Poodle Forum banner

Beckie is acting very weird

2140 Views 20 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  Poodlebeguiled
She has been skittish for a few days. It coincides with her visit to the groomer, but I don’t know if it’s a causal relation. She is really scared of jumping on the couch (she does that sometimes and it goes away after maybe a week, but not as bad), she is also startled very easily, which is unlike her and tonight she wouldn’t pee at bedtime.

I went with them to make sure they wouldn’t get full of burrs (I had just taken them off of them) but she was too scared, she wouldn’t go in the grass and just kept going to the door to go back into the house. I tried twice.

I will try again in an hour or so. This is so bizarre. Why would she be acting so weird ? I’m thinking about stopping her eye medication. Today was day 10 and she’s supposed to take it 10-14 days. Would the drops make her vision blurry, making her afraid of jumping and going outside because she can’t see ? I had just given her the drops before I sent her outside.

I hope the meds or the grooming didn’t mess her up... She’s such a sensitive little soul, maybe going to the groomer’s was too much for her ?
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
You are wise to consider the eye drops. Research the side effects. It’s possible that it is affecting her eye sight temporarily causing her to be fearful.

One of my daughter’s horses started to act scared with strange behavior. Turns out the horse had a cyst growing next to his optic nerve causing blindness. Temporary because he had surgery to remove the cyst and is normal now. I’m not suggesting Beckie has a cyst on her optic nerve... but some of her behavior reminds me of the strange things the horse did as he was losing clear vision.
  • Like
Reactions: 5
You are wise to consider the eye drops. Research the side effects. It’s possible that it is affecting her eye sight temporarily causing her to be fearful.

One of my daughter’s horses started to act scared with strange behavior. Turns out the horse had a cyst growing next to his optic nerve causing blindness. Temporary because he had surgery to remove the cyst and is normal now. I’m not suggesting Beckie has a cyst on her optic nerve... but some of her behavior reminds me of the strange things the horse did as he was losing clear vision.
Oh, thank you, better safe than sorry, I’ll keep that in mind.
It could be something with the meds like Skylar suggested. You can check with the vet about the meds or other possible problem. Or it could be that you've been very nervous about those darn burrs. And nervous about the groomer. Going out in the yard may have become associated with your terrible annoyance with those darn plants. (it would be very frustrating to me too) So, she may be picking up on your tension or anxiety. (?) Maybe thinking...something is very wrong with the back yard. Oh no! No doubt this will pass. I sure hope she'll feel better soon. Try to turn the potentially scary things into extra special good things. Sweet, sensative little Beckie. :angel:
  • Like
Reactions: 3
I have no idea, but you and the others have come up with some good possibilities. I too think she'll get past this just fine.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
It could be something with the meds like Skylar suggested. You can check with the vet about the meds or other possible problem. Or it could be that you've been very nervous about those darn burrs. And nervous about the groomer. Going out in the yard may have become associated with your terrible annoyance with those darn plants. (it would be very frustrating to me too) So, she may be picking up on your tension or anxiety. (?) Maybe thinking...something is very wrong with the back yard. Oh no! No doubt this will pass. I sure hope she'll feel better soon. Try to turn the potentially scary things into extra special good things. Sweet, sensative little Beckie. :angel:
That is a very real possibility. I forbid them from going under the cedar hedge when I’ve had enough of burr picking for one day. So maybe she is confused, because it’s her favorite spot and she can’t go anymore or I get annoyed.

I let her outside again and she peed. She needed a lot of encouragement and she stayed as close to the door as possible. Then she quickly came in and instead of going crazy with joy because of my praise, as she usually does, she went straight past me into her bed. This is still odd behavior and I’m puzzled.

Her med is called Tobrex (0.3 %) and it can have serious side effects, like affecting the kidneys, so I’m stopping it. The longer you take it, the more chances of having these side effects, they say. So no more.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Awwww poor Beckie! It is very frustrating when you don't know how to 'fix' them! Hope stopping the meds and being 'zen' helps her! It's a very good possibility she is feeling your anxiety. Maybe you both need cuddle time .......I'm sure this is just a temporary fear/nervousness for your sensitive girl. (((( HUGS))))) for both of Ya!
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Hope she'll be back to herself very soon :flowers:
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Perhaps taking her out on a leash while being very relaxed and upbeat yourself may help - Sophy has decided the leash is there to keep me close if anything bothers her, so will happily walk on leash even in places that are poisoned by horrible bangs or other scary stuff.

I hope Becky bounces back quickly - so worrying when a confident, happy dog suddenly changes behaviour.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
She won’t pee again this morning, and she is licking her vulva a lot. I wonder if maybe she has a UTI and it burns when she urinates ?

