People are often surprised to hear that we still work regularly on training with Abby. While I typically refer to the weekly class we take Abby to as puppy school, we regularly work with her on a wide variety of concepts aimed to shape various behaviors with her. Most people will typically joke that at this rate Abby should have a PhD.
But there's a reason I train my dog: I don't want to be that person.
You know the person I'm talking about. The person that in any situation shows complete disregard for either their dog, those around them, or both. They are the person who often utters such phrases as "Don't worry, they're friendly," or "They're a good dog but they don't listen," or they simply don't say anything at all while their dog is the poster child for continued education. I'll give you an example.
Today I needed to bring Abby to the vet. A few months ago she had a problem with an interdigital cyst between the toes on her back paw, and sure enough one flared up between the toes on her front paw. I am trying to take a proactive approach to Abby's vet appointments because I know that she gets nervous about them. Let's face it - Abby has had a series of not so fun appointments that have included UTI's, anal abscesses, and a tooth extraction. If this were me I'd need copious amounts of alcohol to face the exam room. On top of these appointments, our girlie has often had instances where over the top dogs have been right in her face. If vet visits are not well thought out they can be a recipe for disaster.
Since the TACT Seminar, I have decided that I need to take a proactive approach to the vet. With the first vet Abby would visit, we lucked out in one regard. Because Abby went there for routine checkups, daycare, grooming and training she truly never knew what was going to happen. I realized that I needed to take a similar approach with this vet because her generalization wasn't transferring in light of the more scary visits. First, I need to take her to the vet for all sorts of random things. Perhaps one day we will go there and Abby will just walk through, get a treat, and leave. Another day we will drive into the parking lot and Abby will be treated for walking around. Another day we may go in, get on the scale, and leave with treats. It's important that I mix these things up. Additionally, in the event that Abby does need to be seen I need to work with our vet to make these appointments less scary. Sometimes our vet runs late. Rather than subject Abby to being in a waiting area building her anxiety, I will go and check us in and she can wait in the car. When her exam room is ready they will wave to me and call us in.
This is what I did with Abby today and it worked out really well. Abby was very patient with the vet while he checked her toes and expressed her anal glands. At the end of the appointment Abby sat by the door waiting for it to open. I asked her to wait while I opened the door and I checked to be sure no dogs would bombard us as we left and Abby waited patiently until I gave the OK. She then was praised by the staff at the reception desk. However, there was a slight timing issue and her invoice was not ready when we approached the desk. I laid Abby's mat down while she waited so she could relax. It was at this point that I heard the lobby door open. I figured the best course of action was to move Abby from where she was and walk to the opposite side of the waiting area because inevitably this person might seek to leave via the same area we were standing in.
I gathered Abby's mat and focused her attention on me. It was at this point that the little dog that had come in had rounded the corner and went right up to Abby in a very forward way. I still had Abby's attention so she didn't notice at first that the other dog was coming. It was at this point that I literally stuck my leg in front of the incoming dog to block her. You could tell the other dog didn't expect it because she ran into my leg trying to get to Abby. The owner said at this point, "Oh, sorry, she's friendly." I replied, "She's not." With that Abby and I turned and walked to the other side of the room. Abby had her eyes on me the whole time and she sat proudly on the scale and worked on targeting my hand. Another stressed dog entered the waiting area and huffed and puffed while trying to pull towards Abby. My girl sat on the scale and looked from that dog to me as if to say, "Do you see that dog?"
This is why I train my dog.
Abby is sometimes friendly towards other dogs, but often hates when dogs are over the top in their greetings. She doesn't like aggressive face to face contact at first and sometimes prefers manners in approaching her. Now Abby did not show any signs of aggression or distress in the first dog ambushing her to say hi, but that doesn't matter. You should have eyes on your dog. You should know where they go and what they're doing. And you should ask me if your dog can greet mine and not be surprised or hurt when I say no. Because I have to be honest when I tell you that if your dog wants to greet mine in a vet's office it isn't going to happen. I have no idea if you are picking up food, seeking treatment for conjunctivitis, or are there for any myriad of reasons in which I would not want your dog to greet mine. It's a veterinarian's office, and in most instances you are not there just to say hi.
This is why I train my dog. So that she can go out into the world without being a menace, and in the face of uncomfortable situations look to me to fix them. So that she is not that dog who rounds the corner and ambushes other dogs or people who are reactive or fearful of her. So that I am not that person who shows no respect for others and causes panic to owners of reactive dogs. So that I am not that person who risks my dog's safety because she misreads a cue from another dog and is bitten.
Today was a day where I took great pride in the work we have done with her.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
What do you mean you need to learn about tact?
There were a few people who first misunderstood when I told them I was going to a class on TACT. They took it to mean tact. And for better or worse there were people who weren't surprised when they thought that I was going to learn about the latter. Boy will they be disappointed!
Touch Associated Clicker Training (TACT) is a new protocol from Julie Robitaille that helps rehabilitate reactive, shy, and aggressive dogs using clicker training, learning theory and massage therapy. I first learned about the program when reading the Facebook page for Dogs In Need Of Space (DINOS). DINOS is a wonderful community I discovered a few months ago that allows people with reactive dogs to share stories, ask questions, and offer support to owners of reactive dogs. As soon as I saw that TACT was created by Emma Parson's teaching assistant, Julie, I was on board.
Admittedly I was nervous about going because I am not a professional dog trainer. And if I'm to be totally honest I didn't previously think of myself as a trainer either. Sure, I train Abby. But I had previously classified myself as her owner and did not necessarily think of myself as her trainer. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that although there were professional trainers and recent Karen Pryor graduates, there were also fellow owners, vet technicians, and animal massage therapists to name a few. The idea behind TACT came from Julie's work in massaging canines. She had clients who would want her to work on their dogs but they were worried. Given the dog's reactivity the owner did not feel as if this was possible. What began as Julie asking them to still come to her booth so she could click and treat dogs for entering, looking at her, walking towards her, etc. transcended into protocols aimed at giving repetition and structure to the interaction reactive dogs had with strangers.
So much of this program seemed similar to the Protocols for Relaxation that Abby and I have used previously in the sense that you start with very small steps and build from there, increasing the difficulty as the dog is comfortable with it. Additionally the Relaxation Protocol has a very ritualized series of movements that you do while the dog is in a default down or default sit. TACT is very similar in how it builds the predictability of this protocol and later adds distance or challenges. But additionally what I liked about TACT was that it builds the idea of generalization and applying this to other environments and other strangers.
The seminar showed actual footage from private lessons between Julie and one particular dog, Finch. There were points of Finch's story that reminded me so much of Abby - the alarm barking at strangers and other dogs, hackles raised. There have been plenty of times where Abby has done this, even with people she sees regularly in our condo development. But then there are other times where Abby bounds happily over to people to greet them and give them hugs and kisses. Although Abby's reactivity seems relatively low these days which I credit in part to her not doing daycare anymore, it is something I am always mindful of. The seminar was great at explaining Displacement Behaviors and how to identify them and has given me some criteria for identifying when Abby is at or beyond threshold. Beyond that it has given me a series of protocols that we can work on, as well as some Foundation and Emergency Behaviors that we can use for situations where we see things that could trigger Abby to move past her threshold. It also left me feeling empowered and believing that Abby and I have a relationship where I am also her trainer and handler.
For those who are interested in checking out TACT but don't have the ability to attend a seminar, Julie has a comprehensive 5-disc set available for purchase on Clean Run. The DVDs are 5.5 hours long and walk you through an introduction to clicker training, the TACT protocol, and massage therapy techniques. I highly recommend them!
Touch Associated Clicker Training (TACT) is a new protocol from Julie Robitaille that helps rehabilitate reactive, shy, and aggressive dogs using clicker training, learning theory and massage therapy. I first learned about the program when reading the Facebook page for Dogs In Need Of Space (DINOS). DINOS is a wonderful community I discovered a few months ago that allows people with reactive dogs to share stories, ask questions, and offer support to owners of reactive dogs. As soon as I saw that TACT was created by Emma Parson's teaching assistant, Julie, I was on board.
