# Mental issues with old border collie



## angelabarber (Jan 31, 2013)

Hi I have 12 year border collie bitch who has suddenly got spooked. 

I lost her for 2 hours on sunday and she'd been hiding all the time in a corner of the garden. When she finally came in the house she was trembling and panting very hard. 

This is still happening but now she will not sit still and prefers to hide anywhere in the house and will not come out until I get her out. She cowers away from us and behaves as if she has been naughty, she just acts like she doesnt know us or wants to know us. For some reason she will not go outside either so I have to drag her on her lead to start with.

I have taken her to the vets twice this week as she also limps now and again but apparently there is nothing wrong with it she just limps when someone new comes to the house!! The vet has said she is very stressed and might be tramuatised, he has given her zylkene which may help her but may also not. 

Please does anyone have any advice? This is really concerning me as this is not like her! any advice warmly welcome. Thank you in advance.


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## Bagrat (Jun 4, 2012)

So sorry you have this to cope with. I do hope it is something that responds to medication. Is the vet thinking it is doggy dementia coming on? We had good results with Zylkene for a young stressed dog. I have no advice apart from keeping everything the same as usual and trying to be relaxed yourself. Didn't want to just read and run. There are lots of knowledgeable folk on here who may have things you can suggest to your vet like blood tests etc to rule out other problems. Do hope things improve.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

angelabarber said:


> Hi I have 12 year border collie bitch who has suddenly got spooked.
> 
> I lost her for 2 hours on sunday and she'd been hiding all the time in a corner of the garden. When she finally came in the house she was trembling and panting very hard.
> 
> ...


It does sound like something has badly spooked her or somethings happened medically even. Is she in good health apart from this?

Old dogs can begin to suffer from something called cognitive dysfunction syndrome if they do start to be affected by it they can become very confused other things much like older humans.

Often signs of CDS are things like, not being so responisve to their name or owners or commands, some go the other way and become clingy. Often they sleep longer and sound more during the day and are pacing and awake more at night. They can want to go out in the garden and then stand there looking like they havent a clue why they are out there. Some will walk into corners and cant figure out how to get out again too. Some get loss of house training. Barking at things or being unsure of things when there is seemingly nothing there is another.

If she has been exhibiting signs like this too its possible. There are things that you can get to help like aktivait which is a neutraceutical to help optimum brain function in old dogs You can get from vets or at online vet pharmacies, several members have had great results and its helped with their dogs.

http://www.vetplus.co.uk/PDF/LEAF/aktivait_leaflet.pdf

There are other vterinary only products like vivitonin and others too but a few members have said aktivait has worked better still.

There is another condition called hypothyroid that I have had several dogs have when they got into double figures this too can have many different physical signs or it can effect behaviour and even be a cause of seizures. This though has to be diagnosed with a specific thyroid function blood test and with thyroid hormone replacement tablets they are usually fine, for more on that.

Are your dogs seizures caused by Canine Epilepsy or Autoimmune Thyroiditis?

Behavioral changes associated with thyroid dysfunction in dogs.

Clinical Signs of Canine Hypothyroidism

Sometimes too in older dogs, underlying physical conditions and changes can effect behaviour too like liver problems. The only way that you can tell if they are fit and healthy too and organs are working is to have blood tests.

It could well be that something has really spooked her and people have good results with zylkene in times of stress an anxiety, and she may well calm down again, but if you suspect that something else may be unerlying probably better to get some tests done.


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## Twiggy (Jun 24, 2010)

I'm really sorry your old collie is so stressed.

It does sound like old age dementia and the behaviour you describe is the sort of thing a stressed and frightened collie would do.

I have my 14.1/2 yr old collie on Aktivait but it does take a while to work.

I think this might be better in your dog's case:

*Senilife Capules for Senior Cats and Dogs *

You can purchase it from any of the online chemists - VetUK for instance.


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## lemmsy (May 12, 2008)

Did the vets do a full blood panel test?
What exactly did they check for?


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## juliahirons (Feb 10, 2013)

I have a 9 year old male bc who exhibited similar behaviour following a thunderstorm 5 years ago prior to the storm he was fine. From being a calm normal bc he became frightened of most noises. I tried various potions from the vet, including zylkene, which was totally ineffective and a high dosage of xanac, which was very effective but I was not happy with him being permanently tranquilised.

Now 5 years on he still has his "moments" but after a lot of patience he is virtually back to his old selfbut we have to be careful with storms, wind, and RAF tornadoes, which obviously sound like thunder.

I would leave all the doors open and watched to see which room he was most comfortable in, which turned out to be the bathroom, and in fact he was happiest sitting in the bath! So each time he got frightened or started to shake, I would take him to the bath with one or two of his favourite toys, shut the bathroom door and stroke him to try and calm him down. Initially he would jump in and out of the bath and attempt to pay at the taps when scared, but grandually he started to associate with his toys and would lay down in the bath next to his favourite toy. I took him off of Xanac but put him on to the human Kalms, 2 tablets twice a day for a week. 

At one point it was so bad that he would shake and become frantic if it was cloudy as he associated the clouds with the storm! Every time it was due to rain I would give him Kalms, 2 tablets up to three times a day. I have spent many nights sitting with him in the bathroom when he was frightened and gradually started to leave the door open and sit in the next room with the door open so he could see me. Gradually he regained his confidence and now if he does get scared he runs up to the bathroom grabs and toy and lays down int he bath. This has got progressively less and less.

I still use xanac if there is a very bad storm but this is rare.

I think you dog has lost her confidence and you need to start by regaining her trust.

It can be remedied but needs perserverence. Good luck


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