Definitely not normal to not pee when waking up in the morning. I’m calling the vet. It could be many things. If she doesn’t urinate today, I have to take her in (to the emergency clinic). I hope I don’t have to. :-(

I would have taken her today but I can’t. And they close at noon. Sigh. Why is it always so complicated...
  • Like
Reactions: 4
It is so upsetting when stuff like this happens isn't it. The vet visit to look for a possible UTI sounds like the way to go this morning. I think it also was a good idea to stop the eye med. If it is a UTI then it should resolve quickly once treatment starts.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Wouldn't ya know it? Things like this always happen on weekends. Well dang...looks like you need to get her in. It sure might be a urniary tract infection. (I just wrote a pet peeve of using too many acronyms so I better not write UTI) I'm so sorry you're having these problems. I would also make sure it's safe to stop the meds abruptly. Some things need to be stopped gradually. She'll get better no doubt. And the fear thing too, can probably be turned around. Try not to be anxious or worry too much. Just go along and she'll figure it out in her own time.

Hopefully, you can get that yard back to grass. I'd spray it and start all over. Or if you don't want to start completely over, you can use weed and feed a few times in late spring/early summer when the weeds are really growing. That's when it works best. Too late and it doesn't kill very well. It would mean leash walks for the dogs for a while every few hours... a hassle. But in the long run you can get just plain grass growing back there. Grass does need a lot of chemicals it seems. I use weed killer a time or two a year, or if it's only a few, I'll pull them using a screw driver to help...and fertilizer several times a year...often but light. And sometimes a fungicide/insecticide...just once a year, if that. The grass has to be healthy to keep those really noxious things away. I water it regularly and mow every couple days in summer. It's work but it's less work than pulling weeds. If it's too much, perhaps you can get someone to mow for you. (?) Putting those chemicals on isn't hard and only takes a few minutes if you have a regular sized yard. You probably know all that but I thought I'd say what I'd do, just in case. My lawn is a constant work in progress. The soil is lousy here. Clay...doesn't drain well. So if you can and need it, a thin layer of top soil or compost or chicken manuer (aged) would be really good. I put chicken manuer on my front lawn the summer before last and it turned it so nice and green....very high in nitrogen or course plus it just improves the soils all together. But it's such hard work raking all that. So if I do it again, I'll hire someone. My back lawn is messed up from dog pee...little brown spots all over. Grrrr. I gave up. It's their yard.

Hope things improve. Crossing my fingers for you guys.
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 1
I didn’t have the time to take her this morning, so it wasn’t an option. She has an appointment monday at 0830 but it might be too late.

While I was gone, my son let her put but she went in the bush but they don’t think she peed.

I gave her 20 ml of water to drink in a seringe. I’m waiting about 30-40 minutes and sending her out again. If she doesn’t pee, I’m calling the ER and bringing her in unless they think it can wait (but I doubt it).

If I’m right, she hasn’t gone in 17 hours. :-(
Oh, poor Beckie :( And I hear ya on why does this have to be so complicated and why do these things happen on weekends?
  • Like
Reactions: 1
She peed !

I made sure she didn’t see me, in case it’s behavioral and I’m the cause. I didn’t see her but I know because I used a tissue to check.

We’re off the hook for now. So happy ! :)
  • Like
Reactions: 4
Yay! Good she peed! I sure hope she'll be okay enough to hang in there till Monday. I swear it never fails.
  • Like
Reactions: 2
Yay!!!:amen:
  • Like
Reactions: 1
This is a true mystery... She has peed the last three times she went outside, so I consider this a «*non issue*» now. I will keep monitoring her today but will probably end up cancelling her Monday appointment.

I lean toward behavior modification that I might have provoked unknowingly. I have no idea how. Or, that she got a razor burn on her vulva, making her afraid to pee because it hurt. I don’t think she has a UTI at all.

I wish I could see her pee, but she goes on the side of the house, where I can’t watch. And if I go outside to check on her, that’s when she starts acting weird and won’t do it.

These dogs sure know how to keep us on our toes, don’t they ?
  • Like
Reactions: 5
Dechi, wondering if maybe something spooked her in the yard and she was just worried/scared to be out there for too long?
I know when a deer yells at Norman (which happens often on our mountain) and runs away, this use to spook him a lot and he would run straight towards me or the garage to get back inside. He would be scared to walk in the back yard and would only use the side yard for a few days.

Maybe an animal spooked her a bit and she was just anxious about having her guard down to pee? Not sure if I sound crazy but this happened to us!

But I am glad to know she is better! Hope this was just something simple and is fixed! :)
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Dechi, wondering if maybe something spooked her in the yard and she was just worried/scared to be out there for too long?
I know when a deer yells at Norman (which happens often on our mountain) and runs away, this use to spook him a lot and he would run straight towards me or the garage to get back inside. He would be scared to walk in the back yard and would only use the side yard for a few days.

Maybe an animal spooked her a bit and she was just anxious about having her guard down to pee? Not sure if I sound crazy but this happened to us!

But I am glad to know she is better! Hope this was just something simple and is fixed! :)
This would be a possibility, although slim. I have a small, fenced in backyard and I never leave them outside more than 5 minutes, and I also stay close to the door so I can keep an eye on them. Because of the fence, animals bigger than cats can’t get in the yard.

But it’s still a possibility that I can’t disregard. Thank you !
  • Like
Reactions: 1
1 - 20 of 21 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top