A greyhound with mourning & developing anxiety

[rebeccaawalker]

Hi everyone, 

I hope you're all well?

We lost our boy, Blue, just over 2 weeks ago to seizures. As you all know, it's heartbreaking and we've been in crippling pain since, but that's the outcome of having dogs in our lives. 

Blue came to us with a WHOLE HOST of health issues which we were never informed about by the rescue (luckily we got him insured the day we adopted him so all medical conditions were covered) and we've spent so much time at the vets with him over the course of 4 years with lots of overnight stays. With that in mind, our girl, Midge, was always used to him going away for a few days - but he ALWAYS came home... 

This time, he hasn't. 

So after a week of being the center of attention/cat's got the cream/lady of the household, she's realised he's not coming home and now she's displaying clear signs of anxiety. Lots of excessive licking, lots of trembling, lots of cowering in our arms, lots of vocal crying and being extremely clingy. She won't play, not eating as much food and follows us everywhere. 

I took her to the vets on Thursday for a full health check and our vet signed her off with a clean bill of health and said it could very possibly be mourning or could be the excessively warm weather and to give her a bit longer and see how she gets on. It's started to cool down and she's still the same. 

Is there anything we can do to positively help her? I don't want to he to get too dependent on us that we can never leave her for a few hours again (she's currently curled up by my desk with me at work) as she's always been such an independent girl and the dominant bitch between the two of them. Definitely the pack leader. We're trying to hold off getting another dog for a while.

 - One, because Blue crippled my credit card with pet ambulances, time off work, traveling to see specialists, taxis to and from work during the day to make sure he was ok (his medical care was covered but there's so much more to a chronically ill hound) 
 - and Two, because, my heart simply can't take another dog right now. We've lost 2 greys in the space of 12 months and it's taking alot to get over.

If the only thing that will help her is a new dog, then that's what we'll do - but I want to try other things first....

Sorry for the essay. 

Lots of love, 
Rebecca, Joel and our brindle greyhound, Midge x

[gvgeam]

Hi, so sorry about Blue - it's heartbreaking when they have to leave us.x

I've not got advice I'm afraid, as the only time I lost a dog, the survivor was old himself and didn't seem to notice he was suddenly alone  . I hope Midge comes to terms with being without Blue, but as you say, the best way to help her may well be another companion.

[rebeccaawalker]

Thanks, Hun. I really don't know what to do for her though... she's currently sate crying behind me on the sofa whilst my partner is having a bath... he's only upstairs and she knows that....

My boy was so so ill for so so long, but never made a big deal out of it. Midge is having anxiety attacks if one of us goes to the green house to water the tomatoes!

[lurcherlot]

I am quite sure dogs grieve in exactly the same way as we do Personally, I would be upset that the remaining dog was grieving, so would look for the perfect companion. I have a multi dog household so have not been left with just one dog, but I am a softie and believe everyone, including all animals, should have a companion - I think a pair would be far happier, would keep each other company and wouldn't fret when your partner has a bath or goes to water the tomatoes.

[rebeccaawalker]

Jun 6, 2017 4:06:44 GMT -5 lurcherlot said:

I am quite sure dogs grieve in exactly the same way as we do Personally, I would be upset that the remaining dog was grieving, so would look for the perfect companion. I have a multi dog household so have not been left with just one dog, but I am a softie and believe everyone, including all animals, should have a companion - I think a pair would be far happier, would keep each other company and wouldn't fret when your partner has a bath or goes to water the tomatoes.

Trust me - if that's the only answer, we will most certainly look for another dog. But right now, we need to be able to afford to look after two dogs properly, and we've got ourselves into a bit of a pickle with money which we need some time to sort out, and there's a lot of investment needed in a new dog to begin with. We want to do it properly and not rush. 

It just breaks my heart. We've always been a multi-dog household too, but we've got to think practically and responsibly...   

[henpecked]

Sorry you lost your boy, I know how awful it is. Not expert at all on grieving dogs but just a thought, would a thunder shirt give her some comfort? Or wearing  a tee shirt belonging to one of you ? Also some people use calming plug in things, sorry never used but someone on here will know. Hope it works out, maybe she just needs time to grieve, as people do. x  x  x  x  x

[lurcherlot]

Jun 6, 2017 4:57:20 GMT -5 rebeccaawalker said:

Jun 6, 2017 4:06:44 GMT -5 lurcherlot said:

I am quite sure dogs grieve in exactly the same way as we do Personally, I would be upset that the remaining dog was grieving, so would look for the perfect companion. I have a multi dog household so have not been left with just one dog, but I am a softie and believe everyone, including all animals, should have a companion - I think a pair would be far happier, would keep each other company and wouldn't fret when your partner has a bath or goes to water the tomatoes.

Trust me - if that's the only answer, we will most certainly look for another dog. But right now, we need to be able to afford to look after two dogs properly, and we've got ourselves into a bit of a pickle with money which we need some time to sort out, and there's a lot of investment needed in a new dog to begin with. We want to do it properly and not rush. 

It just breaks my heart. We've always been a multi-dog household too, but we've got to think practically and responsibly...   

You obviously have to do the right thing for yourselves from the financial point of view.

[ragsysmum]

Maybe you could foster so the only expense would be feeding.

[vickyb]

I hope things are settling down a bit . We lost Bod to epilepsy in April. Much to our surprise Gracie, who is 11 1/2,  very secure and chilled was very unhappy. She was with us at the vets so knew. So he left us on the wed and although I felt exactly like you, totally burnt out and as if I never wanted to adopt again we collected Barney on the sunday! It has turned out to be the best thing we could have done. They get on brilliantly and the distraction of another one has really helped us. I've finally stopped seeing Bod having a fit every time one of them twitches in their sleep. Barney is 9 and came from a home who could no longer keep him so he had been returned to kennels and been there a month. They didn't expect him to find a home  He's been a lone dog which is quite sad as he's loving having a sister, he gets so much from her and her from him that I that I realise it would have been unfair to expect her to be an only dog. 

Given that finances are an understandable issue I think Sue's idea of a foster is really good, would that be a possibility?