After the winter left....Spring time was approaching. Molly turned 2 that year and she had been on the meds for some time so we were praying that she would deal better with the storms. I had read so many books and articles on thunderstorm phobias, I was ready..or at least I thought.
I remember coming home from work one day and noticed that the edge of our foyer, the frame was chewed off and eaten. I wasnt sure at first what had happened but I was seriously MAD! I suspected it to be Molly but since I wasnt home I could not say for sure. A week later I was out pet sitting and Elvie called me saying that Molly was freaking out and he didnt know how to control her. He tried going into the bedroom and blocking a gate between the living room and the hallway. Well......she dug the carpet up and chewed a big chunk of it off. I came home practically ready to cry!
I talked to the vet and she suggested giving her a higher dose in the meds and if they didnt work, that we would have to move onto a stronger drug like Prozac. We dealt with many more storms and may more nights of me staying up all night with her. I used the acepramazine a lot that year. I tried to time it and give it to her at least a hour before. I hated using that drug but it seemed to help her although I knew deep down that it wasnt really helping her get over her fears. I was busy between work and pet sitting and I know that there was a lot of guilt on my end that I wasnt working with her enough and I was taking the easy route out by just mildly sedating her. I know that my husband was frazzled and a few people told me that I should just put her down but it wasnt the right thing to do..in my heart.
I tried to take her on walks before storms would come to see if getting her well exercised would help her with the fear. Sometimes she would freak out and it wasnt even thundering...but at least I could not hear it....it was possibly miles away and dogs can feel the barometric pressure and we cannot.
It seemed nothing really worked log term. I tried rescue remedy and supplements. You name it, I tried it......
On top of the storms, I was still having trouble with grooming her. She hated it and I hated doing it. She just had to have the really thick coat that needed trimming at least 1x a month. It was exhausting for us both. A few times I tried taking her to my friends grooming shop to see if it was just her being in the house that caused her to freak out but it was even worse taking her somewhere else so I didnt try that again.
I noticed one day that she was limping on her back leg...and I worried that maybe her hip was giving her trouble. I talked to the vet again and we put her on some anti- inflammatory meds. I also gave her a joint supplement. She may not have like the grooming because it was uncomfortable for her to be on the table and to be moved around. I would have to think about an alternative for her.
I was still determined that we would get past all this.... I am an optimist and so I only think of positive thoughts on almost everything but Molly seemed to make me have a hard time thinking that way, too bad dogs cant talk.....
Here are a few pics after a grooming....She was happy once it was all over
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