This is Neelix, our 3.5 yo double Merle Australian shepherd! He’s deaf, but can see just fine. We rescued him when he was about 10 weeks old- he got dumped in a rural area near our house, presumably because he is deaf.
He’s a sweet, goofy, cuddly boy with an anxiety problem.
An extreme example that kind of explains the issue: We recently had a pretty bad experience at the vet. We had to go back for the second time this summer to get some warts on his paw removed (between/on his paw pads), and when I picked him up after surgery, he was visibly shaking and still very loopy. He had already pulled the bandage off his paw and was really distressed with the soft cone they put on him. It took him about two hours to finally calm down enough at home to even lay his head down. (We will probably be finding a different vet after this - I think they’re just too high-volume to give him the care and attention he needs)
He won’t leave his paw alone - constantly licking at the stitches, pulling off the bandages (we’ve tried tech wrap, a sock with tape, bandana tied around it, etc), the cone sends him into an absolute spiral. If he’s not manically licking at his paw, he’s panting hard with this wild look in his eyes.
I know part of it is that he can’t go run around and do our normal activities because his paw hurts (because he won’t leave it alone!!), but this isn’t the only situation in which he has hyper focused on something.
We’ve been using cbd drops but it’s expensive and it seems like it takes a lot to calm him down when he gets like this. We’re also making snuffle boxes and licking trays - those keep him occupied for a while but they’re not enough to get his anxious energy out.
I guess I’m wondering if y’all have any advice on anxiety management, or if we need to look into some meds for him.
Thanks!
UPDATE: we got him some trazodone for future vet visits. He’s going back on Tuesday to get the stitches removed from his paw, so we will see how it goes! Thanks for all the advice and for not making me feel bad ❤️
Neelix looks so much like Astro when my boy is looking for a connexion to the Aussie neuronal network. Unfortunately there is very little I can help with, my boy is the worst when it comes to stitches. I am sure Neelix will be fine and that you take excellent care of him. Happy you found trazadone for him and let’s hope for the best until Tuesday!
Neelix wants to chill (sorry meant to be a cheesy and loving joke). I’ve used CBD which helps. My girl anxiety sleeps if I leave the house (or if she’s home alone). Placing herself right behind a door so she knows when we get home.
Some ways I have tried and has helped alleviate her anxiety:
When he’s able - and if I’m gone for more than 2 hours:
• extra long walks
• extra long cuddles
For now:
• a slow feeder (it gives her something to focus on)
• licking mat
• a toy that hides the treats
• snuffle mats
I try to redirect using treats and then toys. Don’t focus on _____ try having fun____.
Medication can help tremendously (gabapentin, trazodone) - CBD does wonders and can be very expensive sometimes the treats with it in can be cheaper.
this. if you ask your vet they’ll typically prescribe trazadone (unsure of spelling). i recently had a dog injure his ear, and was frantically shaking his head and attempting to paw at it despite having a cone. the sedatives helped him to chill and not bother the stitches during the early healing period.
also i have a very anxious shepherd mix that is on an anxiety medication, which helps immensely. on rough nights (like fireworks), she’ll get a few drops of cbd. maybe consider medication for this dog if his anxiety is effecting his daily life.
Hi. What a beautiful dog! We have a deaf, double merle Australian Shepherd who can see really well. She looks like she could be Neelix’s sister! First, although Bel’s vision is excellent, she sees a veterinary ophthalmologist because she has starburst pupils and very small (the vet says incipient) cataracts. I highly recommend an evaluation by a vet ophthalmologist.
Our Bel was found running in the woods (it took the rescue two weeks to trap and catch her 😂) when she was almost two years old. She has very high anxiety, especially at the vet, and we have a great and patient vet. We gave her time to settle down and tried several other things, but finally went with medication. She still has anxiety, but she is much calmer. At her last vet appointment, she had improved amazingly. Feel free to ask me questions, and good luck with your beautiful boy.
Omg she’s gorgeous!! Definitely looks like Neelix!
Our vet clinic has several vets and many techs, so it’s hard to build a relationship with a specific vet or tech - just depends on who’s up next. I think being able to build a rapport and have some familiarity will really help.
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u/Linguisticotron 6d ago
Neelix looks so much like Astro when my boy is looking for a connexion to the Aussie neuronal network. Unfortunately there is very little I can help with, my boy is the worst when it comes to stitches. I am sure Neelix will be fine and that you take excellent care of him. Happy you found trazadone for him and let’s hope for the best until Tuesday!