Admittedly I was nervous about going because I am not a professional dog trainer. And if I'm to be totally honest I didn't previously think of myself as a trainer either. Sure, I train Abby. But I had previously classified myself as her owner and did not necessarily think of myself as her trainer. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that although there were professional trainers and recent Karen Pryor graduates, there were also fellow owners, vet technicians, and animal massage therapists to name a few. The idea behind TACT came from Julie's work in massaging canines. She had clients who would want her to work on their dogs but they were worried. Given the dog's reactivity the owner did not feel as if this was possible. What began as Julie asking them to still come to her booth so she could click and treat dogs for entering, looking at her, walking towards her, etc. transcended into protocols aimed at giving repetition and structure to the interaction reactive dogs had with strangers.
So much of this program seemed similar to the Protocols for Relaxation that Abby and I have used previously in the sense that you start with very small steps and build from there, increasing the difficulty as the dog is comfortable with it. Additionally the Relaxation Protocol has a very ritualized series of movements that you do while the dog is in a default down or default sit. TACT is very similar in how it builds the predictability of this protocol and later adds distance or challenges. But additionally what I liked about TACT was that it builds the idea of generalization and applying this to other environments and other strangers.
The seminar showed actual footage from private lessons between Julie and one particular dog, Finch. There were points of Finch's story that reminded me so much of Abby - the alarm barking at strangers and other dogs, hackles raised. There have been plenty of times where Abby has done this, even with people she sees regularly in our condo development. But then there are other times where Abby bounds happily over to people to greet them and give them hugs and kisses. Although Abby's reactivity seems relatively low these days which I credit in part to her not doing daycare anymore, it is something I am always mindful of. The seminar was great at explaining Displacement Behaviors and how to identify them and has given me some criteria for identifying when Abby is at or beyond threshold. Beyond that it has given me a series of protocols that we can work on, as well as some Foundation and Emergency Behaviors that we can use for situations where we see things that could trigger Abby to move past her threshold. It also left me feeling empowered and believing that Abby and I have a relationship where I am also her trainer and handler.
For those who are interested in checking out TACT but don't have the ability to attend a seminar, Julie has a comprehensive 5-disc set available for purchase on Clean Run. The DVDs are 5.5 hours long and walk you through an introduction to clicker training, the TACT protocol, and massage therapy techniques. I highly recommend them!
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Sometimes if it's not one thing, it's another
What is it about April? It was just last April when our girlie started to kick off with a whole host of GI issues centered around diarrhea. Bloodwork, ultrasounds, and nutritionist consults left us feeling rather frustrated and convinced that we would not get to the root of Abby's problems. After an attempt at Purina OM that left us feeling like the food was not working, we tried moving Abby to Hill's Prescription I/D canned food. This food has left Abby having solid stools, but the issue of Abby burping up is one that has continued to perplex us. Now I should state that Abby doesn't burp up all the time, and certainly it didn't seem to be something that bothered her when it happened. But within the past few weeks I've noticed that this burping seems to take her by surprise, and literally she can't control it. There is no purging associated with it, and it certainly doesn't seem to be a vomit situation. But all of a sudden Abby could be walking or just laying down and suddenly it just comes out of her.
There's two different theories that I have about this problem. The first is that this problem didn't occur until she changed to canned food. If I had to think of what is different, that certainly would be it. But at the same time, not only did her GI issues kick off in April, but her latent fear reactivity kicked off around the same time. In June we brought Abby to see a vet behaviorist and we increased her Clomicalm slightly from a half tablet twice daily to three quarters of a tablet twice daily. One side effect listed on Clomicalm is vomiting. I would be doing a disservice to Abby if I didn't at least consider that this was a possibility. However, one of these hypotheses is easier to test than the other. So I'm adding a bit of dry Hill's I/D to her food and I hope to transition her over to at least a 50/50 ratio to see if this improves. If not then I may need to investigate options for helping her with this. Currently I've been giving her a 10 mg tablet of Pepcid half an hour before each meal and I've not noticed any improvement. Hopefully the dry food will do the trick.
I am really excited and nervous to say that in two weeks I will be attending the TACT Seminar that Emma Parsons and Julie Robitaille will be presenting. I hope that it will give me another tool in my wheelhouse to work with some of Abby's reactivity, to reshape how she views situations, and to help us both feel more confident in stressful situations. I have to admit I'm nervous. I will be in with dog trainers, people you hire to help you with the problems you have. But I felt inspired after talking with our trainer about this, who told me that I am a dog trainer with a very small audience.
And finally I leave you with one other link if you are feeling so inclined. On June 10, 2012, we will be going to the NHSPCA Paws Walk in Stratham, NH. It seems like just yesterday it was May 29, 2010 and we were at their facility looking at their available dogs to see if we could find one. My husband will tell you that he knew we were going home with a dog that day. I will tell you that I never envisioned my life changing in the way that it did that day. I don't like to think of Abby as a rescue. The question of whether she is or not in my mind has always been a touchy one. It isn't that succinct. And beyond that, the presumption is that we saved her when really the opposite is true. She saved us. Each and every day I am completely amazed by her, and I feel so lucky that she has come into our lives. We feel so blessed to have her, and the least that we can do on that day is walk in support of an organization that has enabled us to welcome Abby home. She was meant to be ours. So I know that times are tough and everyone is stretched thin. If you are able to donate, we would be so thrilled by your support. And if you are free on June 10th and wish to walk with us, we would love the company. Here is the link to my donation page.
There's two different theories that I have about this problem. The first is that this problem didn't occur until she changed to canned food. If I had to think of what is different, that certainly would be it. But at the same time, not only did her GI issues kick off in April, but her latent fear reactivity kicked off around the same time. In June we brought Abby to see a vet behaviorist and we increased her Clomicalm slightly from a half tablet twice daily to three quarters of a tablet twice daily. One side effect listed on Clomicalm is vomiting. I would be doing a disservice to Abby if I didn't at least consider that this was a possibility. However, one of these hypotheses is easier to test than the other. So I'm adding a bit of dry Hill's I/D to her food and I hope to transition her over to at least a 50/50 ratio to see if this improves. If not then I may need to investigate options for helping her with this. Currently I've been giving her a 10 mg tablet of Pepcid half an hour before each meal and I've not noticed any improvement. Hopefully the dry food will do the trick.
I am really excited and nervous to say that in two weeks I will be attending the TACT Seminar that Emma Parsons and Julie Robitaille will be presenting. I hope that it will give me another tool in my wheelhouse to work with some of Abby's reactivity, to reshape how she views situations, and to help us both feel more confident in stressful situations. I have to admit I'm nervous. I will be in with dog trainers, people you hire to help you with the problems you have. But I felt inspired after talking with our trainer about this, who told me that I am a dog trainer with a very small audience.
And finally I leave you with one other link if you are feeling so inclined. On June 10, 2012, we will be going to the NHSPCA Paws Walk in Stratham, NH. It seems like just yesterday it was May 29, 2010 and we were at their facility looking at their available dogs to see if we could find one. My husband will tell you that he knew we were going home with a dog that day. I will tell you that I never envisioned my life changing in the way that it did that day. I don't like to think of Abby as a rescue. The question of whether she is or not in my mind has always been a touchy one. It isn't that succinct. And beyond that, the presumption is that we saved her when really the opposite is true. She saved us. Each and every day I am completely amazed by her, and I feel so lucky that she has come into our lives. We feel so blessed to have her, and the least that we can do on that day is walk in support of an organization that has enabled us to welcome Abby home. She was meant to be ours. So I know that times are tough and everyone is stretched thin. If you are able to donate, we would be so thrilled by your support. And if you are free on June 10th and wish to walk with us, we would love the company. Here is the link to my donation page.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Moving On
With the holidays and being away, I completely forgot to post about the appointment we had with Abby's new vet. After getting some recommendations from people in the area, we decided to make the move to a vet that was just slightly further than the vet we were presently using. We had received some great recommendations about both of the vets in this practice, and felt confident that if our main vet were not available we'd be able to feel comfortable with the other vet who would provide care.
