I’m busy on book tour, but was asked about this case at the Ohio Vet Conference late last week. You can read the description below, but the bottom line is this sweet, dear hound mix, Kasey, was rescued from a research lab but needs rescuing again. We didn’t have much time to talk about the case at the conference, but I was so touched by the story I suggested that we put it out to the village.
The bottom line is that Kasey is predictably fearful of many things, but the urgent problem is an inability to sleep through the night, and barking when she wakes up. This is making it extremely difficult to find a forever home for her, people being strangely attracted to being able to sleep more than a few hours a night. (I went through a period of Willie waking up every hour, or even less, for a while, and I was a basket case after 3 weeks. More on that below.)
I don’t have time myself to add too much myself, but I do add a few comments at the end. If you have any experience with this issue, please add your thoughts.
Here is from Heather, the guardian angel who is moving heaven and earth to help Kasey. I edited out some of the history, trying to keep in what was critical but not bury the lead. Don’t hesitate to ask questions in your comments!
Kacey (FS Hound Mix 3yo 70#) came into rescue from a research lab (kennel). She is very people friendly, and likes handling/ attention – she warms up quickly to strangers visiting the home and is good with other dogs. She is un-socialized to home environments and outdoor spaces. She is very uncomfortable in the car and has to be lifted in. She is unsure about how to appropriately interact with novel items – and has done some inappropriate chewing of soft/fabric items around the house. Outside, Kacey quickly hunkers and backs up if she is unsure on leash. Noises, or feeling uncomfortable outside trigger her wanting to go back inside.
The owner had contacted me about some sleep disturbance issues as she moved back to sleeping upstairs. (Kacey was not house trained, and was trained to sleep in a pen in the living room at night.) Kacey would wake up and bark off and on through the night, and it was getting worse. At night Kacey was ok at bedtime when the husband stays with her while the wife goes to bed – she is quiet when he goes up. When asked about possible separation anxiety, the only reaction is when the wife leaves, Kacey would bark until she hears the garage close, then she stops and goes to sleep.
We tried giving Kasey Melatonin prior to bed, and the owner reported that was successful for a period of time. We went over enrichment strategies, and I suggested boosting opportunities to chew and mental enrichment in order to help further settle Kacey at night. I said if sleeping was a problem getting to the vet was a priority. It is notable that Kacey greets then happily naps until we are ready to work with her on my visits – the owner said her behavior at our meetings is typical. She doesn’t present as under-enriched.
[[From Patricia: I also asked if the other household dog slept in the same room, given the dog’s past in a laboratory, presumably with other dogs, and it seems it doesn’t matter if the dog is present or not. Or whether people are in the same room or not.)
5weeks:
There had not been any accidents, and Kacey was sleeping well on 9mg of melatonin. She was able to walk all the way from the front door to the end of the driveway. She has been building curiosity about seeing other people and dogs outside. There has only been one instance of inappropriate chewing, and she was accidentally left out the prior day and did not destroy anything or have an accident. We worked on DS/CC for the things that scare her on walks, and work on building to getting in the car.
Now (8weeks):
Sleep has been deteriorating since just after the last meeting, and the owner had to take her to the vet and they told her to give Benadryl. They did not do an exam, or blood work. There was no change in behavior after a few days, and the vet prescribed Trazodone (100mg). She was worse overnight, and the owner, panicked about Kacey’s quality of life, and sleep deprived, said she wanted to return her. I arranged for her to be boarded with a behavior friendly vet. They kept her for 3 nights to give the owner a break, do medical rule outs (blood work/urinalysis – both clear) and try to get medication on board to help with sleep. They increased trazodone to 300mg 2x a day and added Gabapentin (1200mg). Video showed her sleeping overnight after the medication, and the owner was able to pick her up to try again.
They gave the same medication overnight and Kacey woke up barking 3 times throughout the night. We ruled out noises waking her, tried leaving a light on, and added music, which didn’t help. We adjusted to the trazodone (200mg) in the morning and gabapentin combined with acepromazine (30mg) overnight. She woke up on this combination after 4 hours the first night. Over the next few nights she continued to break through more until she was up fighting the medication at night, and barely sleeping.
At the moment, Kasey is back at the vet clinic, where she appears to be sleeping five or six hours before waking up and barking.
Here are some quick thoughts from me: I at first thought perhaps it was the environment at the clinic that allowed her to sleep, but Heather tells me she was just as bad at the clinic until she was given medication. I do find myself wondering about the environment and its effect–what type of crate is she in? Substrate? (I remember talking to greyhound rescue volunteers who said that the exact same crate was essential when they first pulled the greyhounds.) What about the sound scape? Could one go back to the vet clinic and see if one could replicate at least part of it? I find myself thinking a lot about “antecedent” in the ABC chain of behavior analysis.. what’s the antecedent to waking up? Is the answer in the difference between what’s at the clinic and what’s at home?
I also risk being criticized by some for mentioning an opinion about medications (not being a vet), but I do know from my PhD research that Ace causes animals to become immobile, but does not ameliorate anxiety. It can actually make it worse. I defer to my veterinary behaviorist colleagues about trazodone and gaba, Surely there’s a veterinary behaviorist who could do a phone consult asap since this is an urgent case? If one isn’t reading this, I’ll reach out to colleagues. I myself hope that a well-trained alternative medicine veterinarian can see Kasey asap.
Here’s what Heather added this morning: She has been back at the vet 2 nights and slept 5 to 6 hours with another adjustment of meds. I have noticed that she seems to do better the first night or two, then seems to fight the meds and return to the behavior. Myself and the behavior person at the vet have been back and forth about sound… it seems like a likely antecedent, but the owner wasn’t able to ID anything. She definitely barks at noises at the vet. Outside she hunkers and will try to get back inside if scared of a sound (like a plane in the sky, or a truck). Substrate is super important for her – she is concerned about slick floors (which is the case at the vet – they give her a blanket in her kennel or she is uncomfortable – she also likes HER blanket, not a replacement when the one she initially had needs to be cleaned). She is concerned about tight spaces too – initially they had her in an isolation kennel which was where she could be closer to the people, but the way the doors opened created a tight space WITH slick floors. I had to go in and actually help get her out – we put her into the regular boarding kennels and she was fine (so that is where she is now). I found myself wondering if she might be having auditory hallucinations this morning, or bad dreams. The way she was waking up hourly, almost exactly once an hour struck me as off for that though. I think actual sounds are more likely.
Another thought from me: I have already mentioned that Willie went through a period of waking up constantly during the night, and after extensive tests for a medical problem with no findings of any problem, I put him on melatonin. It worked for a while, then it didn’t, then it did again. (I did increase the dose, but I also did acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.) Note that melatonin seemed to help Kasey for a while, but no longer. [Heather notes the vet is concerned about adding melatonin to the medication mix; an understandable concern for sure.]
Village? Can you add some wisdom? I am slammed with book tour, but have so much respect for the collective wisdom of you all out there. . . Kasey is out there, needing our help.
Kim says
Trying Chinese medicine or acupuncture was the first thought that sprang to mind, especially if she’s already living in an enriched setting…rescue remedy? DAP collar and atomizer?
em says
Poor pup! And poor people! I am decidedly non-expert and have nothing to offer on the subject of meds. I’m sorry if I missed it, but has moving Kasey into the bedroom been tried?
If it doesn’t appear that separation is an issue, the only long-shot suggestion I have is running. When Sandy is fearful during hunting season (she’s badly gunshy and very frightened of even very distant gunshots), the only thing that seems to help her relax and find some joy is to run with her.
Nothing else I’ve found seems to soothe her, but running works like a charm. I wonder if Kasey might do better with her noise phobia outdoors at a run than a walk, and further whether a brisk jog might help improve her sleep. Just an idea.
Andy says
My own situation with Cecil wasn’t this difficult but his hyper-vigilance (and occasional nightmares) at night kept us both up as he’d start baying. The only solution that hasn’t already been mentioned that’s worked for us is white noise (*not* music), the idea being that it masks external sounds more completely and consistently. On fireworks nights I really blast it and wear earplugs, and that seems to help Cecil relax. Of course, if sound turns out not to be an antecedent than it probably won’t help. Best of luck to Kasey and her caring humans, she is lucky to have them!
