Anxiety and AIHA

[lynn]

Susie, when Hayley was hit with IMHA she was so different…. but as she got better not well but her pcv was in the upper thirties she just got stressed at many things that never bothered her before… I read the info about Sheens post and here in tenn. we have a vet in Chattanooga tenn. that helps you with these things or find a vet in your area that can help… me I use U.T. it is 200 miles away but trust U.T. they are wonderful. but as Hayley was off meds for sometime she was more and more like herself…like herself. what I find to be her stress factor are her toy’s… so now I put them in a chest and she asks me and picks out her toy she wants…. but that wouldn’t work for every fur baby. Hayley was once a therapy girl…. and her training has helped in how she responds to me taking charge.but when she was freaful of thunder and fire crakers in her early recovery… I found just the tellington touch worked no wrap or thunder shirt was needed.but what works for one might not for another… but the info sheena posted should work for all. if you can find a holistic institution in the state where you live they can help you locate many people who would be trained in stress in your area.. I love using holistic vets as well as the regular vet… and hayleys specialist… but that is just me.i just know how we can be so concerned after our baby goes through this very dangerous serious disease and knowing any stress can trigger another attack.P.S. SOMETHING I DO TO THIS DAY HELPS MY HAYLEY…. sleepy time and calming music for fur kids when I need her to not be under foot due to her 2 lb. size … she fall’s to sleep… mean mommy making her go to sleep. ha! it works like a charm… though!!! best of luck finding what works. lynn & hayley

[Susie]

Lynn,

I want a holistic vet so much. I’ve been looking for one for a long time, but there’s no one in our area. I will probably have to go quite far away to find one. After all that we’ve been through I think it’s time to start looking again.

So, is the music you play for Hayley specifically for pets?

❤️Susie

[Vally]

Hey Susie and shaky.

I have an Adaptil plug-in which the vet suggested as Bingo is such a nervy dog. I THINK they do help because when Bingo went through his terror episode earlier this year when the giant black monster dog came into the house (that’s his story, it was actually a little black Maltese), he was a mess after that. I also noticed at the same time that the plug-in was empty, so I try and make sure it’s never empty now.

I’ve heard many good things about the TellingtonT Touch methods. I think that’s definitely a go.

Love Vally & Bingo (who LOVES fireworks and storms – he’s out there chasing them), it’s just little black Maltese that scare him – OK giant monster dogs)

[Susie]

Poor little Bingo! Oh boy. Don’t you wonder what’s going on in these dogs heads. I wonder what could have been so scary about a little Maltese? Maybe it was just a territorial issue, or perhaps he thought he was being replaced with a less expensive dog. 😉

Around here, sometimes we make our dogs talk, I mean we give them goofy little dog voices and say what we think they’d say if they could speak. It’s especially ridiculous when my husband does it (need I remind you these are 11 lb females)😏 Anyway, I guess it’s our way of feeling like we understand them.

I have an adaptil collar for Sadie which I’d forgotten about until you mentioned the plug-in. I think it’s worth a try to get the plug-in since it will work for both of them at the same time.

I tried the Tellington TTouch on Emily but I think I will need to practice a lot before next weekend’s fireworks , because from the look on her face, I think I was just irritating her.
I’ll let you know how it goes.

❤️Susie

[lynn]

Susie, I looked into the info sheena gave…. very good for any pet with anxiety. I did use the tellington touch on you tube when Hayley was ill and had issues it worked… but after she got over the worse of IMHA she hasn’t had stress except over her toy’s… but I fixed that. I but them into a hope chest she has to ask for on no more toy box she can get into . her pcv dropped very low gave use a hard lesson… it is so different after IMHA for life.hayley is back up going for another check up on the 6th of july. they keep us on our toes that is for sure. lynn & Hayley p.s. I am going to do more reading on sheena’s info looks good for any fur baby.

[admin]

Hi Susie

Anxiety is really difficult, although lots of useful suggestions in the posts above. It seems like Border Collies have thunderstorm issues in particular. My step-mum had one, a dear girl called Megan, who would cram herself into the tiniest gap under a bed, and sometimes even pee herself during fireworks or thunderstorms. It is really difficult to try to help them feel better.

I am convinced there is a link between stress/anxiety and IMHA in some cases, although not all. Molly was an anxious cat, ever since her first vaccinations. Of course, cats are different to dogs, but we used a feliway plug in, which is the feline version of adaptil. There was also a product called Zylkene we tried. Did they work? Not sure, but worth a try perhaps. Zylkene is a tablet, so be sure to check with a vet if you want to try that.

Other things we did (mainly because she developed idiopathic cystitis), was to put down more water bowls, and more litter trays, as well as giving her lots of places she could hide. Again, this is quite cat focused, but it was because I had more than one cat and it was aimed at reducing her feeling of competition. Could that be an issue for Emily at all?

Don’t worry, you are not the only one who does silly voices on behalf of their pets ;)

Good luck with the fireworks, and have a happy independence day.

Mary and Mable x

[admin]

Hi Susie
How’s Emily doing? I was hoping she might have calmed down a bit? You know, Phil & I were saying how much this disease changes them – Worzel does not leave my side for a second – he is very, very clingy. He was always cuddly before, but now he has to be lying beside me, touching me all the time, sweet boy. I think we spend so much time nursing them 24 hours a day for weeks or months on end so they think this is the new normal!!! They are very special, for sure.
Love Sheena xxxxx

[Susie]

Hi everyone!

Well, Emily sailed through the fireworks last night with flying colors! She reacted several times though. So, I just did some gentle massaging on her and she cuddled up next to me, but I didn’t baby her too much. Eventually, we both drifted off to sleep. Also, used some essential oils (lavender and roman chamomile) which may have helped take the edge off.

She has been improving everyday, we are just blown away by her progress. She’s jumping up onto the furniture daily, although it’s not as easy as it used to be…..yet. 😉 She’s acting like she’s just so happy to be alive, and that alone just blesses my heart. Her countenance is puppy-like right now.

So, I’ve been thinking about what both Mary and Sheena have mentioned. I’ve been observing her more and more to see if there are any issues with her feeling competitive with Sadie. I think, although I’ve tried to be sensitive to her since bringing Sadie home to live with us, I do sense some jealousy. It’s not very obvious but I see it a bit. Could it be what set this disease off in her? I don’t think so, but it may have contributed to it.

The clinginess thing is interesting. I think she cuddled much more before all of this than after the onset. It was one of the things I noticed right off, back in March. She tended to like to cuddle at night, but when this hit, she refused to even sleep next to us and started sleeping at the foot of the bed. She didn’t really like to be touched any more. As she’s improved that’s one of the changes that’s been very obvious. Now, she wants to be up the the sofa with me, or up in the chair with her dad. She’s very cuddly at night again, which is another indicator that she’s feeling more like herself.

The funny thing is that through this whole ordeal, she’s followed me around…..constantly. I keep thinking it’s because she’s so hungry from the prednisone and I’m the one who feeds her, so she can’t let me out of her sight!

❤️ Susie and Cuddle Bug