The first thing I noticed instantly about going to the vet was the difference in Abby when she approached the facility. I'm sure there is something to be said for a new environment and a new modus operandi, but I think there is a common theme that exists amongst vets offices that makes it clear from the beginning what will likely go on. But when Abby was inside of the building she easily settled on her mat and was fine just chilling there. Even when she was called into the exam room she wasn't anxious upon seeing the table, which was a definite departure from the appointments she has had recently at her last vet.
Her new vet was so incredibly thorough and kind. When I brought Abby in, I was concerned because she had some soft stools and urgency overnight, and I was worried that another episode had kicked off. The new vet took great care in understanding fully the issues Abby has had and what we've done as pet parents to investigate the source of these issues.
During that appointment we came up with a great game plan to try Pepcid twice daily half an hour before Abby's meal to see if that aids with digestion. Additionally we scheduled an ultrasound to make sure there wasn't a blockage or other structural problem going on.
On the day of the ultrasound, Abby was a bit nervous to enter the building. Now perhaps that is because I was nervous about the appointment and she sensed that. I've never been one to notice Abby's sensitivity to her environment, but that doesn't mean that she isn't. While I was trying to talk Abby into coming up the steps for the vet, we saw a woman leaving who very clearly was anxious. Abby is not one for greeting strangers. She is very shy and typically likes to approach people after they've ignored her. But Abby saw this woman and instantly went up the stairs and approached her to greet her. The woman looked at Abby and said, "Oh are you going to keep my guy company today?" And Abby sat for her to pet her! It was just the sweetest thing as Abby gave some comfort to someone who's pet was having surgery that day.
But the ultrasound came back completely fine, as I suspected it would. Actually by the time the ultrasound had come her stools were back to normal and we suspect she had a treat that did not agree with her. I had given her two Healthy Edibles in the two days preceding the soft stools, so perhaps those were what did not agree with her. Either way she has had solid stools since and we will continue feeding her the Hills I/D and Orijen Red Region combination that has worked for her. If at some point that diet no longer works for her, the doctor who did the ultrasound suggested Purina HA or other hydrolyzed food.
In other news my husband and I recently traveled for Thanksgiving and we boarded Abby for a week. She was so happy to be home, and very tired as well. Yesterday during her first full day home with us she moved the pillow on the love seat so she could sleep behind it, and inevitably realized she could rest her head on the pillow. It was super cute!
The first thing I noticed instantly about going to the vet was the difference in Abby when she approached the facility. I'm sure there is something to be said for a new environment and a new modus operandi, but I think there is a common theme that exists amongst vets offices that makes it clear from the beginning what will likely go on. But when Abby was inside of the building she easily settled on her mat and was fine just chilling there. Even when she was called into the exam room she wasn't anxious upon seeing the table, which was a definite departure from the appointments she has had recently at her last vet.
Her new vet was so incredibly thorough and kind. When I brought Abby in, I was concerned because she had some soft stools and urgency overnight, and I was worried that another episode had kicked off. The new vet took great care in understanding fully the issues Abby has had and what we've done as pet parents to investigate the source of these issues.
During that appointment we came up with a great game plan to try Pepcid twice daily half an hour before Abby's meal to see if that aids with digestion. Additionally we scheduled an ultrasound to make sure there wasn't a blockage or other structural problem going on.
On the day of the ultrasound, Abby was a bit nervous to enter the building. Now perhaps that is because I was nervous about the appointment and she sensed that. I've never been one to notice Abby's sensitivity to her environment, but that doesn't mean that she isn't. While I was trying to talk Abby into coming up the steps for the vet, we saw a woman leaving who very clearly was anxious. Abby is not one for greeting strangers. She is very shy and typically likes to approach people after they've ignored her. But Abby saw this woman and instantly went up the stairs and approached her to greet her. The woman looked at Abby and said, "Oh are you going to keep my guy company today?" And Abby sat for her to pet her! It was just the sweetest thing as Abby gave some comfort to someone who's pet was having surgery that day.
But the ultrasound came back completely fine, as I suspected it would. Actually by the time the ultrasound had come her stools were back to normal and we suspect she had a treat that did not agree with her. I had given her two Healthy Edibles in the two days preceding the soft stools, so perhaps those were what did not agree with her. Either way she has had solid stools since and we will continue feeding her the Hills I/D and Orijen Red Region combination that has worked for her. If at some point that diet no longer works for her, the doctor who did the ultrasound suggested Purina HA or other hydrolyzed food.
In other news my husband and I recently traveled for Thanksgiving and we boarded Abby for a week. She was so happy to be home, and very tired as well. Yesterday during her first full day home with us she moved the pillow on the love seat so she could sleep behind it, and inevitably realized she could rest her head on the pillow. It was super cute!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Happy Birthday!!
Today is perhaps one of my favorite days. Although we will never know Abby's true birthday, we took our best guess and chose today as her birthday. Happy Birthday to the best puppy girl in the world! Although we've only had her for a year and a half, it feels as if she's always been here. Every day I learn something new from her, and I've loved every opportunity I've had to view the world through her eyes. Abby you are so smart, funny, charming, challenging, and endearing. But more than anything else you are all ours. When we first adopted you we gave you a name, a home, and unconditional love. I am so acutely aware of just how dependent you are on us for everything you need, and it is not a responsibility I ever take lightly. Thank you for trusting us and loving us as much as you do. Happy Birthday, beautiful girl!
I might have been a little excited for her birthday.
Cake with peanut butter, honey, vanilla, vegetable oil, shredded carrots and flour. The frosting was peanut butter and cream cheese.
Someone was very excited for her hat.
I was very surprised she put it on.
I even got hugs for giving her a hat!
And awesome kisses!
How cute does she look with a birthday hat?
She dug right in!
She ate the frosting first, just like Mom!
I broke it up into pieces because she wanted to eat the whole cake at once.
Clean bowl! Then she started cleaning my fingers - so helpful!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
My little girl is growing up
There are moments in life where you look at your dog, see a behavior and think, "Wow, I remember when she used to do the complete opposite." Sometimes you notice behaviors your dog never used to do and reflect upon a time when you didn't have to figure out how to correct it. And then there are those awesome days when your dog takes you by complete surprise and they do what you never expected, and you remember how important it is to trust that they can do what you hope for.
We don't have a tremendous amount of foot traffic to our condo. For the most part, Abby's routines are such that she is home with us, and her interactions with people outside of our family unit come outside of our house. But when that changes and people come over, she becomes unhinged. She becomes a razorbacked girl on patrol, barking her head off at everyone. Presuming that she does stop barking, she sits rigidly waiting to pounce and stares them down. If they offer the slightest movement - even shifting in their chair - she goes right back to barking and patroling.
One thing that we talked about with the behaviorist was the idea of using her mat as a tool for when people come over. We've built our training on the idea of mat and giving Abby a place where she can feel relaxed and safe; a home base of sorts. We've used this within the framework of our classes, and when in class Abby's default work mode is to lay down on her mat and chill. The behaviorist suggested utilizing this for when she greets people.
