Night time separation anxiety (canine)

RE: Night time separation anxiety (canine)

Sara Ramsey — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 16:04:58 GMT

Thanks reading and the replies. Good point about the eyes.

RE: Night time separation anxiety (canine)

Mark Holmes — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 06:48:35 GMT

[quote userid="3169" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31127/night-time-separation-anxiety-canine/246483#246483"]To be clear I've never had a clinically normal dog show any signs of improvement on an analgesia trial on the advice of a behaviourist. That's the myth I am calling.[/quote]

That’s reasonable. Although a dog who paced and falls asleep standing doesn’t sound clinically normal. I have started considering eyesight in dogs with night time anxiety. He could also be avoiding certain postures.

Cocker Spaniels can be prone to disc lesions. Often in the neck. I think I would be getting some survey images. Also if you can get some video of him moving at home (plenty, different views, times and circumstances) that would be useful.

Dogs can be too full of adrenaline and cortisol to give you a reliable pain response at the practice. I used to use a behaviourist who had the time to do home visits. She was very perceptive and might say a dog’s gait was off or that he seemed uncomfortable in his movement somewhere. It wasn’t always perceptible at the clinic when the dog was anxious and wired about the visit. If Joanne said she felt the dog was painful she was rarely wrong and I would be concerned I simply hadn’t found it. The lesion in the dog’s pelvis required an MRI. Another dog had partially separated its sacroiliac joint - again established on MRI. Both highly anxious at the practice and not showing the gait shift detectable in a more relaxed environment.

So I would agree - clinically normal dogs rarely have a pain issue but there is clinically normal at home, relaxed, with people they know and away from the Vet and clinically normal stressed anxious and being poked by a stranger, full of nature’s analgesics and masking.

RE: Night time separation anxiety (canine)

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 01:17:20 GMT

[quote userid="7232" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31127/night-time-separation-anxiety-canine/246482#246482"]I could provide you with histories of any number of dogs where it was definitely pain related. [/quote]

Sorry - I'm not saying dogs don't get painful conditions and that may affect their ability to rest

[quote userid="7232" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31127/night-time-separation-anxiety-canine/246482#246482"]I have dogs with horrendous hips, one had a cyst in its pelvis (required MRI). Some with spinal issues, another - otitis media. [/quote]

These are all diagnosable on a clinical exam - at very least that the animal has signs of discomfort that require investigation. Brave dogs can be as much as a twitch or tense when you press on the hips, but you know it hurts.

To be clear I've never had a clinically normal dog show any signs of improvement on an analgesia trial on the advice of a behaviourist. That's the myth I am calling.

RE: Night time separation anxiety (canine)

Mark Holmes — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:42:26 GMT

[quote userid="3169" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31127/night-time-separation-anxiety-canine/246481#246481"]It's never pain. Ever. Another behaviourist idea with no substantiation.[/quote]

I could provide you with histories of any number of dogs where it was definitely pain related. Unfortunately a 2 week pain trial is no way near long enough. It can require 2-3 months

I have dogs with horrendous hips, one had a cyst in its pelvis (required MRI). Some with spinal issues, another - otitis media.

The issue is it’s far more complex than simply expecting analgesia will turn them into different dogs. Over a period of time there is often improvement but it’s not an overnight fix.

Pain is most definitely an issue in a large number of reactive or anxious dogs providing you spend enough time looking and continue with analgesia for a sufficient length of time.

[quote userid="7002" url="~/f/clinical-questions/31127/night-time-separation-anxiety-canine"]

I wondered if anyone might have some advice

[/quote]

Get his eyesight checked. PRA is a possibility and in the early stages they will present with night blindness and anxiety Imagine going acutely blind every time someone turns out the lights.

RE: Night time separation anxiety (canine)

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 23:07:22 GMT

Another case the behaviourists can't fix (you wouldn't keep sending ortho referrals to someone if everything remained broken).

It's never pain. Ever. Another behaviourist idea with no substantiation.

You have four options, but I would only go with one of the first two, or number four as a last resort.

1. let the dog sleep on the owner's bed. It's not harming anyone, what is the valid reason!?

2. rehome the dog somewhere where the dog can either sleep on the owners bed or sleep in a kennel so far away it can't get a reaction and hope it settles

3. medicate all personality out of the poor animal.

4. put to sleep

The behaviourists can't fix this dog and medication, long term, feels ethically wrong to me (when we have a solution of unmedicated happy dog when close to owner). A dead dog doesn't suffer.