Panic Attacks - VERY Scary - Need Help
Submitted by egail on June 28, 2011 - 6:46pmSimon had a terrible panic attack and nearly died last Friday when our new dogsitter was over. It happened the first night when she was taking him to bed. I was 1500 miles away and she called and said he was purple and blue, breathing sounded HORRIBLE. He has had these episodes before with me at the vet and also when my niece has dogsat, but he usually (slowly) recovers with some simple steps like cold cloth on his head & groin, light fan, lights out, NO attention and lots of water. This new dogsitter panicked and it made him worse. This went on for hours and she kept saying he was going to die, his breathing became exactly the same as what you would see in heat stroke. I came within an inch of calling 911 in hopes that EMT or fireman would be kind enough to give him oxygen and then pay whatever fine I got for doing that. The dogsitter is a vet pharmacist & a seasoned dogsitter, so I thought she would be a good choice, but it was a disaster. I do not want this to happen again. He has tried Zanax (has the reverse effect). The vet also gave me an emergency vial of ACE, but I vow to never use it because of the terrible things I have read about it with bulldogs. He got 4 an hour benadryl before bed, so that clearly will not work either.
Has anyone else had a dog with these episodes of stress/anxiety?? He has had a pallette reduction surgery already. OTHER than these infrequent episodes his breathing is just fine (I recently had him re-evaluated and was told the same thing by the surgeon). I am so afraid that a trip to the vet or overnight dogsitter will kill him. I was going to call his vet and ask for something like valium or prozac, but I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions first?
thanks for any help or critisism!!
That must have been a nightmare...
to be that far away and have that happening. I can't address the panic issues but we did have a lhasa with extreme separation anxiety and we would give him valium, it was the only way we could leave the house. They also gave us clomocalm and elavil at different times (we had him 14 years). You're right not to use the ACE, I've heard very bad things about it. Hope someone can help.
Thanks Kathy, I will make a
Thanks Kathy, I will make a note of those meds (clomocalm and elavil). Does your lhasa have breathing problems during the attacks or other health issues when this happens? It was soscary that my husband had to leave the hotel room from midnight until 3:30 am (he sat at the pool) because he couldn't listen to the conversation on the phone, it was giving him a heart attack almost.
What
Did the sitter give the dog? The benadryl? Wish the sitter took video.......
I'd say the vet would give you the best medicine for the dog...
Where is the valium and xanax being suggested from?
I'd think the dog would have an attack when you left, not after the time it took to get 1500 miles away, does the dog wear a collar?
Good Luck...Let us know
Steve
Mean people still suck
Our lhsa passed away a few years ago but...
from old age, not anxiety. He never seemed to have breathing problems, but he would drool a ton and claw at the door until his feet were bloody. I think the spelling is Clomicalm for the one drug. I hated having to use it, but it's better than having them die from stress. I would have a long talk with your vet and see what he can come up with. Is your vet well versed in 'bulldog?' Does he see a lot of this breed? If not, you can probably find a bulldog vet in your area on the home page.
wow, how scary!
I'm so sorry that you, your husband and your poor sweet bully had to go through such a scary episode! I don't have any experience with this, but I do wonder if something along lines of a thundershirt: http://www.thundershirt.com/ would help minimize the symptoms of his panic? I don't think that would completely alleviate the problem, but I think, given your description, it would probably help in addition to a different (and more potent) medication.
Good luck, and please keep us posted!
Shannon and Winston :)
My swimming bully buddy!
Hi Steve,valium was something
Hi Steve,
valium was something I was wondering about and the vet suggested xanax two years ago - we tried it two times, both made him worse.
It seems like these attacks happen when there is a dogsitter and it is the first evening at bedtime. This past Feb and Nov, we were away and my niece called me with the same scenario on the first night at bedtime. My two bulldogs sleep in bed with me, so they have a routine before bed, which we try to follow with the dogsitter. The sitter will even sleep in my bed to make it as normal as possible. In the past he has gotten quite worked up but my niece always got him to settle down - this time was much worse. On the second night, he usually does fine. I think he doesn't panic when we leave because he doesn't know how long we are leaving for. Make sense??
Thanks
I wondered about the Valium and Xanax, cause of dosage. I saw your comment on Ace, and I'd guess that is ace promezime. [Not good for Bulldogs right?] I used it on a tall beagle we used to have who was scared of storms. The vet gave it to us, but I hadn't heard of it's side effects. We don't take the Bulldogs to this vet. I have no experience with Bulldog and stress or anxiety, so I wanted to know.
Wish I knew what would help. Wonder if you made the dog a night time story type tape that could be played when you are gone.
Or talk to the dog over the phone.
Good luck
Steve
Mean people still suck