Amy w says
I see they videotaped her at the vet, but did not see they did this at home. Maybe they could compare the two environments making a video at home.
Also, what time of day is the vet putting her to bed vs. bed time at home? Perhaps the vet schedule is closer to what she’s used to, then the home schedule. They could slowly adjust her bedtime.
What kind of research was she part of? Maybe there’s a clue there?
Also…since sounds might be a causing the issue…maybe there is an appliance making a late night noise? The ice maker had startled me late at night when it turns on.
Scent work – she’s a hound, after all. Maybe they could use scent work games (find it games) in the house/yard to help her learn to enjoy the home environment?
liz says
Could we sneak enrichment items into her sleep environment? Soft appropriate chew items, non-perishable stuffed kong if food motivated, anything to occupy/influence her if she wakes unexpectedly that would be more appealing than barking. Granted if she’s not a sound sleeper at first, then she’d just chew or eat before sleeping. And if not in a pen then a kennel door opening would be noisy enough to wake her. At least she wouldn’t be the initiator, but it’d still require a staggered sleep routine. I could get away with trying this scheme if the problem arose in one of my dogs, who can’t be broken from slumber with a piece of meat half-inch from his nose, but not a chance of success with the other. I’d consider that I’d be creating a midnight snack-eating barker, but it might buy enough time to take a break from meds while trying other strategies for adjustment. How long has she been out of the research lab?
LisaW says
The first thing I would do is add L’Theanine, it is an amino acid and helps to relax and calm dogs (and people). There is Anxitane made specifically for dogs, but I have been giving Olive a powdered version from the health food store made for people with no noticeable difference in effectiveness for many years now, she gets 50mg twice a day. (Just be careful that there are no other ingredients that may be harmful to dogs.)
I’ve found Melatonin and L’Theanine to be a good combo for situational anxiousness and noise sensitivities.
Has anyone looked at Kasey’s diet? It might be good to put her on a bland, no grain diet for starters. Allergies or food sensitivities can present in a variety of ways. How early or late is she fed at night? Any connection between what time she eats and number of hours she sleeps that night?
Early on Olive had trouble sleeping and would bark and whine. In addition to the L’Theanine, Melatonin, and she had an Adaptil collar back then, a few things I remember doing — stopping all play and arousal activities at least an hour before she was going to go to bed (back then she slept downstairs on the enclosed porch with the door to the kitchen open but gated because she wasn’t reliable not to pee or poop in the house, that took years), spending time each night messaging her and quietly talking or singing until I heard that sigh of relaxation.
But really what eventually worked was all the behavior modification and work to decrease her daytime fears and anxieties, and as they lessened, so did her night time fears. Also, bringing her upstairs with the rest of us was very helpful for her.
What about an x-pen in the bedroom? Making things as comforting and as un-lab like as possible.
The waking up hourly could be a clue — did they do that in the research lab to check her or give her something or do something to her? What behaviors does she do now that can be connected back to what she had to do as part of her lab life, and how can you break those associations?
Some drugs have a paradoxical effect, could that be the case with the trazodone? What about other anti-anxiety meds?
There is also a recently approved med specifically for noise sensitivity by the name of SILEO made by Zoetis. Anyone looked into that?
There is an online group for shy and anxious dogs, they may have some insight, too.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/shy-k9s/info
I hope help comes soon to Kasey and her people. Good luck.
Bruce says
Just curious whether something has changed in the environment. New noises, windows open for unseasonably warm weather, critters loitering about in the yard, or ???
I had a hound mix who, during house training, would wake me up at 3am because the rabbits were active in the back yard.
Margaret McLaughlin says
This is perhaps extrapolating too much from human to canine, but I second the suggestion for white noise–not music nor recognizable sound, just soft noise. I have lifelong issues with insomnia & hyper-alertness (for the usual reasons), & a Dohm sleep machine has been my best friend for years, since it masks random environmental sounds. It’s certainly worth a try, especially if no other trigger is found.
Rebecca says
By no means an expert, I have just dealt with 2 years of almost nightly, multiple wake-ups with my 12 yr old dog who would present as very anxious, pacing and agitated during a wake-up. Noise was sometimes a trigger, sometimes it was nothing I could identify. Blood and urinalysis all good. He was tried on nearly everything from melatonin, trazadone, gabapentin, several anti anxiety medicines and pain relievers. Most did nothing or had paradoxical effect.
He has finally calmed down on a routine of early dinner (to have time to digest), late night walk (empty the bladder), fluoxetine (prozac) at bed and a (this was key) glucosamine/chondroitin supplement given any any time during the day (I got at Costco).
I would wonder if Kasey is experiencing body aches/arthritis due to her acclimating to a new lifestyle that distresses her at night? Would anti anxiety medication help long-term instead of the short-team trazadone/gaba It might not lead to anything but worth a shot. It’s no fun trying to help a dog that you don’t know how to help!
Nancy says
I haven’t studied animal behavior so please disregard my thoughts if they’re too far of base. My thoughts come as a result of working with an Airedale rescue girl who was neglected, abused (chained to a tree for two years), and probably not socialized from puppyhood. Except for the sleep problem she and Kasey sound similar. When our Airegirl came to us she was afraid of everything — lights, doors, silverware, paper, her shadow, everything. I spent the first night beside her on the floor curled up beside her and became her person.
If Kasey were coming to live at my house, these are some things I would think about:
I would want to know as much as possible about her experience before she came into rescue. Did she spend all of her time in a crate? How did they use her for research? Physical research, mental, food, etc. Did she have much interaction with people? Was she able to go outside? Did she awake during the night at the research facility? Etc.
Who is part of her pack? Who does she identify as her “mom” or her go-to person? Do they have a bond yet? Does she have anything for comfort — towel, toys, etc.? Does she play with “mom” or other dog in the home?
Does she get much exercise? It’s hard to exercise a dog who is fearful but if they give in to her fear she’ll never overcome it. Tackle it little by little. Walks in the yard with a lead attached to a collar and gentle leader would give them a little control and prevent her from backing out of a collar. Or indoor exercise with a ball, with hide-&-seek (treats hidden in a room), learning commands, etc. I think both physical and mental exercise can tire a dog.
If Kasey were in my home I would work on a relationship with her first, then work on helping her trust me and the environment, housebreaking, and learning/exercising. I can’t help but wonder if the night-time waking and barking are caused by lack of the above.
Again, my only dog knowledge comes from reading your book and a few others and working with rescue Airedale. I hope things work out for Kasey.
CG says
Sweet pup. Good on her angels for trying to help her. One thing that immediately came to mind is wondering if at night she is used to having a light on or did she sleep in the dark? A baby night light or holiday candle may provide enough illumination to help her feel safe, or if the family is currently leaving lights on, do the experiment and shut them off to see if it has any effect.
Toni Terrier says
Is there also restlessness during the day that is not as noticeable?
Have you considered food/a food changes? Is the dog on a high fat diet? Low fat diet? Did it change recently? Have ‘treats’ changed recently?
Might you consider MORE medical rule-outs? Are there any OTHER, subtle signs or symptoms that might provide other diagnostic clues? Any changes to BM patterns or the nature of the dog’s poop (volume, colour, consistency)? Have you done a stool analysis? Ultra-sound to check pancreas, gallbladder and consider GI health? [I recently lost a dog to an apparently occult gallbladder mucocele. In hindsight, he was waking at night and howling. One of several signs/symptoms we missed despite being very dedicated to our dogs. Blood and urine prior to his death with perfect, but he was brewing an issue.
Could there be a real physical issue with related discomfort there that the dog is much more sensitive to during the nighttime when there are no other distractions from pain and physical sensations? Many people cope with physical discomforts during the day, but have a very hard time time coping with them at night.
Good luck with this suffering dog. Good on everyone for trying to help.
Joan says
I wonder if she has mild seizures that wake and frighten her during the night. WiFi camera are rather inexpensive now and I wonder if careful and continued videotaping her at home might give a clue as to the antecedent.