Today my father was coming over to meet my husband and go to the Patriots game together. Immediately I had flashbacks to the last time my parents came over where Abby barked virtually the entire time, wouldn't approach them except to get closer for barking at them, and finally she laid down with her body rigid and tensed as she glared at them. I was really hoping to avoid this situation if at all possible. So out came the mat, and we worked on some relaxation. We had about 20 minutes in before Dad came over, and as soon as Bill went downstairs Abby was barking. I was unable to call her to her mat with her queue, so instead I tried to walk her over to it. She did not want to settle on her mat. By this point Bill and Dad had come upstairs, and she was off her mat and barking. I told my Dad to completely ignore her, not look at her, and pretend she wasn't there. I hugged him, he sat down, and in under 2 minutes Abby was completely different. The fact that my Dad had completely ignored her made her super interested in him. You could see a shift where she suddenly was like, "Why isn't this person paying attention to me? Doesn't he see me?" So instantly she approached him, jumped up to greet him, and give him kisses. She settled down nicely, and even walked out of the house with us to say goodbye.
So on days where you think back to just how far your near two-year-old companion has come, and you smile. Today was a reason to smile.
We don't have a tremendous amount of foot traffic to our condo. For the most part, Abby's routines are such that she is home with us, and her interactions with people outside of our family unit come outside of our house. But when that changes and people come over, she becomes unhinged. She becomes a razorbacked girl on patrol, barking her head off at everyone. Presuming that she does stop barking, she sits rigidly waiting to pounce and stares them down. If they offer the slightest movement - even shifting in their chair - she goes right back to barking and patroling.
One thing that we talked about with the behaviorist was the idea of using her mat as a tool for when people come over. We've built our training on the idea of mat and giving Abby a place where she can feel relaxed and safe; a home base of sorts. We've used this within the framework of our classes, and when in class Abby's default work mode is to lay down on her mat and chill. The behaviorist suggested utilizing this for when she greets people.
Today my father was coming over to meet my husband and go to the Patriots game together. Immediately I had flashbacks to the last time my parents came over where Abby barked virtually the entire time, wouldn't approach them except to get closer for barking at them, and finally she laid down with her body rigid and tensed as she glared at them. I was really hoping to avoid this situation if at all possible. So out came the mat, and we worked on some relaxation. We had about 20 minutes in before Dad came over, and as soon as Bill went downstairs Abby was barking. I was unable to call her to her mat with her queue, so instead I tried to walk her over to it. She did not want to settle on her mat. By this point Bill and Dad had come upstairs, and she was off her mat and barking. I told my Dad to completely ignore her, not look at her, and pretend she wasn't there. I hugged him, he sat down, and in under 2 minutes Abby was completely different. The fact that my Dad had completely ignored her made her super interested in him. You could see a shift where she suddenly was like, "Why isn't this person paying attention to me? Doesn't he see me?" So instantly she approached him, jumped up to greet him, and give him kisses. She settled down nicely, and even walked out of the house with us to say goodbye.
So on days where you think back to just how far your near two-year-old companion has come, and you smile. Today was a reason to smile.
Monday, September 12, 2011
You mean I'm not crazy?
So we had our meeting with the vet behaviorist. Prior to meeting with her, I completed a ten page questionnaire about Abby's behavioral issues, complete with real life examples of her behavior. Admittedly I was a bit worried about this appointment for a few reasons. Perhaps based on some of the judgement we've received, I was worried that the work we've done with Abby would somehow not have been correct or enough. I know I've spent lots of time working with her on her relaxation and general behavior, and you never want for that investment to be incorrect. But I was even nervous that I somehow had fostered some of her reactivity. I take the issues of Abby's behavior very personally, and when analyzing some of the things she does I think on some level you are doing a disservice to your pet if you don't at least consider your behavior and reactions to at least rule out that you aren't fostering some of the behavior you're working to correct.
In a word the vet behaviorist was phenomenal. Our trainer was so awesome and met us at the facility to be part of our discussion, and she was also able to inject some of her observations into the conversation, which truly ended up being helpful at several points. I should tell you that the appointment that we had scheduled for Abby was a two hour consultation. My first thought was "How the heck am I going to keep her attention for two hours? She's going to try to bolt out of the room in under 20 minutes." So I came prepared.
Over the last few months, we've been doing mat work with Abby. We have a mat that we use for her to relax on and chill out. We bring it to class, we bring it to the vet, and we use it anywhere where she could possibly be overwhelmed by what is going on around her. We gave it a queue - "Places!" - and she knows that she can just relax and hang out on her mat. I also brought some toys for her to chew on and play with, and plenty of treats.
So when we met with the behaviorist she brought us downstairs to her office. Essentially it was a big open basement that was divided in half. On one side of the room chairs set up in a U-shape for training, and the other half of the room had couches, a rug, and a desk for consultations. We sat down and I put Abby's mat down, and Abby immediately went down on it. We spoke for awhile about some of her behaviors and the things I had completed on the form, and the entire time Abby is just chilling. I thought, "This woman is going to think I am crazy! Abby is so well behaved and chilling right now that she's going to think I have the dog owner's version of Munchausen Syndrome." After a little while Abby heard a noise, and then everything I was saying had been confirmed. Abby was on patrol, hair raised, and we were unable to call her back to the area we were sitting in. And it didn't just end there. Once she had the first reaction, it did not take much to prompt further reactions.
The appointment was just so positive though. The behaviorist reinforced that Abby's dosage of Clomicalm is considered a light dosage, and she praised us for the work we've done thus far in light of the light dosage. I felt like I didn't have to defend the choices we've made for Abby or the work we've done because she already understood where we were coming from and communicated her desire to help us.
What a change!
So we're going to do a slightly small increase with her Clomicalm, and we're going to work with her on the relaxation protocols and continue the mat work. We've started working on down stays so that we can try to have Abby not freak out when people come to the house, and I feel like we have a clear direction on where we're heading with Abby's next phase of training.
In other news, a few weeks ago I had received a call from the vet's office that we bring Abby to for her routine care because I had previously ordered a few cases of the Purina OM but I hadn't picked them up. While trying to figure out what we were doing for her food, I just figured that I would leave them there because I didn't know if we would possibly use that food in combination with something else. I explained some of the food issues we've been having and that I was going to wait on picking it up, and the receptionist asked if she could try running Abby's GI issues past one of their other doctors that she has not seen. I told her that it was OK to do this, but that with all due respect I wasn't necessarily feeling a need to make more appointments or follow ups with nutritionists because at this point they've picked a food that did not work for her on any level, and frankly I can pick foods on my own at this rate through trial and error. So she said she would try the other doctor's opinion.
A few days later I got a call from one of the technicians saying the doctor had reviewed everything, and that without doing an intestinal ultrasound it is possible that she could have IBD. But that he was really recommending that I do a month of Tylosin to kill any bacteria that could be in the intestine. I told her that I needed to think about it. I said that without trying to sound defensive or dismissive, I've yet to have anyone be able to explain why Abby would have perfect stools for a period of time, then have diarrhea, then have the loose stools again. I explained how I felt like on some level that this could possibly be anxiety related, particularly given the timing of the reactivity, and the way in which she seems to be generally anxious as we try to taper off the clomicalm. We continue to throw tests, medications or diets at Abby under the hopes that they will work, and I never get to the root cause of her issues and again the diarrhea reccurs. This is when she reiterated that she felt the Merrick food was too fatty and the pancreas and intestine pretty much can't handle it anymore. I guess I'd buy into that if I hadn't just done the malabsorption tests on the heels of this diarrhea getting kicked off. Additionally when I bought into the idea of Abby having IBD, my questioning of whether or not it could have an anxiety component to what triggered or aggravated it was dismissed.
What was interesting to me was that she mentioned that although the Tylosin could work, there was a possibility that Abby could have this happen again even with the Tylosin, and then in which case we'd be back to where we started where we would do another course of treatment.
Those who have read with any regularity can already guess my answer to this treatment: No. A resounding no.
I'm not sure what I was more astounded by. Even if I did an ultrasound on Abby to see if she had IBD, what would I learn? That my dog is prone to diarrhea? I already know this and I didn't have to spend $1,000 to figure that out or put her through the testing. Second, what person just gives a month long treatment to their dog without having a test to prove that she needs it? We wouldn't do this with our children, and I'm certainly not doing this to Abby.
