# Emotional state and health problems?



## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

Let me start this off with a little background info. My 6 year old, spayed, female aussie has always had SEVERE fear and anxiety. She is afraid of life itself and never can relax. In the past year and a half, she had three different FHO surgeries for her severe hip dysplasia. (now here comes the problem) She never fully recovered from the FHOs. Her muscle never came back, she still has pain, she has little control of her rear legs, etc. Ever since then, her coat has been DULL. She use to have a thick, glossy, and soft coat. She also developed some kind of vaginal irritation that we have been battling for about 4 months now with no success. 
She just doesn't seem as healthy as she use to be and I cannot figure out why. The only thing that I can figure is her emotional state is finally taking its toll on her. 
Any suggestions? She eats raw, and hasnt been vaccinated in about three years(with the exception of a three year rabies about a year ago). She also gets regular fish oil and monthly baths in a natural/organic shampoo, along with regular brushing with a pin brush and greyhound comb.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

For her emotional state and exercise have you thought about water therapy? My female who my vet suggested have surgery for her luxating patella had done 2 years of water therapy along with tripe/trachea which has chondroiton in it now doesn't need the surgery as she has built up that muscle to stabilize her patella from luxating. But it is great for the mind of dogs that have problems and can't walk.


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

we did 'water therapy' at my work(which was where she had the surgeries done), but all they had was a pool. I told them it wasn't going to work because she just swims with her front legs, but they swore up and down that I was just doing it wrong. My old work/vet has a water treadmill, and I was going to take her there until I hit a financial problem and couldnt afford it(around 150$ a week). I also could not get her there, working 10 hour days I got to work in the morning and left at night before they opened and after they closed. I hate to think that I kept her from healing correctly. 
I do still take her swimming whenever I can. She can walk/run just not very well. She falls and slips often, which causes her pain. It is hard to take her anywhere though, because of her anxiety. She will shut down if I am not careful.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

What Whiteloe said, water therapy is great and soothing. Massage might also be a calming and restorative influence. Tellington Touch has done wonders for a lot of dogs but the water thereapy would start rebuilding her muscle tone.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

There are places that cater to dogs needing water therapy and massage only! Very tranquil, my female wouldn't swim using her hind end either but her therapist had a way of holding and touching her to make her use it. This is the place I took my dog and it wasn't associated with a surgery center.

Lap of Luxury | Canine Warm Water Therapy maybe there is something out there that is similar where you are, with therapist who know what they are doing.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

Check out t-touch and essential oil therapy. I had good results with st. johns wort, in humans its used to treat mild depression, but in dogs it helps with anxiety and aggression. I'd start out with a low dose and wouldnt give more then couple times a week since it can made the dog a bit too subdued. It can also cause eye sensitivity if used long term, so I would do more research on it.


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## Roo (Oct 17, 2010)

I like doing EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) on my dogs or myself for emotional or physical stuff, it works really well. There's also Healing touch, which I think is similar to TTouch and Reiki. I've also had some good results with Rescue Remedy and I've known a couple of people who've had good results using Thundershirts for anxiety.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Poor pup, I really feel for her. Do you have a beach anywhere local where you could take her and just walk her slowly in water, say up to her waist? If you could do that for 1/2 an hour each day, it may help strengthen her muscles. Just a thought...


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

No, no beach. Alabama isnt very dog friendly, so I am limited as to where I can take her. I am currently on the lookout for places with water.

Thank you for all the suggestions. I want to try and get an above ground pool if I can find one small enough. I think that would be the easiest and most cost efficient way of helping her. 

I have tried rescue remedy with no luck, and many prescription drugs with very bad results. She reacts badly to medications and will either fight through them, or turn very aggressive. She fought through ace during her surgeries like a mad woman, tried to attack everything that passed her cage. 

I have been looking into massage and acupuncture. Also oil therapy and other natural remedies. At this moment, my money is extremely limited, so I cannot do anything. Soon, I hope to have a better job that actually pays me enough to live. Once that happens I plan on taking her to a holistic vet that I found. She is about an hour away, but I used her way back for acupuncture on my foster dog. I liked her and have heard many good things about her. 

I have also been considering the thundershirt. I havent made a decision on it yet, so I am just going to wait until I can take her to the vet. She is not a fan of having things on her and tends to shred fabrics into little bitty pieces.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Perhaps something didn't heal right from the surgeries. Something like ligaments or tendons.


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## RiverRun (Jun 29, 2011)

RawFedDogs said:


> Perhaps something didn't heal right from the surgeries. Something like ligaments or tendons.


 I honestly would not doubt it. The reason she had three FHOs was because my boss originally messed the first one up and had to redo it. I also took her to my old work for an x-ray after she continued to have pain and they found a bone shard. I intended to show it the my boss(the one who did the surgery) but the digital x-ray would not work for them(i guess it did not burn onto the cd correctly). They went ahead and did x-ray themselves, but there was no shard in sight. Of course, they thought I was lying about it and were upset because I had taken her to another vet(my boss and I did NOT get along, especially after these FHOs were done). After that, anytime I suggested that there may be something else wrong, they always reassured me that THEY did nothing wrong and it was just the 'crap' that I feed her and something I was not doing right. They were bound and determined that any illness in my animals was because of their diet. 
At that time, I made the decision that there would not be anymore surgeries and I would only look into natural methods to help ease her pain. I have become so fed-up with traditional vets, that I refuse to listen to a word they say.


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