Nicola says
I third the suggestion for trying white noise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KaOrSuWZeM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdIJ2x3nxzQ
leslie wolpert says
Dr. Melissa Shelton has two websites that are incredibly informational regarding very specific essential oils. One is AnimalEO and one is oilyvet. She is a behavioral veterinarian and is very experienced with oils and how to use them. I would also suggest that you get on her Facebook page and request permission to be part of the group because people write in every day and Dr. Shelton and or her Associates as well as the General Public will give you great ideas. I have two rescues and one of them is extremely sensitive and reactive to every single thing in the environment including sound smells visuals people and animals. She is also hyper-vigilant while at other times she shuts down completely. She does well with some oils and yet does not like other oils. Dr Shelton also has sample sizes of her blends etc to see which might help. I have even further diluted some of the blends to see which will work best for my one dog in particular. By the way my girl is a hound mix. I can tell what she likes by holding the cap of an oil for her to smell. Dr Shelton is well-versed in the use of oils for even exotic animals.
Michelle says
I know someone else mentioned running. I know that there are now “pet runners” just like there are pet walkers. This group is usually made up of people who run marathons and do races. So they’re willing and able to take the dog for some good exercise. Maybe combine that with some really nice long walks through the woods so Kasey can smell and check things out. When I take my dogs on 45 minute to hour long walks in the woods allowing them to sniff everything in sight, they come home and crash. Or combine either of these with with teaching new tricks, new cues, etc. Or, check into an EARTH PULSE. People and animals alike seem to have great success with those. I’m thinking of trying one myself for those sleepless nights as I get older.
Abby says
Just a quick note what about trying a pheromone such as DAP….
Juli says
Is it possible the AC/Heating system kicking on and off is causing her to wake up? Some of our sound sensitive dogs will react to the forced air heating/ac systems badly.
I would also ask about adding some long term anxiety meds. It’s my understanding that Trazadone is a shorter acting/situational medication.
Betsy Lane says
Nothing much to add here. Locally (Chicago/Oak Park) I refer clients to Dr. Cidon for Rx-related concerns. My heart goes out to everyone involved; we’ve lived with a dog who had trouble with some meds, and that is no fun for anyone. Fingers crossed. ❤❤❤
Stacey says
I agree with the comments about running. I think not getting enough exercise is an often-overlooked issue that manifests as behavioral issues with many dogs. Obviously, it is also beneficial for most owners as well – just finished a 1/2 marathon that I trained for with my hound rescue!
MaryBeth Eldred says
I had this challenge with our 15 year old mini Schnauzer and used “I Sleep Soundly ” from Banyan Botanical -the main ingredient is Ashwagandha an adaptogenic Ayuervedic herb which from personal use is a miracle herb -now rather than trying to wake us within 2-3 hours of being crated he goes for 5-6 hours-
Katie says
If the goal is to rehome her then I would suggest making sure people know the general neighborhood so someone local might take her in.
I live out in the country where there are times when the pups get up and bark. Now, I understand that this is an overly sensitive girl – but could it be that there really IS something to bark at?
I now have four dogs and one of them – the first one I rescued – will bark in the night. I have learned over the years that it is always for good reason. There is a wild critter outside or some other disturbance that she can here but I can’t. One time she was having a really go at it when I finally got up to find that a bat had come in the house and my girl was trying to let me know. Yep – I have learned to understand that she is always barking at something.
I would suggest that if the pup isn’t barking for no reason at other times that it is not a medical issue but an environmental one.
Hoping to hear good things about someone stepping up to re-rescue this girl who needs it!
Lindsey says
I have a dog (65lb Shepard/hound mix) w separation anxiety and severe noise phobia (wind, heater, crackling fire) – many things did not work, but what seems to is 2 vet science composure pro at am and pm. If she’s especially anxious we will add melatonin (3mg) or Trazodone 75-100mg.
http://vetriproline.com/composure-pro/
lily flanagan says
Maybe a human doctor who specializes in sleep disorders would have some ideas? An actual sleep study would be out of the question but he/she might have some ideas on the subject.
Beth says
Can’t add much, but do they have a water softener that runs at night? They make creepy noises. Lots of good advice. Also try mental games to promote fatigue- nose games, puzzles.
Laurie Keenan says
This dog, Kacey, has already clearly indicated by balking at being outside that he finds the outside too stimulating, and noises clearly upset him, but perhaps other stimuli as well. I can’t imagine that, right now anyway, a dog this terrified at the outside world would be able to do something like run, as much as running can and does benefit so many other dogs.
Are we to assume by the mention of planes going by overhead that this dog is homed in an urban setting? Is there a difference in how sound proof the vet clinic is when compared with the home? Do we know how long Kacey was in the laboratory setting? How old he is? Normally in those lab settings, they try to keep the dogs as stimulus-neutral as possible, so it’s understandable that Kacey can’t take much in the way of stimulus.
We recently adopted a dog who, I initially thought, barked at “nothing.” Over the course of the last two years, I came to realize that he’s not only hypersensitive to sound; he’s hearing sounds we urban dwellers have simply blocked out: planes, commuter trains, traffic, sirens, pedestrians hustling along, etc. He’s also overstimulated by movement, the presence of strangers/new dogs, whom he likes once he meets (then ignores). We also in the past adopted an epileptic dog who was kept in a kennel for years, and another dog from a hoarding situation who was reactive to and fearful of everything and everybody. And yet another dog who was almost euthanized because of crippling anxiety. All of these dogs improved vastly, but it took a lot of time, and mistakes, and finally, most successfully, paying attention to what they were telling us by their actions, and believing what they were telling us.
One key, from my experience, is patience and slow, slow, slow introduction to novel situations, and providing a home base where stimulation is minimal, but what the dog enjoys and can slowly grow within. Can Kacey’s new home be or become one where he can thrive? So far, the jury is out.
For Kacey, it sounds like *everything* is novel and frightening. The owners will need to be highly committed (this is not everyone’s cup of tea), and supported, told that they can’t expect changes quickly, and that nonetheless if they stick with this dog, the rewards for them as he slowly blossoms will likely be huge.
In addition to white noise (or maybe better yet, the “Through a Dog’s Ear” recordings, which many shelters use, and can be used both at home and while traveling), I’d suggest this dog, for now, needs as little outside stimulation as possible. The outside world needs to be introduced only at the rate this dog can tolerate without beginning to shut down: if he’s balking, it’s too fast. Give him more control, less stimulation while slowly being introduced to new things. A small yard that is fenced from visual stimulation is probably all this dog can take right now. Taking him out and about is just too much: he’s making that clear. Introduce new things in very small doses, with an increase of (one at a time) either duration, proximity, or intensity. When you increase any one of those, take the other two down to baseline again, even if you’ve increased them previously. That is, if you increase duration, lower proximity and intensity to baseline. Then if you want also to increase intensity, lower duration again as well as proximity. Any forcing for this dog will set him back markedly, because he will have to learn to trust the humans who (maybe for good reason, like a necessary veterinary procedure) forced him into a situation he can’t handle. Everything done with this dog will take a LOT more time than it will with a dog who is “normal.” Trips to the vet, for example. Plan, plan, plan, and do as much slow pre-exposure (e.g., to the car, in tiny doses) as possible.
I am not convinced this dog would not do better having humans and other dogs present in the same room or near by, so long as he is sleeping in a crate or space that he finds comfortable. Where does he choose to sleep during the day? Is he off alone in a room then?
I am totally sympathetic to the humans who are at their wits’ ends with loss of sleep; our sleep was constantly interrupted by our epileptic adoptee, until we got his seizures and nighttime pacing under control with medication (and melatonin), and giving him a space to sleep that he himself preferred, but one where we could quickly get to him if he had a seizure. He slept in the gated-in part of the hallway right outside our bedroom, and we played white noise/”Through a Dog’s Ear” all night on a loop.
Working with an alternative (integrative) veterinarian, one familiar with various modalities, has helped our family’s dogs in so many ways. Beyond getting a whole new tool bag, I’ve learned how to observe, track, and assess the effects of what we try for our dogs.