Throughout her reactivity, anxiety and digestive issues I'm starting to learn that doctors, and in particular veterinarians, are not Gods. Sure, they're educated people who have spent thousands of dollars earning a degree certifying them to answer the questions and solve the problems we encounter with Abby. But they don't live with us. They don't see Abby day-to-day, and they don't know what she struggles with day-to-day. Abby can't answer questions to tell me how she feels, why she gets nervous, or why her food isn't agreeing with her. The only voice she has is ours. The only advocate she has is us. And these experiences have taught me that I need to remain dilligent in asking questions to insure that she gets adequate care. Not treatment - care. There is a fine line between these that I think is often lost.
With that said, onwards and upwards. We will continue to search for people committed to Abby's care, who support the decisions we make for her, and who appreciate and trust the total focus we give to helping her. The camp of people we have in Abby's life who do this only continues to grow.
In a word the vet behaviorist was phenomenal. Our trainer was so awesome and met us at the facility to be part of our discussion, and she was also able to inject some of her observations into the conversation, which truly ended up being helpful at several points. I should tell you that the appointment that we had scheduled for Abby was a two hour consultation. My first thought was "How the heck am I going to keep her attention for two hours? She's going to try to bolt out of the room in under 20 minutes." So I came prepared.
Over the last few months, we've been doing mat work with Abby. We have a mat that we use for her to relax on and chill out. We bring it to class, we bring it to the vet, and we use it anywhere where she could possibly be overwhelmed by what is going on around her. We gave it a queue - "Places!" - and she knows that she can just relax and hang out on her mat. I also brought some toys for her to chew on and play with, and plenty of treats.
So when we met with the behaviorist she brought us downstairs to her office. Essentially it was a big open basement that was divided in half. On one side of the room chairs set up in a U-shape for training, and the other half of the room had couches, a rug, and a desk for consultations. We sat down and I put Abby's mat down, and Abby immediately went down on it. We spoke for awhile about some of her behaviors and the things I had completed on the form, and the entire time Abby is just chilling. I thought, "This woman is going to think I am crazy! Abby is so well behaved and chilling right now that she's going to think I have the dog owner's version of Munchausen Syndrome." After a little while Abby heard a noise, and then everything I was saying had been confirmed. Abby was on patrol, hair raised, and we were unable to call her back to the area we were sitting in. And it didn't just end there. Once she had the first reaction, it did not take much to prompt further reactions.
The appointment was just so positive though. The behaviorist reinforced that Abby's dosage of Clomicalm is considered a light dosage, and she praised us for the work we've done thus far in light of the light dosage. I felt like I didn't have to defend the choices we've made for Abby or the work we've done because she already understood where we were coming from and communicated her desire to help us.
What a change!
So we're going to do a slightly small increase with her Clomicalm, and we're going to work with her on the relaxation protocols and continue the mat work. We've started working on down stays so that we can try to have Abby not freak out when people come to the house, and I feel like we have a clear direction on where we're heading with Abby's next phase of training.
In other news, a few weeks ago I had received a call from the vet's office that we bring Abby to for her routine care because I had previously ordered a few cases of the Purina OM but I hadn't picked them up. While trying to figure out what we were doing for her food, I just figured that I would leave them there because I didn't know if we would possibly use that food in combination with something else. I explained some of the food issues we've been having and that I was going to wait on picking it up, and the receptionist asked if she could try running Abby's GI issues past one of their other doctors that she has not seen. I told her that it was OK to do this, but that with all due respect I wasn't necessarily feeling a need to make more appointments or follow ups with nutritionists because at this point they've picked a food that did not work for her on any level, and frankly I can pick foods on my own at this rate through trial and error. So she said she would try the other doctor's opinion.
A few days later I got a call from one of the technicians saying the doctor had reviewed everything, and that without doing an intestinal ultrasound it is possible that she could have IBD. But that he was really recommending that I do a month of Tylosin to kill any bacteria that could be in the intestine. I told her that I needed to think about it. I said that without trying to sound defensive or dismissive, I've yet to have anyone be able to explain why Abby would have perfect stools for a period of time, then have diarrhea, then have the loose stools again. I explained how I felt like on some level that this could possibly be anxiety related, particularly given the timing of the reactivity, and the way in which she seems to be generally anxious as we try to taper off the clomicalm. We continue to throw tests, medications or diets at Abby under the hopes that they will work, and I never get to the root cause of her issues and again the diarrhea reccurs. This is when she reiterated that she felt the Merrick food was too fatty and the pancreas and intestine pretty much can't handle it anymore. I guess I'd buy into that if I hadn't just done the malabsorption tests on the heels of this diarrhea getting kicked off. Additionally when I bought into the idea of Abby having IBD, my questioning of whether or not it could have an anxiety component to what triggered or aggravated it was dismissed.
What was interesting to me was that she mentioned that although the Tylosin could work, there was a possibility that Abby could have this happen again even with the Tylosin, and then in which case we'd be back to where we started where we would do another course of treatment.
Those who have read with any regularity can already guess my answer to this treatment: No. A resounding no.
I'm not sure what I was more astounded by. Even if I did an ultrasound on Abby to see if she had IBD, what would I learn? That my dog is prone to diarrhea? I already know this and I didn't have to spend $1,000 to figure that out or put her through the testing. Second, what person just gives a month long treatment to their dog without having a test to prove that she needs it? We wouldn't do this with our children, and I'm certainly not doing this to Abby.
Throughout her reactivity, anxiety and digestive issues I'm starting to learn that doctors, and in particular veterinarians, are not Gods. Sure, they're educated people who have spent thousands of dollars earning a degree certifying them to answer the questions and solve the problems we encounter with Abby. But they don't live with us. They don't see Abby day-to-day, and they don't know what she struggles with day-to-day. Abby can't answer questions to tell me how she feels, why she gets nervous, or why her food isn't agreeing with her. The only voice she has is ours. The only advocate she has is us. And these experiences have taught me that I need to remain dilligent in asking questions to insure that she gets adequate care. Not treatment - care. There is a fine line between these that I think is often lost.
With that said, onwards and upwards. We will continue to search for people committed to Abby's care, who support the decisions we make for her, and who appreciate and trust the total focus we give to helping her. The camp of people we have in Abby's life who do this only continues to grow.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Your dog is on what?
In recent weeks I've come to realize that when you have a reactive dog, there is a certain stigma attached to it. People ask you how your dog is. And while some people are genuine in their interest in your dog, some people are clearly judgemental.
I should back up at this point and tell you that Bill and I made an attempt at reducing Abby's clomicalm dosage. A little over a year ago we put Abby on clomicalm. It was a choice we didn't take lightly, but one that was the right choice for Abby at the time that we made it. I cannot begin to tell you how heartbreaking it was to watch her get so anxious about her crate, insuring at least one foot was outside at all times for fear that she might be put in it. Even just giving her a treat in the crate was clearly stressful for her. If I put a treat in there for her to find so that only positive things happened for her in that crate, she would hop in and out of that crate at a speed befitting an Olympic Hurdler. No matter what we did to make her crate positive, it clearly was not at all getting better. Abby was so amped up to even look at the crate that we wouldn't be able to make it positive. She clearly couldn't be receptive towards it in any way.
Clomicalm has been a blessing and a curse all at once. In combination with relaxation protocols that we work on, it allowed Abby to simply relax near a crate, and inevitably be crated while I am at work. I would be lying if I didn't say that I tear up a little bit each day that I crate her in the morning because she literally races to the door of her room and looks back at me with a smile. A year ago I would not have thought that was possible. But clomicalm isn't without risks, and certainly its toll on the dog's physical health is one.
However, there is another risk that most people don't realize accompanies the choice to give it to your dog: judgement. I cannot begin to describe the looks on people's faces if I do mention that Abby is on a medication for anxiety, or the way in which a vet she has not seen before will ask about the medication. Some people are subtle about it, but most are not. It all starts off the same way.
