Post by waferswafers on Feb 17, 2017 18:21:07 GMT -5
Right, we're at our wits end with our rescue girl here. Bear with me and I'll explain the situation.
We took her on around ten weeks ago. We have since discovered (long story) that she was given up by her previous owner as his situation had changed. He used to work from home, and she was very settled with him, his other small dog, his cat and young child. Then his job situation changed, he worked away from home much more frequently, and for longer periods, and she started to suffer - she starting chewing things and he gave her up as she was clearly unhappy.
We then took her on after falling in love with her at the rescue. However, our home is very different to her previous one - we have a cat, but that's it. She was scared of going outside to go to the loo in the dark, and it's taken a lot of time to teach her that the garden isn't a bad place. Initially she was clean overnight. However, from around a week in, she's soiled on the kitchen floor overnight 2/3 of the time we've had her. We've tried quiet music, blinds pulled, ensuring her food is lifted early in the evening, lights on, lights off, being gentle with her, and going outside with her with a decent torch so she's not alone and in the dark going to the loo last thing.
It's still not really helped, and we now often let her out at around 3-5am when we get up to go to the loo ourselves, which is less than ideal. Bear in mind she can go hours in the daytime without needing the loo though.
She's peed on the floor a couple of times over the last couple of weeks, but it doesn't happen much.
Howver, yesterday she peed her bed in her sleep in the daytime, and did the same again today.
Obviously we were very worried, so we got a wee sample and took her to the vet this afternoon, after the incident (fortunately we both have this week off work). Her levels look pretty good and she doesn't appear to have cystitis.
The vet has asked us to monitor the amount of water she's drinking and has given her one 'Incurin' tablet per day, which should help with incontinence type issues. He's recommended blood tests if the problem continues.
We are CONVINCED that all her issues are because she's missing her old, happy home. She had a dog mate to keep her company all the time, to go on walks with, and something going on all the time, until the latter days. She seems fed up here much of the time - she loves her walks, but seems very quiet the rest of the time. We were gutted to start giving her meds for something which we feel is psychological. The vet pretty much poo-pooed this viewpoint though, and said it's better to do various tests.
We are close to contacting the rescue centre to give her back with strict advice about future homes for her, and give her the chance to be much happier at a different home with adults who are around during the daytime, and with other dog(s) to keep her company. We honestly feel this security would help her to feel confident enough not to have accidents overnight, or bed wetting in the daytime.
It breaks our hearts to do this - we had a greyhound previously who we had for a few years and sadly lost to cancer. We know what they're like, and how quirky they can be. Ultimately, we're not convinced the rescue should have given us a dog which was used to the company of other dogs, and basically ignored the fact we're at work 3 weekdays a week (my cousin lets her out at lunchtimes when we're working) and that the very reason her previous owner gave her up was because she wasn't coping with him not being around much.
Any thoughts or recommendations? Any advice potentially appreciated...
We took her on around ten weeks ago. We have since discovered (long story) that she was given up by her previous owner as his situation had changed. He used to work from home, and she was very settled with him, his other small dog, his cat and young child. Then his job situation changed, he worked away from home much more frequently, and for longer periods, and she started to suffer - she starting chewing things and he gave her up as she was clearly unhappy.
We then took her on after falling in love with her at the rescue. However, our home is very different to her previous one - we have a cat, but that's it. She was scared of going outside to go to the loo in the dark, and it's taken a lot of time to teach her that the garden isn't a bad place. Initially she was clean overnight. However, from around a week in, she's soiled on the kitchen floor overnight 2/3 of the time we've had her. We've tried quiet music, blinds pulled, ensuring her food is lifted early in the evening, lights on, lights off, being gentle with her, and going outside with her with a decent torch so she's not alone and in the dark going to the loo last thing.
It's still not really helped, and we now often let her out at around 3-5am when we get up to go to the loo ourselves, which is less than ideal. Bear in mind she can go hours in the daytime without needing the loo though.
She's peed on the floor a couple of times over the last couple of weeks, but it doesn't happen much.
Howver, yesterday she peed her bed in her sleep in the daytime, and did the same again today.
Obviously we were very worried, so we got a wee sample and took her to the vet this afternoon, after the incident (fortunately we both have this week off work). Her levels look pretty good and she doesn't appear to have cystitis.
The vet has asked us to monitor the amount of water she's drinking and has given her one 'Incurin' tablet per day, which should help with incontinence type issues. He's recommended blood tests if the problem continues.
We are CONVINCED that all her issues are because she's missing her old, happy home. She had a dog mate to keep her company all the time, to go on walks with, and something going on all the time, until the latter days. She seems fed up here much of the time - she loves her walks, but seems very quiet the rest of the time. We were gutted to start giving her meds for something which we feel is psychological. The vet pretty much poo-pooed this viewpoint though, and said it's better to do various tests.
We are close to contacting the rescue centre to give her back with strict advice about future homes for her, and give her the chance to be much happier at a different home with adults who are around during the daytime, and with other dog(s) to keep her company. We honestly feel this security would help her to feel confident enough not to have accidents overnight, or bed wetting in the daytime.
It breaks our hearts to do this - we had a greyhound previously who we had for a few years and sadly lost to cancer. We know what they're like, and how quirky they can be. Ultimately, we're not convinced the rescue should have given us a dog which was used to the company of other dogs, and basically ignored the fact we're at work 3 weekdays a week (my cousin lets her out at lunchtimes when we're working) and that the very reason her previous owner gave her up was because she wasn't coping with him not being around much.
Any thoughts or recommendations? Any advice potentially appreciated...
