Today she was dosed with Xanax around 11am, 3mg. We had super at 4:20ish out in the van. She was a little shaky but really interested in the food! Ate everything up. Then was a little trembly and heaved a few times. I got out of the van and clipped her leash since it looked like supper was going to make a second appearance!
That passed within moments and she stopped shaking when I asked her to lay down. It started to get chilly so I crawled around to turn the van in to get some heat. That's when everything went to hell!
She lept up and started shaking the hardest I've ever seen again. I asked her to lay down again, which didn't help. I tried to get her to roll over on her side for belly rubs... That didn't happen!
Finally I just grabbed her head and hugged to to my chest with both arms. She couldn't see and had some compression around her whole head. Instantly stopped shaking! Maybe the buspar would be a better drug? If I remember correctly it effects how they process outside stimuli... Or a type of blind fold might help her. Makes sense that she started having trouble in the minivan if it's a sight issue. It's a lot more open and almost zero blind spots in the back.
We chilled in the running car for a bit then I got out turned the van off and made her lay there the whole time.
I think I'll just try to feed treats in the van from now on until she calms down more. A full belly and that much shaking and anxiety makes me worry about bloat.
No not much improvement today but I learned some more information and we were able to end in a good note. Tomorrow I'll try a walk/jog then try some relaxing in the running van with treats.
Sorry if I am suggesting something you have already considered/tried but since the head hugging helped, I was wondering if a thunder shirt (is that what they are called) might help? I mean in combination with meds. I can't believe she is functioning on 3mg of Xanax, 1 knocks me out. The poor baby must be so anxious. Any idea what caused it? I read back but didn't see. Kisses and cuddles to Rainy!
ReplyDeleteNo idea what caused this... She used to travel so well. It got worse gradually after I got the minivan.
ReplyDeleteI've tried the thundershirt and any other natural non drug remedies I can think of. She's also on 40mg of prozac once a day. Week 4 or 5 of starting that... I'm hoping we can find something that she can keep her brain cells when I wean her off the xanax.
ReplyDeleteWith this much medicine in her system she has trouble being coordinated... forgets that she had a back end and 2 other legs back there! I'm going to give this a solid 30 days and then try weaning her off the xanax and see what we have. If she's still having issues I'm planning an asking the vet if she will consider medicating her thyroid even though that test came back Ok. Next week be the buspar drug to see if that works. Then we will be of to pay the big bucks for a behaviorist.
ReplyDeleteShe's also very reactive to popping noises. I'm concentrating just on the car issues right now since I can set that up easiest and that's the biggest one I need her to relax about.
ReplyDeleteKeep any other ideas coming! Maybe there's something I haven't thought about yet... I'm kind of making stuff up as I go along! As long as we can keep her brain stable I can condition her not to be scared. She just can't learn anything when she's at a crisis level
ReplyDeleteYeah I think that makes sense. Once she is calm, hopefully you can back off the meds and she will stay calm!
ReplyDeleteI really hope so... That's how we did it for spooky miss Sunshine.
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