Is she on any medication?
What is the clomicalm for?
Why clomicalm?
Have you tried (insert any form of accupuncture, vet behaviorist, or other things people have heard are effective)?
Ever since shows like "The Dog Whisperer" and "It's Me or the Dog," suddenly everyone is an expert on dogs. Intentional or not, people have a way of being unable to ask the above questions without implying that I simply choose not to take my pet's health and psyche seriously and just choose medications as my easy fix. They do not know the countless hours I have spent over many months doing relaxation protocols with Abby just to get her to lay down, then to drop her chin, kick out a back leg, sigh, etc. Then to spend these hours once again to do all of this near a crate. They do not know that Abby has her own iPod that we keep downstairs, that sits docked in the iHome I received as a birthday gift and plays "Through a Dog's Ear" for her all day while she is crated so that she can have some white noise. And to ask the above questions so succinctly while the answer is not so succinct always leaves me feeling annoyed and judged.
Clomicalm is not a medication that I necessarily want Abby to be on long term. If she can be without medication that would be ideal. But if she can't, I want to make sure that she is on the right medication for her. Towards the end of June, we asked for instructions to taper off her clomicalm. Abby was taking a half tablet twice daily, and the instructions given were to do a half tablet daily for two weeks, and then half a tablet every other day for two weeks, then off the medicine entirely. I opted for a longer tapering off, and figured we would do the half tablet daily for one month before moving to the next level. However, after only a week it became clear that a half tablet drop was too much too soon. Suddenly the world seemed a scary place in general for our girl. She barked at everything. And while some dogs bark, Abby greeted every creak in the floor, or voice outside as an imminent threat. She barked at everything in a way that communicated she definitely was freaking out. Now granted, it wasn't a level of barking like when she was panicked to be in the crate. But it was clear that she was nervous and anxious about every sound. Hell, she was nervous about sounds we couldn't even hear! We tried instead half a tablet in the morning and a quarter tablet at night. After about a week this still left her amped up and really hadn't helped to improve her outlook either.
So we've now made an appointment with a Vet Behaviorist to discuss Abby and her anxiety. Part of me worries that Abby is just an anxious dog, and perhaps the crate and separation anxiety was the most obvious display. The crate anxiety is under control now. But in combination with Abby's GI issues that kicked off around the time she displayed dog reactivity, and the GI issues she continues facing, I would not be surprised if we were to find that she has some sort of general anxiety disorder that we work on either through new methods of relaxation, or a different medication in a light dosage.
In other news Abby continues to have issues with soft stools and diarrhea. We switched her from the Purina OM as I had mentioned in the last post because of the way she was going through food bloat, was lethargic because she was eating too much, and burping up her food because of the volume she was eating. So far I tried Wellness Simple Solutions in salmon and rice, and the results were rather mixed. We were mixing it with the Purina OM as we were slowly integrating in the Wellness, and she was doing better. But with her being on just the Wellness the stools weren't great - sort of a soft service ice cream consistency. I tried the Natural Balance Bison and Sweet Potato, and that was disastrous. She had what hubby and I like to call "Poop Soup." So now we're back on Wellness, and I'm attempting to find a food that will work for her. Orijen is probably my next one, and perhaps after that Taste of the Wild if I don't find one that works. I have decided not to enlist the help of the nutritionist at Angell Memorial again because I felt like the food she chose was so grossly NOT the right food for Abby, both in volume and in effectiveness, that I'm not throwing more money her way. If someone with a degree managed not to pick the right food for Abby, then it communicates to me that they're just going to go by trial and error, and frankly I can do that cheaper on my own.
So stay tuned for an update once we go to the behaviorist on the 27th of this month!
I should back up at this point and tell you that Bill and I made an attempt at reducing Abby's clomicalm dosage. A little over a year ago we put Abby on clomicalm. It was a choice we didn't take lightly, but one that was the right choice for Abby at the time that we made it. I cannot begin to tell you how heartbreaking it was to watch her get so anxious about her crate, insuring at least one foot was outside at all times for fear that she might be put in it. Even just giving her a treat in the crate was clearly stressful for her. If I put a treat in there for her to find so that only positive things happened for her in that crate, she would hop in and out of that crate at a speed befitting an Olympic Hurdler. No matter what we did to make her crate positive, it clearly was not at all getting better. Abby was so amped up to even look at the crate that we wouldn't be able to make it positive. She clearly couldn't be receptive towards it in any way.
Clomicalm has been a blessing and a curse all at once. In combination with relaxation protocols that we work on, it allowed Abby to simply relax near a crate, and inevitably be crated while I am at work. I would be lying if I didn't say that I tear up a little bit each day that I crate her in the morning because she literally races to the door of her room and looks back at me with a smile. A year ago I would not have thought that was possible. But clomicalm isn't without risks, and certainly its toll on the dog's physical health is one.
However, there is another risk that most people don't realize accompanies the choice to give it to your dog: judgement. I cannot begin to describe the looks on people's faces if I do mention that Abby is on a medication for anxiety, or the way in which a vet she has not seen before will ask about the medication. Some people are subtle about it, but most are not. It all starts off the same way.
Is she on any medication?
What is the clomicalm for?
Why clomicalm?
Have you tried (insert any form of accupuncture, vet behaviorist, or other things people have heard are effective)?
Ever since shows like "The Dog Whisperer" and "It's Me or the Dog," suddenly everyone is an expert on dogs. Intentional or not, people have a way of being unable to ask the above questions without implying that I simply choose not to take my pet's health and psyche seriously and just choose medications as my easy fix. They do not know the countless hours I have spent over many months doing relaxation protocols with Abby just to get her to lay down, then to drop her chin, kick out a back leg, sigh, etc. Then to spend these hours once again to do all of this near a crate. They do not know that Abby has her own iPod that we keep downstairs, that sits docked in the iHome I received as a birthday gift and plays "Through a Dog's Ear" for her all day while she is crated so that she can have some white noise. And to ask the above questions so succinctly while the answer is not so succinct always leaves me feeling annoyed and judged.
Clomicalm is not a medication that I necessarily want Abby to be on long term. If she can be without medication that would be ideal. But if she can't, I want to make sure that she is on the right medication for her. Towards the end of June, we asked for instructions to taper off her clomicalm. Abby was taking a half tablet twice daily, and the instructions given were to do a half tablet daily for two weeks, and then half a tablet every other day for two weeks, then off the medicine entirely. I opted for a longer tapering off, and figured we would do the half tablet daily for one month before moving to the next level. However, after only a week it became clear that a half tablet drop was too much too soon. Suddenly the world seemed a scary place in general for our girl. She barked at everything. And while some dogs bark, Abby greeted every creak in the floor, or voice outside as an imminent threat. She barked at everything in a way that communicated she definitely was freaking out. Now granted, it wasn't a level of barking like when she was panicked to be in the crate. But it was clear that she was nervous and anxious about every sound. Hell, she was nervous about sounds we couldn't even hear! We tried instead half a tablet in the morning and a quarter tablet at night. After about a week this still left her amped up and really hadn't helped to improve her outlook either.
So we've now made an appointment with a Vet Behaviorist to discuss Abby and her anxiety. Part of me worries that Abby is just an anxious dog, and perhaps the crate and separation anxiety was the most obvious display. The crate anxiety is under control now. But in combination with Abby's GI issues that kicked off around the time she displayed dog reactivity, and the GI issues she continues facing, I would not be surprised if we were to find that she has some sort of general anxiety disorder that we work on either through new methods of relaxation, or a different medication in a light dosage.