A few ideas: The herb passion flower is well tolerated and does help some dogs. Our “barks at everything” dog does well on it. We also use “Serenin Vet” for our reactive dog and the barker, and additional St John’s Wort for the reactive dog. Diffusing calming essential oils makes a difference. Body work (chiropractic, massage, T-Touch) helps some dogs, but you need to pay attention to how the dog him/herself is responding, and again, never force anything beyond the dog’s personal tolerance (too long, too intense, too close proximity of someone the dog doesn’t trust). T-Touch body wraps really help some dogs, or Thunder Shirts. Put them on for short periods throughout the day, every day, not just when the dog is already/expected to be upset. We had a highly anxious dog for whom the T-Touch wrap was profoundly soothing. All our current dogs receive chiropractic treatment, and the reactive dog slowly came to trust the chiropractor and love his treatments.
I also highly recommend finding a good training facility that offers educational seminars. I’ve greatly benefitted from Suzanne Clothier’s work (as anyone who knows her work will recognize from some of what I’ve written here); she has DVDs on her website if you can’t get to see her live. Seeing Temple Grandin speak on dogs has also helped me tremendously. Grandin’s description of how she, as an autistic, was so sound sensitive that all she could do was scream made me realize that not all of us find a “normal” level sensory stimulus tolerable. I myself have certain sensitivities, and my dogs have taught me how to protect myself, too, from “too much.”
But all this takes time, both for the dogs and for us humans who are trying to understand, love, and help them be as healthy as they can be. Results aren’t immediate, but that doesn’t mean that things you try are not having a slow, subtle effect. Don’t toss out something as “not working” just because a miracle doesn’t happen before your eyes. That doesn’t mean it’s not making a difference. Learn to accept tiny moves toward the better as excellent results. This kind of change is turtle-step slow and takes years and years.
And as sympathetic as I am to people who need their sleep, I’d be reluctant to toss meds at this dog to see what sticks, at least without the workup of a veterinary canine behaviorist who is getting information like (as another commenter mentioned) videotape of what’s happening at home with the dog, not just at night, but during a normal day.
Alas, much of this costs money, in addition to tons of time, and not every family can afford this kind of expense, or has the time needed or the emotional resilience to face what seems like an impossible situation that gets better in mini-increments and sometimes turns back and gets so much worse again for a time. I totally understand; we all have our financial and emotional limits. And though I hesitate to bring this up, the question should be asked if this dog has landed in the right family and home situation, as well intentioned and loving and patient as this family has been.
Pat, just a small note to you: I can’t tell you how much your blog means to me. Reading your suggestion of Perry’s “Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog” (which I did in one sitting) gave me hope as we were dealing with our hoarded dog’s many, many issues. I have “Education of Will” on order–arriving tomorrow. Already devoured the sample on my Kindle (wanted the hardcopy for my reference library).
Ellen Jefferies says
well, ace as a sedative for horses during teeth cleaning is a disaster. horse is even more terrified because being physically incapacitated adds to fear of the cleaning work.
My usually contrarian opinion is ear plugs for the owner. The idea that dogs should sleep thru the night or for a long continuous period is anthropomorphic. They’re hardwired to be vigilant and get their rest when there’s nothing better to do. It would be nice if they learned that they were going to be ignored at night if they fuss, otherwise they will wake us at all hours with requests for attention. By responding to the barking the owner is reinforcing it. Or find an owner for her who, like me, is deaf and doesn’t hear the barking.
Why is the dog barking? awake for sure, lonely? bored? needs to go? barking to hear her brain rattle (they do that, just like people do)? We have a rescue great dane who had a rough childhood (hit by car, leg shattered and repaired with plates and miles of wire and we think beaten by original owner) She is very vocal (barking) when awake 24/7 and responds to everything in a mile radius, unlike any of our other dogs (bulldogs, retriever, hound)..
I really question drugging her as potentially being counter-productive.
Karen Phillips says
I’m by no means an expert so take what I say with a grain of salt. I rescued a mastiff with unknown anxiety issues. No separation anxiety but crazy anxious on car rides and just generally trying to settle. Would whine,pant and bark at all hours. Benadryl and melatonin did nothing. We put her on Prozac and she is a new dog ! She sleeps all night, enjoys car rides and best of all is going to dog daycare once a week and not tearing the place apart. Good luck!
Leo says
It strikes me that if I’m understanding this correctly, she did better in a pen in the living room and in a pen at the vet’s than in the bedroom. Does she sleep in a crate in the bedroom? Is that what she slept in at the research lab? Is she house-trained well enough to leave her loose, if so? Conversely, if she sleeps loose, she might be made anxious by the exposure; could a pen set up be made in the bedroom?
Are they taking her out right before bed? She might be woken by a need to go out if not. She also might be agitated by going outside right before bed, especially if it makes her fearful. Bursts of adrenaline, especially repeated all day, can result in overproduction at night that makes it hard to sleep deeply. If this is her problem, she might need to be kept quiet and away from most stress for hours before she actually goes to sleep. (This is my problem, actually, not my dog’s. It was solved with beta blockers; I don’t know if that’s applicable to canines. That said, before I was on medication, it woke me up very precisely every hour or every two hours.)
If she’s actively fighting the meds, that does sound like anxiety is part of it to me, whether it’s what actively wakes her up or not – like she feels like she needs to be awake and watchful at night, though apparently not during the day if she naps for longer. Is it possible that this is related to the owners’ presence, since it’s worse with them around? Rather than separation anxiety, does she feel like she needs to protect them when they’re asleep? (That’s a common response to trauma in humans, and I know it’s fairly common for dogs who were beaten by men to guard their owners from all men.) It occurs to me that this might be why the issue is present at the vet – she’s still anxious about herself – but worse with the owners. Or does having humans in the room with her at night make her nervous? Is there more light in the living room and at the vet?
I know the impulse is to try to solve the dog’s problems, but it’s possible that nothing is going to solve this but time as she adjusts and gets less anxious. Have the owners tried earplugs and/or her sleeping in a separate room, with music on in theirs?
L Story says
Don’t know if this will be helpful but it certainly can’t hurt. Tellington Ttouch can help with anxiety and changing habitual behaviors. If there is a practitioner in the area he or she might be able to help.
Bill Obermeyer says
I don’t have any strong recommendations yet – but I do have a couple of comments and some questions whose answers might be helpful.
Kasey is waking up hourly and Heather took this as evidence for sounds as triggers. That may be worthy of reconsideration. A dog’s sleep bout, comprising several NREM-REM cycles, is usually a bit less than one hour and at night is typically followed by a brief awakening. Kasey’s regular awakening may in fact have no (external) antecedent. The awakening itself may be completely normal.
As far as I can tell, we don’t know whether she barks every time she awakens at night or not.
Regardless of that, is Kasey barking regularly throughout the night? In particular, is she more likely to bark early in the night or are these episodes more likely to happen later?
It’s not clear whether Kasey has a sleep problem, an anxiety problem or both. To the extent that Kasey has a sleep problem I would look at environmental factors first. Addressing them may not solve the problem, but may clarify underlying issues.
Is Kasey exposed to a regular light-dark cycle and is that cycle synchronized with the activity of her humans and other dogs? Given her seeming avoidance of the outdoors does she get some bright light, particularly early in the day? Is there bright light before bedtime? How much does she sleep during the day?
I wonder what the environmental conditions were while she was in the research lab – particularly lighting and temperature – and how those compare to her current environment(s).
(As an aside, the lab was probably quite acoustically bright and echo prone. Perhaps the “softer” acoustics of a house or even a vet’s office might be disorienting upon awakening. Placing the crate in a tiled bathroom seems counterintuitive but might be helpful in this case.)
Am I wrong in thinking that none of the drugs is effective for the long term and that the melatonin was as effective as the trazodone, gabapentin and acepromazine? If that is the case, did those drugs provide any benefit during the daytime? With regard to the melatonin – were the owners able to administer it at a consistent time – probably about 30m before “bedtime”?
Good luck.
Rebecca Rice says
Not a vet, but from what I have read, not only is ace NOT an anti-anxiety drug, it also is a drug that heightens sensitivity to noises. So, if there is something unusual happening at night, she is going to be able to hear that better with the ace than without it. If you allow hyperlinks, here’s Dr Karen Overall’s thoughts on it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-GsmrFYHKk (If no link, just search on YouTube for it.) So I would definitely consider getting that out of the mix as soon as I safely could.
