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Hello all! I need some serious advice! I have a 6 year old male husky mix who has recently developed major anxiety. It's not separation anxiety because he has these attacks even when I'm home. All of a sudden he will start to pant uncontrollably, follow me everywhere, and now he's started to pee and poop in the house. I have 3 other huskies also. He has never had a history of these attacks until about a month and a half ago. The attacks were so bad one weekend that I was afraid he was going to give himself a heart attack so off to the vet we went. They ruled out anything physical and put him on 40 mg of Prozac a day. He has now been on the meds for 5 full weeks. He had been doing great and I narrowed a couple of attacks down to lawn mowers.....but yesterday afternoon and yet today he has been having anxiety attacks with no lawn mowers to be heard in the neighborhood. Does anyone have any advice for me? He is the best dog in the world and I'm willing to work with him and do anything for him to help him. I hate to see him this way. As I speak he is laying next to me snoozing away like normal! But when I get up to leave the room he's right behind me. I do not baby him when he is like this so as to not encourage it but it's very distressing to me and I'm sure he can sense this. Please if anyone has any advice to help me and my "son" I would greatly appreciate it!

I would strongly suspect a health problem. Have the veterinarian check him thoroughly.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

The doctor did do a full work-up on him and he came back fine. What are you thinking, suspecting so that maybe I could go in with that in mind?

>>The doctor did do a full work-up on him and he came back fine. What are you thinking, suspecting so that maybe I could go in with that in mind?

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Unfortunately, sometimes things don't show until they are more severe. I had a dog who showed no symptoms and the veterinarian examined him carefully in May, and in October his spleen ruptured, apparently--after they got in for surgery, they saw this--for the second time. It had just not been diagonable those months earlier. It wasn't malignant (cancer), either. Removing his spleen restored him to great health.

Watch your dog very carefully, including movement, eating, drinking, stools, and all aspects of behavior. Try daily brushing or combing, to get closer. This is a good way to catch symptoms in time for your veterinarian to help the most.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

I, too, would suspect some medical reason. Dogs are often more able to detect subtle signals - within their bodies or within the bodies of their owners. What came to my mind was perhaps some sort of seizure - not a grand mal, but a petite mal sort of thing. I know they feel insecure and act clingy after having a seizure.

I would investigate further.

He is back at the doctor today to do a full urology work-up. I thought they had done this already at one of the previous 3 visits he's been to in the last 6 weeks - but NOPE! So he is there getting that checked out because I noticed yesterday afternoon that he had some problems urinating, only drops came out and right afterwards he had an anxiety attack. So I'm hoping that that is what it is and we start on the road to wellness again! I'll keep you guys posted!

Here's hoping an antibiotic can make it all well!

Yep, he has a wicked bladder infection and a section of his bladder wall is really inflammed. He was anxious last night when he got home from the doctor but eventually he layed down and slept through the night! So hopefully this is the reason for his attacks. Here's to two weeks on antibiotics and pain meds!

I'm glad it's "fixable." Hope he's feeling better soon!

>>Yep, he has a wicked bladder infection and a section of his bladder wall is really inflammed. He was anxious last night when he got home from the doctor but eventually he layed down and slept through the night! So hopefully this is the reason for his attacks. Here's to two weeks on antibiotics and pain meds!

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Two weeks is highly unlikely to be enough. Have him retested at that point, and continue antibiotics if indicated. You want to get him fully over this.

Also, if he is not neutered, that will be important to do at the right time.

I had a dog once with a urinary tract infection and a really great veterinarian. He retested her urine I think 6 times. Changed antibiotics I think to 3 different ones during a course of about 6 weeks, as the urinary checks showed what was and what was not working. She got completely over that infection--that's what you want!
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

I'm sorry - he's on antibiotics for 3 weeks and the pain meds for 2 weeks. He's going in in another week to have another ultrasound done to make sure there aren't any bladder stones. He's urine sample is also being sent off for a culture and sensitivity test to make sure we are on the right meds. He is neutered already! Ever since we started the antibiotics, within 48 hours he was almost back to his old self. He's only had one anxiety attack since being on them (due to a neighbors dog being aggressive towards him). We are definitely staying on top of this!!

Sounds like you have an excellent veterinarian!
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47