In other news Abby continues to have issues with soft stools and diarrhea. We switched her from the Purina OM as I had mentioned in the last post because of the way she was going through food bloat, was lethargic because she was eating too much, and burping up her food because of the volume she was eating. So far I tried Wellness Simple Solutions in salmon and rice, and the results were rather mixed. We were mixing it with the Purina OM as we were slowly integrating in the Wellness, and she was doing better. But with her being on just the Wellness the stools weren't great - sort of a soft service ice cream consistency. I tried the Natural Balance Bison and Sweet Potato, and that was disastrous. She had what hubby and I like to call "Poop Soup." So now we're back on Wellness, and I'm attempting to find a food that will work for her. Orijen is probably my next one, and perhaps after that Taste of the Wild if I don't find one that works. I have decided not to enlist the help of the nutritionist at Angell Memorial again because I felt like the food she chose was so grossly NOT the right food for Abby, both in volume and in effectiveness, that I'm not throwing more money her way. If someone with a degree managed not to pick the right food for Abby, then it communicates to me that they're just going to go by trial and error, and frankly I can do that cheaper on my own.
So stay tuned for an update once we go to the behaviorist on the 27th of this month!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Food issues... again
So last I wrote, Abby was trying a new diet that consisted of Purina OM. That had made a vast improvement in the consistency of her stools; however, other issues have emerged now that she has been on it a little over a month.
I've never fed a canned diet to a dog. That said, my mother feeds a mix of both to her dogs (except the older ones who are strictly on canned for their teeth) and she seems to like it. However, prior to putting Abby on a canned diet, she ate half a cup of Merrick's Grammy's Pot Pie twice daily. The nutritionst recommended that she should get 2 1/4 cans per day. I won't lie - this seems like a LOT of food. When I first put it in Abby's bowl it seemed like a lot in comparison to the volume she received on dry. But we fed it, and honestly Abby seemed to go into a food coma. We started noticing that Abby didn't have as much energy. That isn't to say she was lethargic, but rather I noticed that any energy she had before dinner was quickly replaced with a firm desire to nap. Almost like most people get after Thanksgiving. It was as if she was in a Thanksgiving coma.
It wasn't long before other things started to seem a little bit off. I noticed that Abby was burping a lot. But it wasn't just a burp. She would actually be burping up food. In most instances she would simply swallow whatever came up. But sometimes she wasn't so lucky and she'd end up spitting up a good amount of food. Additionally there were times where it was as if it either came up the wrong way, or she swallowed wrong, but she started to breathe funny for about a minute afterwards. It almost sounded like a reverse sneeze, and if you didn't know better it was concerning. The first few times it happened I would wonder if she was breathing OK.
Additionally Abby has lost weight on the new food. Now granted, I'm not very concerned about this. But when you consider that the amount of food she was to eat was calculated based on her weight at the time that we started feeding her OM (40 pounds), it is noteworthy that she is losing weight (36.5 pounds). I think that anything in the 35-40 pound range seems healthy for her, but if 40 were the ideal weight for her than I'd be worried about how I would correct that problem because admittedly she is getting a TON of food on the OM as it is and I don't know how much more I could give her.
So hubby and I are thinking about switching her food and trying something else. I'm not entirely sold on a prescription diet for her, much less one that targets weight management when she isn't an overweight dog. Additionally I am concerned with her being on a diet that is presciption because I constantly have to worry about making sure to order her food. And after one time where someone at her veterinarian's office did not forward a note properly for her food to be ordered, I am always worried that such a human error could happen again.
In other news we have started to taper down her Clomicalm that she has been on for a year. I am doing a really slow tapering with it. Instead of doing a half tablet twice daily, I am giving her half a tablet once daily for one month, then half a tablet every other day for a month. We'll see how that goes. We have noticed that she is barking a bit more at sounds she hears or things she sees. My hope is that as I try out a new food for her, I can find a kibble that works and use that to bump up the relaxation protocols.
Abby did the funniest thing the other day, although I should say that seems to do funny things every day. We were coming back from a walk and my husband had been running an errand. He passed by us on our way back, and he had his window open. Abby watched his car pass and about two seconds later stopped, sniffed the air, and bolted in the direction her Dad had just gone. Too funny!
She also had her first agility class, and she was an absolute superstar! It was only her and one other dog, and she did really well with jumping over the hurdles. Inevitably Jess told us to take their leashes off, and admittedly I was worried. Abby is NEVER off leash. We just don't have an area that we could do that work with her. But she did so well! There were times where she wanted to be the social butterfly and go see Blue, but largely she stayed with us and sometimes came back when called. The biggest thing I noticed was how willing Abby was to trust me. She trusted that I wanted her to walk on equipment that was safe, and to me that was the best part of the class. Throughout most of the class she looked like she was smiling - it was the cutest thing in the world!
Next week we're going to try some rally, so I can't wait to see how she does with that!
I've never fed a canned diet to a dog. That said, my mother feeds a mix of both to her dogs (except the older ones who are strictly on canned for their teeth) and she seems to like it. However, prior to putting Abby on a canned diet, she ate half a cup of Merrick's Grammy's Pot Pie twice daily. The nutritionst recommended that she should get 2 1/4 cans per day. I won't lie - this seems like a LOT of food. When I first put it in Abby's bowl it seemed like a lot in comparison to the volume she received on dry. But we fed it, and honestly Abby seemed to go into a food coma. We started noticing that Abby didn't have as much energy. That isn't to say she was lethargic, but rather I noticed that any energy she had before dinner was quickly replaced with a firm desire to nap. Almost like most people get after Thanksgiving. It was as if she was in a Thanksgiving coma.
It wasn't long before other things started to seem a little bit off. I noticed that Abby was burping a lot. But it wasn't just a burp. She would actually be burping up food. In most instances she would simply swallow whatever came up. But sometimes she wasn't so lucky and she'd end up spitting up a good amount of food. Additionally there were times where it was as if it either came up the wrong way, or she swallowed wrong, but she started to breathe funny for about a minute afterwards. It almost sounded like a reverse sneeze, and if you didn't know better it was concerning. The first few times it happened I would wonder if she was breathing OK.
Additionally Abby has lost weight on the new food. Now granted, I'm not very concerned about this. But when you consider that the amount of food she was to eat was calculated based on her weight at the time that we started feeding her OM (40 pounds), it is noteworthy that she is losing weight (36.5 pounds). I think that anything in the 35-40 pound range seems healthy for her, but if 40 were the ideal weight for her than I'd be worried about how I would correct that problem because admittedly she is getting a TON of food on the OM as it is and I don't know how much more I could give her.
So hubby and I are thinking about switching her food and trying something else. I'm not entirely sold on a prescription diet for her, much less one that targets weight management when she isn't an overweight dog. Additionally I am concerned with her being on a diet that is presciption because I constantly have to worry about making sure to order her food. And after one time where someone at her veterinarian's office did not forward a note properly for her food to be ordered, I am always worried that such a human error could happen again.
In other news we have started to taper down her Clomicalm that she has been on for a year. I am doing a really slow tapering with it. Instead of doing a half tablet twice daily, I am giving her half a tablet once daily for one month, then half a tablet every other day for a month. We'll see how that goes. We have noticed that she is barking a bit more at sounds she hears or things she sees. My hope is that as I try out a new food for her, I can find a kibble that works and use that to bump up the relaxation protocols.
Abby did the funniest thing the other day, although I should say that seems to do funny things every day. We were coming back from a walk and my husband had been running an errand. He passed by us on our way back, and he had his window open. Abby watched his car pass and about two seconds later stopped, sniffed the air, and bolted in the direction her Dad had just gone. Too funny!
She also had her first agility class, and she was an absolute superstar! It was only her and one other dog, and she did really well with jumping over the hurdles. Inevitably Jess told us to take their leashes off, and admittedly I was worried. Abby is NEVER off leash. We just don't have an area that we could do that work with her. But she did so well! There were times where she wanted to be the social butterfly and go see Blue, but largely she stayed with us and sometimes came back when called. The biggest thing I noticed was how willing Abby was to trust me. She trusted that I wanted her to walk on equipment that was safe, and to me that was the best part of the class. Throughout most of the class she looked like she was smiling - it was the cutest thing in the world!