I would also recommend getting video of what is actually happening overnight. See if there are identifiable triggers. Also, what happens after the dog wakes up and starts barking? Does she stop when the owner comes or does it continue? What KIND of barking is it? Deep throaty warning barks? Frantic, high pitched anxiety barking? I have a rat terrier that takes her watchdog role to heart, and will sometimes wake me up because she thinks that there is something “dangerous” out there. In some cases, the only way to get her to settle back down is for me to go to the door, open it, look outside, and then go back to bed. It’s like that reassures her that the danger has been acknowledged and dismissed, so it’s all ok again. I will note that during these episodes, talking to my rattie or petting her has no impact on the behavior, nor does SHE want to go out into the yard So it may be that this dog is desperately trying to communicate something to her owner that is just being missed.
I also wonder about whether this is linked to her life in the lab. It could be that there was someone coming in and out of the lab at set hours, to take measurements on the dogs or to simply check that the temps and humidity were staying in an acceptable range (depending on what sort of research was being done), and that the dog is used to that. It might also be happening at the vet if they have someone checking on animals overnight. It might be interesting to see what would happen if the owner would agree to try doing that for a few nights, BEFORE the dog starts barking. Just come into the room, putter around for a few minutes, go back to bed.
And, if that’s going to be too much, I wonder if moving the dog to the bedroom would help. It could just be that she wants company at night. I know that housebreaking was mentioned as a reason for her being downstairs, but if that is going better by now, I’d trade a few accidents for the ability to sleep through the night! Which is another line to consider… does the dog need to go out in the middle of the night? I have a very fearful greyhound, who came to me as a total basket case. There was a long time when the only time she felt comfortable out in my yard was around 1-2 am, so there were many nights when that was her toilet time. Waking up once a night to do that was ok (not something I would volunteer for, but doable), because you can stay sort of doze-y while she is out there and then just crawl back into bed afterwards. And if it stops the hourly barking, it might be a workable solution while trying to adjust that pottying schedule.
Hope something in there is helpful!
Ramona Qualls says
Have they tried TTouch perhaps? I bring this up as perhaps a tool in the toolbox of things to help with changing behaviors along with some of the other things that people have suggested.
Amy Ebersole says
She could be waking up not recognizing where she’s at. I wonder if lights were left on where she had previously been? Or what if it’s a strange seizure like behavior? Could try phenobarbital? Or if the daily anxiousness I think Prozac and trazadone combo may be helpful. Obviously with vet approval. That would take down that daily anxiety level. Of course that takes a few weeks to see improvement.
Donna says
If this were my dog I would get her to a holistic vet who practices homeopathy. I have seen it work wonders with animals and humans. if one isn’t available, there are homeopathic practitioners for humans who will work on animals. Someone suggested Rescue Remedy–that could help reduce anxiety in the meantime and is available in any health food store. Chinese medicine and acupuncture are excellent ideas also. Clearly whatever was done to this poor dog in the research lab has caused trauma and imbalance in her body and brain. It is possible that older, natural forms of treatment may go a long way towards relieving her suffering.
Katrina says
Could it be related to lack of noise? In a lab there are probably machines humming and beeping and probably some light, even at night. At the vet there is possibly the same low level of background noise and light from machines. So the suggestions about white noise and some form of low-level noise might be worth a try. If not already, adding quality fish oil to her diet would be worth a try as well – there is some evidence for its efficacy with anxiety.
Deborah says
I’m not a vet or a behaviorist, but am trained as a canine massage practitioner & dog walker. I by no means have any medical knowledge. I do have difficult dogs-which is fine by me-I love my chosen breeds!
That said have you tried CBDs? I have used them on my basenji & Canaan dog. CBD has been consistently helpful with some issues-like getting me up at 4am to go outside-due to noise or perceived noise-
Just a thought
Mary Anne says
I have been around dogs kept in research facilities and their nights are very, very quiet. Lights go out and it is completely dark in the rooms they are kept. No light whatsoever. Other than the noises from the other kennel dogs they are kept in a room with no windows and no sound other than their fellow dogs in cages and the heat/ac coming on and off. It may be that she is just hypersensitive to noises and light we take for granted like traffic rolling down the street and birds and streetlights? Just a thought, and considering the huge leap from research facility to home it may be overwhelming to her.
Jen says
I would think that simply the mental exhaustion of being in a “new” environment (at the vet’s), would be the explanation for why Kasey initially sleeps better when there, then reverts back to waking frequently when returned to her former familiar environment, and also after a few days at the vet’s. Change is exhausting. Once a dog settles in and starts to learn the routine of their new surroundings, not so much. Perhaps the issue is more similar to that of the dog that is a finicky eater- eating well on a new food for a couple of days, then back to refusing to eat it, with the people trying to “help” inadvertently contributing to the problem by providing constant change, rather than promoting slow adaptation. I do think any recovery for Kasey is going to be a very slow process, with lots of barking and lots of setbacks. I agree the meds aren’t helping. As Patricia mentioned, I’m not a vet, either, but, having researched the side effects of those same meds for other folks who have had dogs that experienced issues while on them, I wouldn’t suggest relying on those drugs, either. They cause too many other issues. Gabapentin can actually cause muscle tremors, and when I noticed those happening the time my dog was on them, and mentioned it to our vet, she had me stop the meds. It’s one of those meds that is used for many things: pain management is one of them, seizures is another; it could be that muscle tremors caused by that med are part of what is waking Kasey. Also, I recently just learned that, while widely used, neither Benadryl nor Gabapentin is actually FDA approved for veterinary use. Another thing, meds like these, which cross the blood-brain barrier, are not always tolerated well by certain breeds. As Patricia also mentioned, meds like these do more to immobilize the dog, rather than actually helping it sleep- the brain is still awake and going through whatever fear/anxiety processes the dog is experiencing, so it really isn’t a helpful means of trying to remedy the root issue, and is probably only making it worse. Are we addressing the problem, or a symptom? Are we really treating the dog, here, or merely trying to put a band-aid on something so the humans can sleep?
Frances says
Was she kenneled alone in the lab, or with another dog/s? With a puppy or a dog I was closely bonded with I would try sleeping arrangements where the dog is always within touching distance, but if the poor animal is nervous of people that won’t help, of course.
Tala Davis says
What happens *after* she wakes up barking? Does she just keep on barking or does she settle back down after a bit?
My partner and I are both prone to startling awake, sometimes gasping, sometimes yelling, and it takes a minute or two to reorient and calm down, then a while to get back to sleep. Medications that make us sleepy actually make it worse, because they delay the cognitive process of orienting ourselves (it feels like the sleep-reality is “sticky”).
Might it help to give her lots of support in reorienting to waking reality by keeping day and night as consistent as possible in her sleeping area?
For example, consistent light levels, specific sounds or music that are played in her sleeping area at night AND during the day, deliberately unique scents that stay consistent, etc.?
If she’s bonded to one person, maybe a sound-activated (or timer-activated, if she’s waking up as regularly as she seems to be) audio recording of them giving a soothing verbal patter that is paired, during daytime, with massage, to encourage a conditioned relaxation response?
Julie Zachman says
My very first dog, Will, was a TWC that had been a research animal. Lived his life in a kennel in a room with other hounds in separate kennels. Housed across the hall from a primate (yes, primate) room. He lived his life amidst not only canine noise but primate screeches. When I took him home he had many of the same issues as Kasey – he was afraid of everything, sounds startled hime, he would curl up and shake at anything new, he didn’t know how to go up and down steps. Once he backed out of a harness, at dusk, across the street from a beer depot with semis going back and forth. He *had* been leash trained by the research vet, who did her absolute best to make the dogs adoptable (and got every one adopted too). He always had a hard time with wheeled things like bikes and baby carriages and I later learned he was deathly afraid of the wheeled cart he had been put in to take him to surgeries. I think the question about what exactly was the research is a very good one, because knowing helped me understand he had a specific reason for this fear.
It was just me and Will for about five years. And two cats, one of whom I swear was born to be a therapy cat. He seemed to be always at Will’s side and seemed to have a calming effect on him, though I didn’t often see overt affection between them.
Will was bred to be an FDA trial animal, ‘research animal’ is a bit of a misnomer. But I could well imagine that animals bred for research and trials might have physiological/neurological conditions that go undetected and untreated. I was very lucky in this, Will eventually became very stable. But I may have therapy cat Ricki to thank for it.
