not to rush to the vets with every concern as i am so neurotic i would never be away!

Thanks again.

[Schnauzer Sam]

I have another suggestion - is it posible that there's a bitch in season a door or two away that's disturbing him??

[zeta1454]

It sounds to me as though this may be a neurological issue. I would take Ollie for a vet check and take your list of "strange behaviours" with you including maybe how long these episodes last and frequency. If it is a physical cause - as mentioned by Julie above - the vet will check for these too.

[Oscar 12345]

Louise, when you go to the vet don't be embarrassed to mention that money is tight at the moment. That should focus the vet on thinking how to treat/diagnose most cost effectively for you (which they should all do of course). Good luck.

[Lou78]

Thanks all. There is a girl doggo next door to us but Ollie has been "done" so didn't know if this will affect him or not. She has also been there about 2 years and never noticed him like this before.

I am so worried about it being a neuro issue, Leigh as that is what i am thinking more and more. He is only 5 and a half which seems so young to be going down that road.

Thanks Julie. We do have insurance but our vets seem to think everyone has an endless pot of money! The last time i went they must have seen by my face how shocked i was at the amount they were asking for!

[zeta1454]

Hi Louise, I can understand your reluctance to go to the vet for every little thing where Ollie is concerned...and your worries over changed behaviours! I am a terrible worrier when it comes to our dogs and vet visits can be very costly especially if they want to carry out a lot of tests to rule things out etc.

Given that there has been quite a bit of disruption in your home over Christmas and your bereavement, it is possible that Ollie has been quite stressed and some of these behaviours are typical of stress. I am certain that dogs can be very affected by the distress of their close family and, on top of the other factors - Christmas, New Year fireworks, guests, children - it may well have had a considerable mental and emotional impact on Ollie.

Unless you feel there are clearly physical issues especially pain, you may want to delay a while longer to see if things do settle. Ollie may have had less individual attention as well as disrupted routines recently and getting back to 'normal' daily routines should help, if it is just this. If he has been badly stressed, it may take a little while to get back to his usual self. Spending time with him one to one and engaging in training type activities may be a distraction for him, a chance to refocus his mind and tire him (if he is restless) as well as giving you a chance to really monitor how he is acting. This may reassure you or, if not, give you a better idea what may be at the root of the behaviours.

Try not to worry (easier said than done, I know) as that will only feed into Ollie's anxiety if that is the problem. If you can be upbeat and enthusiastic with him, it may lift him out of his 'strange behaviour'. Do let us know how things go with him anyway - and fingers crossed that he improves of his own accord

[Lou78]

Thanks Leighton. When my husband had been for a walk with Ollie this dinnertime, he came back and said he was worse than ever. So, I just said "vets"!

Luckily they fitted him in and saw him straight away. As thought by another poster on here it was infected anal glands. The vet (god bless her!) Drained them and hubby said there was and lot of pus! *puke* . He has some painkiller liquid and a weeks antibiotics (Kesium?). We have to go back next week with him for a check up. Wish I had gone a bit sooner, feel bad he has been suffering. He has not eaten anything apart from a bit of chicken to get the tablets into him but I don't think I would feel like eating anything if I had been so unceremoniously interfered with!

He seems a bit more settled. Just asleep at the moment. Hope in a couple more days the drugs will kick in and he will be back to normal.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. These little guys are such a worry!

[Lou78]

Thanks Leigh. When my husband had been for a walk with Ollie this dinnertime, he came back and said he was worse than ever. So, I just said "vets"!

Luckily they fitted him in and saw him straight away. As thought by another poster on here it was infected anal glands. The vet (god bless her!) Drained them and hubby said there was and lot of pus! *puke* . He has some painkiller liquid and a weeks antibiotics (Kesium?). We have to go back next week with him for a check up. Wish I had gone a bit sooner, feel bad he has been suffering. He has not eaten anything apart from a bit of chicken to get the tablets into him but I don't think I would feel like eating anything if I had been so unceremoniously interfered with!

He seems a bit more settled. Just asleep at the moment. Hope in a couple more days the drugs will kick in and he will be back to normal.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. These little guys are such a worry!

[Oscar 12345]

Louise, such good news that you seem to have found the problem. What a relief particularly for little Ollie.

[zeta1454]

Great news that you have found the cause and that it has been quickly resolved. I am sure Ollie will be back to normal very soon

[mikegoodson1]

I had been reading these posts and kept my fingers crossed for you that it wasn't a neurological issue, so I'm really pleased it was something the vet could easily diagnose and treat with antibiotics. Hopefully they will kick in, today/tomorrow and Ollie will feel better and back to his old self

[Lou78]

Such a relief! He was a bit unsettled when we went to bed at first, i could hear him moving about. But after about 20 minutes he settled and I had the best night's sleep I have had in ages!

Luckily he isn't too bad at taking tablets, took it this morning ok in a bit of chicken! Really hope this sorts him out! Seems to have been one thing after another for him this last 12 months.

Thanks for all the well wishes and advice along the way! x

[schnauzer]

Good to read that Olly has been to the vet and now hopefully on the mend. Hope your wee boy is better soon x