Next week we're going to try some rally, so I can't wait to see how she does with that!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Easing back to normal
The past few months have been a little bit hectic as of late, and perhaps the biggest challenge has been our girl's GI issues. The week of April 18th Abby started with soft stools that were later accompanied by an urgency with her bowel movements. We brought her to the her veterinarian and got a prescription for Metronidazole and had a discussion about the food that she has been on. At the time Abby was eating Merrick's Grammy's Pot Pie, and she was doing relatively well with it. However, I had noticed that it seemed as if Abby periodically had GI issues since we adopted her.
When we first adopted Abby and brought her to her first veterinarian appointment, her fecal results came back positive for giardia. We put her on fenbendazole that was to be mixed in with her Science Diet puppy kibble. I don't know if there was a taste to her medicine, or she didn't like the texture of the medicine in her food. Either way, she inevitably wanted no part of her food. She made it through one week of medicine, and then stopped eating even without having medicine in her food. At that time we tried to change her dry food in an effort to get her to think that if there was a new food, then there was a new MO. Inevitably she really seemed to dig the Merrick's Puppy Plate. She did well on this medicine, but after a few months got diarrhea one time. Her stool sample came back clean and we put her on metronidazole, and eventually the problem cleared up.
Over the next several months it seemed like we went through periodic issues with diarrhea. The stool samples were always clean, and the metronidazole cleared up the urgency that accompanied the diarrhea and inevitably helped with the consistency of her stools. But then this last bout hit in April and we were not able to clear up her problems.
We did a week of metronidazole, and although it helped with the urgency it did not really affect the consistency of her stools. The first stool while on metronidazole was solid, and after that they were about the consistency of soft serve (presuming it wasn't full blown diarrhea). Additionally, when we spoke with the veterinarian, they said that they were seeing a lot of dogs that had problems with Merrick foods. They said that the fat content in the Merrick foods was very high, and as a result a lot of dogs seem to develop this problem; as if their pancreases have enough and blow out. We switched her food to a low residue (Iams) and gave her Forti Flora, a probiotic. After a week when her stools hadn't improved, I tried switching the food to Science Diet I/D dry because she had previously done better on this food. The stools improved a bit, but not enough. I called the veterinarian back and they extended the metronidazole and set us up with an appointment for a complete blood panel including TLI and folates, as well as a broader fecal test.
In true Abby fashion, all of her bloodwork and fecal tests came back fine. All levels were where they needed to be, which meant that her pancreas was functioning fine and that we weren't having any issues with malabsorption or maldigestion. At this point we went on an exclusion diet. Abby would only eat Science Diet I/D dry and the hypoallergenic cookies, and all other treats and foods would be cut out. Abby's stools did not improve at all on this diet at all. So we decided to take things a step further.
One of the vet techs at Abby's vet hospital suggested a nutritionist at Angell Hospital, and I was able to set up a phone consultation with her for this past Tuesday. She had some very helpful suggestions. She said that when dogs have problems with digestion, they always look to simplify everything as much as they can. The fact that Abby had been on a low residue, low fiber food and not improved showed that low fiber was not the way to go. Additionally, we should also look to switch her from dry food to canned food as the dry food would have a lot more non-nutrative items in it, including preservatives. That said, the second thing that we should try is a higher fiber food. She gave us two suggestions: either Purina OM or half Science Diet I/D and half Science Diet W/D. Providing this food worked for her, we could then introduce treats for her training such as carrots, rice cakes, or mini marshmallows. If this did not work either, then we would simplify further and try a novel protein diet.
While I waited for Abby's Purina OM to come in, I immediately switched her to Science Diet I/D canned food. I immediately noticed an improvement in Abby's stools. Abby's new food came in on Friday, and she started with that at dinner and really seemed to dig the taste of it. I have to say that since switching Abby to canned food, she has been SUPER interested in food. She is actually salivating for meals, and is even more food motivated than she was before.
I still am not sure how mini marshmallows are a good treat for her given the amount of sugar in them. But I'm thinking that if I cut these in half to make them even smaller, I could integrate them in combination with the other treats as a trail mix for her training. All I know is that it is so wonderful to have her finally on the road back to normal.
When we first adopted Abby and brought her to her first veterinarian appointment, her fecal results came back positive for giardia. We put her on fenbendazole that was to be mixed in with her Science Diet puppy kibble. I don't know if there was a taste to her medicine, or she didn't like the texture of the medicine in her food. Either way, she inevitably wanted no part of her food. She made it through one week of medicine, and then stopped eating even without having medicine in her food. At that time we tried to change her dry food in an effort to get her to think that if there was a new food, then there was a new MO. Inevitably she really seemed to dig the Merrick's Puppy Plate. She did well on this medicine, but after a few months got diarrhea one time. Her stool sample came back clean and we put her on metronidazole, and eventually the problem cleared up.
Over the next several months it seemed like we went through periodic issues with diarrhea. The stool samples were always clean, and the metronidazole cleared up the urgency that accompanied the diarrhea and inevitably helped with the consistency of her stools. But then this last bout hit in April and we were not able to clear up her problems.
We did a week of metronidazole, and although it helped with the urgency it did not really affect the consistency of her stools. The first stool while on metronidazole was solid, and after that they were about the consistency of soft serve (presuming it wasn't full blown diarrhea). Additionally, when we spoke with the veterinarian, they said that they were seeing a lot of dogs that had problems with Merrick foods. They said that the fat content in the Merrick foods was very high, and as a result a lot of dogs seem to develop this problem; as if their pancreases have enough and blow out. We switched her food to a low residue (Iams) and gave her Forti Flora, a probiotic. After a week when her stools hadn't improved, I tried switching the food to Science Diet I/D dry because she had previously done better on this food. The stools improved a bit, but not enough. I called the veterinarian back and they extended the metronidazole and set us up with an appointment for a complete blood panel including TLI and folates, as well as a broader fecal test.
In true Abby fashion, all of her bloodwork and fecal tests came back fine. All levels were where they needed to be, which meant that her pancreas was functioning fine and that we weren't having any issues with malabsorption or maldigestion. At this point we went on an exclusion diet. Abby would only eat Science Diet I/D dry and the hypoallergenic cookies, and all other treats and foods would be cut out. Abby's stools did not improve at all on this diet at all. So we decided to take things a step further.
One of the vet techs at Abby's vet hospital suggested a nutritionist at Angell Hospital, and I was able to set up a phone consultation with her for this past Tuesday. She had some very helpful suggestions. She said that when dogs have problems with digestion, they always look to simplify everything as much as they can. The fact that Abby had been on a low residue, low fiber food and not improved showed that low fiber was not the way to go. Additionally, we should also look to switch her from dry food to canned food as the dry food would have a lot more non-nutrative items in it, including preservatives. That said, the second thing that we should try is a higher fiber food. She gave us two suggestions: either Purina OM or half Science Diet I/D and half Science Diet W/D. Providing this food worked for her, we could then introduce treats for her training such as carrots, rice cakes, or mini marshmallows. If this did not work either, then we would simplify further and try a novel protein diet.
While I waited for Abby's Purina OM to come in, I immediately switched her to Science Diet I/D canned food. I immediately noticed an improvement in Abby's stools. Abby's new food came in on Friday, and she started with that at dinner and really seemed to dig the taste of it. I have to say that since switching Abby to canned food, she has been SUPER interested in food. She is actually salivating for meals, and is even more food motivated than she was before.
I still am not sure how mini marshmallows are a good treat for her given the amount of sugar in them. But I'm thinking that if I cut these in half to make them even smaller, I could integrate them in combination with the other treats as a trail mix for her training. All I know is that it is so wonderful to have her finally on the road back to normal.
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