Cindy says
My fearful female Lab mix would wake up during the night barking, for no apparent reason we could discern, waking up our household 3-4 times per night, which lasted for about 6 months and finally subsided after about 10 months. She had been shot in her shoulder (lost 3/4 of her scapula) and then was “rescued” by a person that was an animal hoarder (our dear girl lived 24/7 in a cat carrier as a 3-4 month old puppy, when we adopted her, her front legs were bowed because she couldn’t stand up in the carrier). We ruled out pain, metabolic issues, etc. I tried everything. Everything (exercise, dim lighting every hour before bedtime, chiropractor, reiki, natural “calming” OTC supplements). Our last hope and what made a turn in her behavior was talking with an animal communicator. She has been comfortable ever since. I would be happy to recommend the communicator we used. Prayers for healing 🙂
Roberta says
I had a similar issue with a Cocker Spaniel that I adopted several years ago. After a long period trying to figure out why she was waking several times a night and vocalizing (she howled) the vet determined that it was a form of seizure. She was started on Phenobarbitol and later switched to Potassium Bromide and that solved the problem. She lived a long happy life.
Ann says
What about t touch? This dog is carrying a lot of stress and worry in the body. What about relaxing the body in order to quiet the mind and spirit. T touch has been terrific for our fearful rescues.
Kathy says
I’m not an expert but have experience with rescued hounds with anxiety and sleep/wake issues including my current Foxhound. Couple thoughts on totally opposite ends of the spectrum. On a similar note to the white noise suggestion, there is a CD called Canine Lullaby that has a heartbeat as the background – has worked wonders in many shelters for noise as well as for thunder/noise phobias. An expensive thought is an MRI to rule out any neurological issue/possible seizure disorder. May not be feasible but a thought.
Also wondering if trying to mimic the lab setting as much as possible would help? Then slowly changing one piece at a time until a “normal” home setting is achieved. I know it’s been asked earlier but I’d also be curious what testing she was involved in? Was she able to sleep for hours in that setting? So many good thoughts and suggestions on here, hoping she and her adopter can get some relief.
Rebecca Rice says
Another reason for eliminating the ace: as mentioned, it immobilizes the dog, and thus may be masking helpful behavioral information, and possibly stopping the dog from self-soothing. If, every time you came down when the dog was barking, she was looking at the coat rack, that is information that you can use. If you can hear the dog moving around for half an hour before barking, that is useful information. Ace may be preventing the dog from doing that, which means you have to guess what is going on.
Also, I can’t think of anything more terrifying than being woken up by “something”, and not being able to move, look around, and check things out to figure out if there really is an issue or not. Imagine hearing a noise behind you, and being unable to turn around and see what it is. My anxiety level would go through the roof trying to figure out if there was something to worry about or not. It’s possible that the dog might not bark if she had the ability to go check out whatever woke her up.
Shirley says
I am far from being an expert on behavior, but I do have two adopted hounds who came with emotional issues. Here are my thoughts based on living and working with my two:
I believe that hounds are very deep emotionally and that even if you knew Kasey’s background you might never be able to figure out what triggers her issues. My suggestion would be to work with her strength–her nose. This won’t be a short term solution, but every successfull “find” will put a point in her good experiences column and when those start to overcome all her minuses, progress will follow. I do canine nosework with my dogs and the rewards for me and the dogs is undeniable.
Simple hiding treats around the room to begin. (only her, no other dogs) Then graduate to treats in open boxes, then treats
in stacked open boxes…etc. Using her nose and brain will be exhausting. As she gains courage and confidence, challenge her more. I’m sure there are drugs that might help her too. If you need help finding a home for her, I might be able to help.
HFR says
My older dog, in her last years of her life, would wake up often during the night and pant and pace. After a medical workup found nothing, I tried a bunch of stuff. After much trial and error, I ended up with a combination of xanax (a heavy dose) and gabapentin before we went to sleep, which didn’t cure the issue, but it did help a lot. One of the things I noticed is she didn’t wake up slowly and start pacing, she would literally jump up from a sound sleep like she was startled awake even tho there was nothing to startle her (altho it always scared the hell out of me). We did consider seizures of some sort, but there was no way to really tell and at her age I didn’t want to put her thru too much testing. But, like Roberta suggested, I think that may be an avenue worth exploring.
What do they do when she wakes up barking? I’m assuming at the vets there is no one there to attend to her in the middle of the night. Does she eventually stop (like she does with the owner leaving) and how long does that take, or will she continue to bark nonstop? I did discover that my old girl, if left alone, would eventually tire out and fall back to sleep, but that takes patience, something most people don’t have an abundance of in the middle of the night. Of course, now she is gone and I’d do anything to have her wake me up again.
Kasey has the sweetest face and I do hope this can be solved. Kudos to all those that are trying to help this poor girl.
Laura S. says
Had a thundershirt been mentioned or tried? Along with adaptil on bandana or bedding. The trainer I consult from time to time has had success with this: http://throughadogsear.com/product/through-a-dogs-ear-vol-1-music-to-calm-your-canine-companion/
jane miller says
I teach relaxation/stress reduction techniques for humans and their animals and would be happy to consult with her to assist with some tools/techniques that might help this dog. I hope you contact me:
Jane Miller, LISW, CDBC, AABP-CDBT,
Executive Director, Healing Companions, Inc.
Author of, “Healing Companions: Ordinary Dogs and Their Extraordinary Power To Transform Lives.”
http://www.healing-companions.org
Oberlin, Ohio
jmiller@oberlin.net
800-457-0345
Kizz says
I have 2 thoughts after reading all the amazing suggestions.
1. Smells. She’s a hound mix. Perhaps her connection to smell is very strong. Perhaps the smells in her environment at the lab were specific, some smells might predict bad experiences. Perhaps there weren’t a lot of novel smells in the lab and she’s also afraid of some novel smells and is getting them from much farther away than we can detect. I’m not sure how one would even approach this but someone above did talk about essential oils and others mentioned scent work. Those 2 things could make smells a calming thing for her.
2. We have no idea what her nights were like at the lab and there’s a theme in comments that seems to assume that she slept through the night in the lab. I think that the only thing we know is that whatever she did at night didn’t bother anyone. That could very likely be because there was no one there to bother. It’s possible that she and her lab-mates got up once an hour and bayed for 20 minutes before going back to sleep. If the behavior is this well-practiced it could be a real challenge to change. On the upside it may, to some extent, be a sign that she’s comfortable. When she’s uncomfortable (new place, new routine, new people) she’s too shut down to get up and make a stink. Once she gets comfortable she’s able to express herself again.
Evelynn says
Lab dogs often have other dogs there and a level of codependency. Maybe if she has more confident dogs around her she would take their cues and relax better. Also due to lack of exercise etc her body also might have a very bad routine. I got a severely understimulated shep puppy.. she still only sleep 6 hours over night and wakes me up for water or pee most nights at least once. She was crated 20 hours a day and have had a poorly adjusted internal clock. Its finally getting there but has been 2 months. Just a couple of thoughts.. and of course regular free shaping, for confidence and environmental engagement.
Eileen says
Just to reiterate what others have said and in no particular order
Indoor nose work and lots of it for mental stimulation, enrichment and confidence building. Ditto clicker
ACP (as we know, vets or not) does not help and makes sound sensitive dogs worse, advocate for the dog and take him off it, then try to undo the damage ?
Trial a crate/x pen in the bedroom by the owners bedside, where they can soothe and reassure the dog quickly. A few short barks and then being able to go back to sleep is infinitely preferable to lying upstairs listening to a dog bark for hours.
Lots of chewing – releases endorphins and is soothing. Bones, kongs, pigs ears
White noise is good, but above certain levels is an aversive.
Consider getting in touch with Diane Garrod and doing a Canine Emotional Detox. Sounds like he needs it.
Revisit the meds, there are many more than the ones you listed, they just seem to be popular ‘go tos’ ATM. Many others, check out Karen Overall’s protocols.
I am a qualified (BSc Hons) animal scientist and rehomer of ex racing greys so have some experience of rehoming traumatised animals that have been raised in institutional settings ?.
