Is the OCD everywhere?

[airial95]

Thought I'd post an amusing anecdote from our weekend to start everyone's Monday off a little lighter.

 

We have 2 dogs in our house, a bosten terrier/black lab/boxer mix, and a pure bred boxer we got from rescue. They are truly a integrated part of our family, and as such are considered our oldest "children". They're getting older (11 and 9), and as such, we've been starting to see some of the health issues associated with their declining age. Our boxer however, has been getting just plain weird lately - considering you could never really call her a "normal" dog, that's saying ALOT!

 

She's been having accidents in the house periodically again, seems to startle easily, barks for hours at our next door neighbor when we're not home (something she's never really done before to people she knows), getst aggressive if you're a man and you sit at the barstools in the kitchen. But the strangest (and most disruptive) thing has been over the last 2 months, she has created this bedtime "ritual". They both sleep in our bed, but lately, she won't come up unless she's "invited". As time has passed, the invitation must be sufficiently enthusiastic to tempt her to join us. If she doesn't come up, she stands at the bed side - in your face - and whines, nonstop, until she gets the invitation with the required enthusiasm. (A hidden camera in our bedroom in the middle of the night when we're going through these shenannigans would be YouTube gold!!)

 

We started to wonder if maybe dogs suffer from dimentia and she was just sort of losing her mind to old age. Being veteran PANDAS parents now, we immediately set off to google her symptoms and "Dimentia in Dogs".

 

Her symptoms all seem to match one particular canine mental disorder - OCD.

 

Seriously!!!! Is there something in the water around here? It's bad enough I'm mild OCD, it's even worse that my son's PANDAS OCD has us always on edge - now you want me to believe that my DOG is OCD???

 

We had a good laugh about it, until we realized that unfortunately, it's probably all too true...

[kimballot]

Have you checked her for strep? (seriously)... frequent urination, irritable, and OCD... I'd check.

[P_Mom]

This dog is getting old........it may have aches and pains, arthritis, or an "unseen" injury, etc. that prevent it from jumping up easily.........only going for it when enthusiastically coaxed. It may cease coming up altogether in time no matter how much bribing. Maybe.....

[airial95]

We haven't checked her for strep - but her behavior is becoming erratic enough that we have called the vet and will likely take her in later this week.

 

P.Mom - that was our first thought as well, but she still jumps on the sofas with no hesitation, and has even been known to jump up on my daughter's bed (which is a half height bunk bed!!). The only time we see this behavior is at night, when we go to bed.

 

I still think that she's just getting quriky in her old age...but be couldn't help but laugh when we saw that her symptoms pointed to doggie OCD!

[tpotter]

That is so funny. We have constantly joked that we think our dog has PANDAS (Puppy Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric....) He was treated for strep when we first got him, per our neurologist's suggestion to the vet, who actually asked her if he should do it. Actually, maybe we should call it: DANDAS (Dog Autoimmune....)

[thereishope]

This article just popped up on my facebook and I thought of you....

 

When Puppies Need Therapy: Meet the Pet Psychologists

 

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2079795,00.html#ixzz1QVkzQzVF

[SarahJane]

My husband had a dog when we got married. I'd just graduated college & changed cities & it took a few months for me to find a job. The dog got used to me being home. When I did start working, she starting licking a place on her arm raw. EEK! The vet recommended some sort of anti-anxiety drug or acupuncture or another dog to keep her company. That's how we ended up with 2 dogs back then since we got our dog a puppy. They were sisters from different litters, & both had their own unique psychoses.

[beeskneesmommy]

Veteran dog parent here - never had a "normal" one. I think some breeds are particularly proned. We have always had herding dogs. Very controlling, ritualistic, must circle exactly 3, not 4, but 3 times before lying down to bed and, well obsessive concerns about the poop in the cat box. Need I say more? Ceaser-the-dog-whisperer...help! Thanks for the thread. This worn out mom needed a chuckle!

[tiffany_v]

Thank you for posting this! I needed a laugh today!

[mkur]

We have a lab - definitely OCD about playing fetch and has separation anxiety - always having to sit next to you or on your feet - will knock down fences to be with people - escape artist.

[Priscilla]

interesting. My little dog too has OCD with licking.... he will lick the pillow, couch, bed..... incessantly, very obvious OCD like behaviour. I have actually wondered how many families on here have pets with OCD. I also had my older dog die in 2008 which had severe joint pain, occasional seizures, and progressive aggression into his last year. I worked as a Registered Veterinary Techician for over 10 years and saw ALOT of unexplained neurological deterioration in dogs. My daughter has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, and has improved dramatically with treatment. Dogs are known to contract and carry lyme disease, probably more acceptable of a diagnosis in dogs than in humans. While this was started to humor us, I think it is VERY significant!!!! and it would be interesting to know how many other of these children are exposed to pets that also show these behaviors.