Part 3: The Other Half of the Story
While we were making progress with Peaches' allergies, we were also working through a challenge that wasn't medical.
Peaches was afraid.
She was especially uncomfortable around men and could become reactive when she felt threatened. Veterinary visits could be stressful. Visitors to the home could be stressful. Even situations that seemed routine to most dogs could feel overwhelming to her.
Helping Peaches feel safer was important for her quality of life. We wanted her to live a less stressful life. It was also important because dogs need veterinary care, and Peaches needed a lot of it. A dog who is terrified of every visit can't receive that care as easily.
Just like her allergies, this wasn't something that was going to improve overnight.
Fortunately, her owner recognized that early. From the beginning, she worked with a trainer who had special training in dogs like Peaches and who made home visits.
The trainer focused on positive reinforcement based training only, which is particularly important for scared dogs. The goal wasn't to force Peaches into situations that scared her. The goal was to help her slowly learn that not every new person, place, or experience was a threat, and to help her build her confidence.
Progress came gradually. Some days were better than others and there were setbacks along the way.
One of those setbacks occurred when a family member visited, leading to renewed concerns about Peaches' anxiety and reactivity. At that point we discussed additional options, including behavior medications and consultation with a veterinary behaviorist [American College of Veterinary Behaviorists], and strategies for safely managing visits from family and guests.
Like allergy medications, behavior medications aren't magic. They don't change a dog's personality. They don't erase past experiences. What they can do is reduce anxiety enough that training and behavior modification have a better chance to succeed. It's hard to learn when you are frightened, and the medications help with that.
We started Peaches on fluoxetine and developed a plan for managing situations that were likely to trigger anxiety. Trazodone and gabapentin were used for specific events when additional support was needed.
Just as importantly, her owner continued working with her trainer. Over time, things slowly improved. Peaches never became the dog who wanted to greet every stranger she met. That was never the goal.
The goal was for her to feel safe enough to live her life without fear controlling every decision.
Today, she still has her moments. Many dogs with a history like hers always will. But she can come to the veterinary clinic and get the care she needs. She handles situations that once would have been much more difficult.
Recently, we observed her when she entered the lobby when a man was standing at the front desk - a situation that would once have been extremely stressful for Peaches—and she handled it well. She didn’t run up to say hello, but she simply went about her business. That may not sound like a big accomplishment. For Peaches, it is.
Just as we learned that controlling her allergies would take a combination of treatments, we learned that helping her feel safe would require patience, training, consistency, and time. In our next post, we'll return to Peaches' allergies and talk about the long process of finding the combination of treatments that finally worked best for her.
Continue Peaches Story in Part 4: Finding What Worked.
About the Author: Dr. Denise Melton is the owner and veterinarian at Tamberly Animal Hospital in Milton, GA. Learn more about Dr. Melton here.
Related Reading:
- 10 Tips for Successful Puppy Socialization
- Fear and Fear-related Aggression in Dogs - Veterinary Partner - VIN
- Using Medication to Lower Veterinary Visit Stress in Dogs and Cats - Veterinary Partner - VIN
- Common Myths About a Dog's Body Language - Veterinary Partner - VIN
- Cornell University: Anxious behavior: How to help your dog cope with unsettling situations
- Murphy’s Story: FIP Treatment Journey