Need Some Advice Please

[Python]

Hello everyone. Can someone perhaps give me some advice.

We have a GSD. We have had her for almost 6 years. She was approximately 4 years old when we got her as a rescue (she had been used as a breeding bitch) so she is at least 10 years old now. She is a lovely dog but does not like loud noises like fireworks or thunder and lightning. Over the past couple of months (since November) we have had a lot of noise because of idiots letting off fireworks day and night. It was particularly bad on New Year's Eve and my dog hasn't been the same since. She seems to have become neurotic and does not like to be left on her own any more not even for a short period of time.

Tonight she did something she's never done before. She wee'd all over my living room carpet. Not a little bit here and there, but she emptied her entire bladder. My husband and I were sitting there at the time. He had been out with her less than an hour before. I remarked to my husband the other day that I thought Sadie was drinking a lot, so my first thought is that she may have become diabetic. She hasn't gained or lost any weight and is still romping around like a young dog and her appetite is normal.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem and if so, what were the symptoms of diabetes and how was it dealt with.

I'm going to measure how much water she is drinking between now and when I get a vet's appointment (probably late afternoon or early evening tomorrow) but if anyone can help shed some light on this in the meantime, I'd be very grateful.

[barnjess]

yes it could be medical, but it could also be stress, I ahve had good results from rescue remendy for dogs that dont like noises, but really you need to rule out a health prob first let us know how it goes at the vets good luck

[Python]

You could be right about the stress as the problems started just before Guy Fawkes when the local morons were letting off fireworks at all hours of the day and night. One of our vet's speciality field is psychological problems in dogs and how to deal with them so we may well ask for him. I know he's only in the practice on certain days (on the other days he goes to the other practice). I'm sure he's on either Tuesday or Wednesday but we're going to keep a record of how much Sadie is drinking etc. so at least it will give him something to go on.

[barnjess]

Oh i almost forgot there is also the TT touch which is suposed to be great

[Aria]

well, it could be multiple things... could be stress.... could be a UTI, or could be loads of other mental things.... but stress would be my first choice.... since you said that she doesn't react well to loud noises. If i where you, and she is truley that scared before a major thunderstorm or fire work eppisode( like 4th of july, or something like that), i would mabey giver her a benadryl ( it might make her a little sleepy and that might calm her down without introducing her to major meds... but there ar medications your vet can give that will sedate her, like Ace Promizine. But be forwarned that stuff is VERY STRONG!!!

[Python]

We may well have to go down the line of sedation, but you can't keep a dog (or any other animal) sedated for anything up to 2 months. She's not too bad provided she has a human with her (she just shakes like a leaf). The worst one happened just before the 5th November. We were out delivering goods locally (we have our own business and less than 5 minutes walk from our house). It was fairly early on in the evening, about 5pm. Some young yob let off a really loud firework probably within a 100 yard range of our house. When we returned home 10 minutes later, Sadie had tried to escape out of the window and had chewed the window handle so hard it had bent. Not only that, but she tried to chew her way out through the cat-flap and ended up destroying the lower panel of our back door which is made of uPVC and was only a few months old. We live in a Council house but I do have insurance cover. When I rang them, the would not repair the back door because the damage was caused by a pet - so much for an "All Risks Policy". As it happened, the Council have now repaired the door and we have a new cat-flap fitted. Since in the 6 years we've lived in the house have never caused any damage at all, the Council have very kindly classed it as accidental damage and have not charged us for it.

On New Years Eve my son and I were watching the fireworks from the front door - it was cold so we were standing inside the door, basically still inside the house. Sadie was in the living room. In less than 2 minutes Sadie had panicked and escaped through the window again and took off. My son and his friends went looking for her but couldn't find her. About half an hour later I received a phone call from a gentleman just over a mile away who'd managed to catch her. She really has become a problem, so much so, we're afraid to go anywhere now. Everywhere we go, we take her now. Oddly enough, she's fine in the car. It's really weird the way she's acting and that coupled with her drinking more water than she should - my husband just gave her some water - we've measured it - then let her out in the back garden (it's 4.15am here) and she wee'd probably the same amount as she drank. My husband is diabetic himself (type 2) and he also thinks she may have diabetes. We won't know until our vet sees her. We're very worried about her because she is otherwise a fantastic dog and much loved member of our family.

[mara]

Could you catch a morning sample and take it to the vet for analysis? That could rule out both infection and diabetes.

[Luvmyjob]

Just curious, could the loud firecracker have been so loud that it caused hearing damage? Sudden hearing loss may have thrown your dog into a very confused state. Whether it would cause uncontrolled bladder, I don't know. Just a thought. I hope she'll be ok.

[CathyG]

We went through the same people shooting off fireworks for a month thing at our house. We put a thick layer of foam and styrofoam around our nervous dog`s crate and he retreated to that and calmed down when it got too loud for him. Giving her a little den where the noise can`t bother her might help. Good luck! Morris is a ton better now that he has his packmates not f.reaking out. He even went out and barked at the fireworks on New Years.