Chris from Boise says
I have nothing to add – just wanted to say “what an amazing community!” Wow! Hope that one or more of these suggestions helps Kasey and owners. Hope to see a follow-up post eventually with ‘the rest of the story’.
Sheila B. says
Laurie Keenan did well covering all that I was considering. I, too, wanted to add the value of T-Touch and other forms of canine massage and acupuncture–at the home if at all possible. There may have been activities or treatments administered during nighttime hours in the lab setting? PTSD can take a toll on humans and animals alike. I can only imagine a brain that is not able to settle and so adding daytime stimulation could make matters worse. If there is a large fenced yard, is it possible to create a small area, that gradually can be increased in size, as the dog displays comfort in the space? Calm, quiet, reliable schedule, and time. Wow. Grisha? Where’s Grisha Stewart?
Annette says
T-Touch helped my dog Molly when she went through a period of frequent (10+ times waking per night) anxious barking in the six months leading up to her cancer diagnosis. Years earlier, my dog Heidi also went through a period of night-time restlessness and barking prior to a return of a cancer that had been in remission. Music (pianos only) helped. A trial of Ace. definitely INCREASED Heidi’s anxiety level. Benedryl in large doses (100+ mg/day for a 30 lb dog), which was eventually part of her cancer drug regimen, definitely helped sleep for Molly. Based on my experience, I would definitely check closely for lumps and bumps and/or spots/bumps on the tongue or palate.
Rebecca Rice says
After more thought, I’d like to know more about why they are using the drugs that they are. Trazodone is used both to treat insomnia (on mostly anecdotal evidence from what I quickly googled) and as an anti-depressant. Which is the reason that they are using it in this case? I am not sure what the gabapentin is for. My vet generally prescribes that for nerve pain. Is it in the mix because they think there is physical discomfort, or for some other reason? Ace, as I stated above, I would get off of as fast as I could, since I think it may be making this situation worse.
I am not a vet, and thus this is only “stuff to talk over with your vet”. I’d be thinking about getting this dog onto some sort of anti-anxiety medicine (I have used amitryptiline and fluoxetine with my dog) in order to ease her general state of mind while implementing counter-conditioning and desensitization protocols. I would also be limiting her outside exposure to a small area that she can get to know well and feel safe in before expanding it out to more places. That will hopefully lower Kasey’s over-all stress levels and help with sleeping through the night, if it’s anxiety that’s the issue. Since SSRIs take a while to get to therapeutic levels, I would also put her on a course of fast-acting anti-anxiety drugs, like Valium, especially at night, until the SSRI can take over. Once her anxiety issues improve in general, you can wean off the drugs if you feel that they aren’t needed, but for the first stages, I think it’s better to give the dog more weapons to fight with.
At the same time, I would be asking the owner to answer the following questions, since right now all I really know is that the dog is waking up and barking approximately every hour. I don’t even know if it’s two barks every hour, or a solid 30 minutes of barking every hour, and, as we all know, the answer to any situation is generally “it depends (on what the particular situation is)”:
1. How long does the dog sleep before the first barking episode?
2. What does the barking sound like? Deep/high-pitched? Fast/slow? Continuous, or with pauses? Is there growling as well? What sort of “emotion” do you get from the barks (happy, scared, anxious, bored, etc.)? Having an idea of what the underlying emotion is may help with finding solutions. What will work to quiet a scared dog might not work on one that is just bored, for example.
3. What does the owner do in response to the barking? Wait it out, yell, go downstairs immediately? Sometimes one thing, sometimes another?
4. How long does it take the dog to settle back down after an episode? Does the owner think that their actions are influencing how fast or slow that happens, or is it pretty much independent of what the owner does?
5. What happens once the dog is settled back down? Does the owner stick around, immediately go back upstairs, sleep on the couch?
6. How long after the dog is settled does the second episode happen?
And then repeat all of that for however many episodes Kasey has per night.
Since the history states that Kasey is very people-friendly, likes handling and attention, and the barking only started after the owner moved “back upstairs to sleep”, and doesn’t start while her husband is still downstairs, I wonder if Kasey is just lonely and learning that barking gets her people back to her. If that’s the case, then the easy solution is “get Kasey to her people”.
Kat says
In no particular order here are the things that occur to me.
The issue is not that Kasey doesn’t sleep through the night it is that she barks when she wakes in the night. How much does she sleep during the day and does she wake up barking in the daytime? I’ve had cats that slept all day and wanted to party all night. Keeping them awake all day for a few days got them into a sleep cycle I could live with.
She’s gone from a very predictable and not very stimulating environment to one that has a lot of different things going on, even the sound of humans snoring is new and confusing for her. I’d reduce her enrichment to hunting for all her calories. No more food in bowls food would be offered multiple times a day scattered around where she had to hunt for it (beginning with a small dispersal of a foot diameter circle with all the kibble bits close to one another in that small space and Gradually increasing to more complex hunts.) It has the benefit of tiring her mentally and physically as she’s working with her basic hound nature.
There are a whole lot of noises in the typical house that as humans we simply filter out. Kasey doesn’t know what any of them are or what they might herald. White noise is worth a try set at a very low volume.
Is she being reinforced for barking in the night? Sometimes barking is self-reinforcing and sometimes barking gets you the attention you want. I’d be curious to know what happens when she barks in the night.
I’m wondering why prozac hasn’t been tried. To me the problem sounds more like an anxiety issue than a sleep issue.
Dealing with a profoundly damaged dog is an indescribably awful place to be (having been there). Kasey is very fortunate to have people who have not given up on her. Kudos to her people.
Shannon says
Interesting, the only thing I can share is I have a German Shephard that would appear to have bouts of night time anxiety that started after a traumatic situation. She would pace the house and paw me awake or paw things off table or plugs out of walls. I tried everything i could think of. Nothing seemed to matter. I had read Temple Grandins book and tried hugging (putting pressure on her torso) for 30 sec. at a time. it helped! her breathing would slow and she would relax. But when I stopped she would become anxious again. The only thing I could observe and feel it may predict an episode was if she was sleeping earlier than normal in the evening and super deep. I hope she finds peace in the night.
So if we are to have an episode I put her Thunder jacket on and still give her some squeezes.
E Christensen says
Hi Dr. McConnell,
We’d be happy to support the referring veterinarian with this case if he/she would like. It wouldn’t be our first time with one of these kids. Laboratory beagles often really have specific needs. I’m so glad they found you and this community for support.
We can be reached at info@behaviorvets.com if the veterinarian would like some help. We offer this at no charge to all veterinarians managing behavior cases. It’s what’s best for pets. 🙂
Warmly,
E’Lise Christensen, DVM DACVB
Jennifer whiten says
If it’s sound related I just stumbled across this?
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/New-Dog-Medicine-for-Noise-Related-Anxiety-379716661.html?amp=y
Rebecca says
I’ve also worked with research dogs. In my case, the dogs were in rooms, each in their own cage, but able to see other dogs. They were usually quiet, but they’d all get up and bark when we entered the room. These dogs were handled a lot and had mellow personalities in general, but there was no obedience training or attempts to stop the barking. They don’t learn how to behave like pet dogs or model behavior from other dogs, so these expectations may all be new to her. It’s possible that Kasey is following her usual pattern of barking when disturbed, and no one has really trained her to be quiet. There are a lot of novel sounds in a house compared to a lab or kennel, so there is more to disrupt her sleep and she can react to things that seem insignificant, but are a big deal to her. I’ve had dogs that didn’t sleep through the night, but they stayed quiet, so perhaps the issue is really inappropriate barking. Have there been any attempts to focus on this aspect of obedience training?
Karen DeBraal says
Agree with Laurie Keenan. I am an acupuncturist and former vet tech. Find a holistic vet. The drugs ultimately are masking imbalances. I am sympathetic with the human lack of sleep. I have had so many critters over the years that have disturbed my sleep. Get to a holistic vet!!
My dogs respond well to the through A Dog’s Ear music. One is very sound sensitive. She also will sometimes balk at going outside. We have to take it very slow when that cycle appears (she doesn’t like the sound of wasps or buzzing things). Lots of treats to lengthen the walk. Many little walks. It can be very challenging as she is a high energy dog. I give her a dog herbal calming treat which helps. It isn’t very strong.
Good luck and bless all the caring for her! Poor dear girl.
Jackie d says
Gabapentin is used quite a lot as a painkiller in both humans and dogs so I doubt that is contributing to her anxiety. Anecdotally, my very neurotic dog has had Gabapentin and it made no difference to his behaviour.
Erika says
Hi. First, I am not a vet or medical professional of any kind. I am a certified behavior consultant and trainer and fully understand that I am not supposed to discuss specific medications. I will just share what I am doing with my own personal dog. I am having some issues with my 14-year old Weimaraner. She is waking up multiple times per night barking. Sometimes she awake but lying down, sometimes she is barking into the air. She also has arthritis and is anxious. She looks confused and has a hard time focusing on me. I believe there is a cognitive piece to the issue as well. There could be something organic happening with this baby as well. I am about to begin a regimen of hemp or cannabinoid. This is not straight cannabis as it does not contain THC. There are some interesting impacts on pain, anxiety, and other issues. I should say upfront that it is not an approved treatment by the FDA and you will find a warning letter when you Google it. This appears to be one of those things that falls under the category of no harm, no foul and is worth a shot. There is also medical marijuana being used to treat some disorders in dogs. Not sure if this is worth a try but I am sure one of the vets or behavioral vets may have some take on this.
Jessica says
Could this be stereotype? I’ve interacted with beagles from research facilities who are repetitive bay/barkers. They used barking as self-soothing and stimulation due to the sparse environment and lack of contact. Also, researchers leave overnight, human companions are gone, and are not present to halt unwanted/noisy behavior. I suppose I’m wondering if she wakes, might she just then fall into a pre-programmed nighttime behavior pattern to self-soothe?
My border collie was an incessant spinner when I adopted him at 5; he had broken his tail from catching it, had pulled out his fur and had puncture wounds. Stereotypic behaviors are tough. I used T-Touch, mental stimulation, positive interrupting behaviors , impulse control exercises, and patience. All these have been suggested and described better than I can., but I do think it may be enlightening to know more about her nighttime routine at the lab.
Margie says
Some of the previous comments touched on some of this (lights, lab schedules, etc). Gather information. Are there any times/places when she does sleep (boarding kennel, lab)? How much of her environment can you duplicate? Examples: along the lines of white noise, can you tape the sounds at the kennel when she’s sleeping (or night sounds at the lab), loop it, and use it at home, incrementally decreasing the volume over time? Can you give her other “blankets” or towels in her space/kennel with “her blanket” so they stay in her space, get dirty and start to smell like “her blanket” even if they aren’t “her blanket” – something to stay with her when you have to wash her favorite? (Remove, wash & dry as quickly as possible -40 minutes- don’t throw it in the hamper until the next wash day.) Can you bring it in the car? Smells – can you use the same cleaning products that they use at the lab or kennel to clean her sleeping space? the outside doorway? The porch? What spaces did she have access to at the lab when she wasn’t in her kennel? (You might need to desensitize her to the transport or duplicate her previous experience in crate or harness- if it was positive). Are there any spaces like that available to just hang out, sit, sniff, walk . . . (a college lobby, a vet office or clinic when it’s empty, an empty SPCA lobby, the grounds around any of the above . . . safety first – always.) If college students worked with her, that may be her demographic – the age group she’s most comfortable with. Who do you know that age? One of my dogs was fearful before she had a bad experience at the vet’s. We needed to go to emergency one night- new place. Most of the staff were college-aged. She liked them! They were the age of my kids and their friends. When/where/with whom is she comfortable? Think senses. How much can you duplicate?
Amanda says
Having had multiple of similar situations come through my house (we call it the house of misfit aussies, lol) here’s what I have found work. Now, sometimes I combine all of these things and sometimes I only need one or two of these based on how the dog is progressing.
1. I sleep touching the crate, often my fingers are touching the dog and anytime they need comfort they can touch me. I usually can phase this out after 2 weeks but I’ve been known to sleep on the couch for up to 2 months.
2. Thundershirt. I have one dog that this was not useful at all but others worked wonders at night.
3. Medication. My worst case of panic disorder needs a combination of clonidine, fluoxetine (switched to zoloft after finding an underlying neurological condition), melatonin, and herbal supplement such as soloquin or zylkene.
4. Exercise, specifically in the form of agility, rally, and nosework where the brain is getting an even greater workout than the body.
5. Time, lots of it! Nothing gets fixed quickly, sometimes getting small improvements over months is lightning speed improvement to the dog. It sucks, but you have to go at their pace.
Jasmine says
One of my dogs has various anxieties that sound similar to what’s described, and we have had success with acupuncture and Chinese herbs (Shen Calm), as well as Min-Chex (by Standard Process). We have not dealt with the sleeping issue described, but would definitely suggest giving these alternative treatments a try. Best of luck to the owner and I hope that Kacey can find some emotional and mental peace.
Carolyn herz says
So many great ideas and i am no expert, but having dealt with stereotyped behaviors with some of my border collies, i would highly recommmend (in addition to lots of things suggested here) using karen overall’s relaxation protocol. At first you’ll think, “nothing much” but it has huge spillover effects once the dog learns how to relax. http://www.deerrunanimalhospital.com/sites/site-3302/documents/Protocol_for_Relaxation_Tier_1_figures.doc
Alex Johnson says
My ex lab beagle used to howl in his sleep (not beagly howling, it was dog-awful soul rending howling) It just gradually reduced then stopped after a year or so. My gut feeling was exercise made a difference. The 3 hour long sniffing country walk type of exercise. He slept better when physically tired (or maybe I just slept through it better?).
Jen says
Adding to my previous remarks, I also know that this sort of thing is typical for dogs that have been the subject of laboratory experiments. The Beagle Freedom Project (and author Theresa Rhine) have much to say on this subject. Most likely, barking at night was Kasey’s way of relieving stress, boredom and pent-up energy after the day-to-day goings on of the lab she was in. No-one was around at night to teach her differently, and now it is a habit. Being still/quiet all day, probably dozing for most of the day, just to tune out the stressors, left her with time on her hands at night, and, being in a kennel, what else was there to do for entertainment/activity? At this point, it’s a learned behavior that will need to be “reprogrammed”, meaning she will need to be more active during the day so that she sleeps at night, and an appropriate correction, action and alternative behavior taught when she wakes in the wee hours. It will take a lot of time and effort from her people, thought it already seems everyone who has had to help her deal with this has already lost patience in working the new behavior modification program til it sticks. Not just drugging her or wearing her out to make her sleep, but actually TEACHING her that nighttime is SLEEP TIME, rather than waking/barking time.
Beth says
Having gone through a period of about 6 weeks where Jack was terribly concerned about something outside (we never determined what, but based on time of year we think mating and/or territory-fighting foxes or coyotes) and would wake us up woofing and pacing every hour or so, I have nothing but sympathy for the situation. After about a week I was in tears and seriously concerned we may not be able to keep our much-loved dog if this continued. This feeling ONLY happened in the middle of the night while I was half-asleep and beyond frustrated, but if this feeling started to arise with a much-loved nine-year-old dog, I can only imagine how the owners of a newish rescue must feel. I even yelled at him at one point which I NEVER do and needless to say, this made his behavior worse since it was anxiety-driven. He wanted to go outside and follow scent-trails up the street all night. It was maddening.
Since the dog is breaking through medications before reconditioning can occur, I hesitate to suggest trying other meds. But we had some success with a combination of Hydroxyzine and one of those pheromone calming collars.
Another thought is the dog may be having gut issues, either because he’s disposed to them or because of the stress of lab life. I have found that if Jack wakes up in the middle of the night and starts pacing the floors, some ginger helps. I believe that not moving around can cause some gas buildup which leads to stomach upset and nocturnal roaming.
What is the dog’s feeding schedule? Many dogs get upset stomachs (some even vomit bile) on an empty stomach. A substantial snack right before bed might help.
Obviously the inability to give sufficient exercise means the dog is perhaps not tired at night and may be bored or restless. Is there any space where the dog feels safe enough to run around long enough to be tired? A big open basement, a yard with a privacy fence, something like that?
I agree the hourly awakenings sound like the dog’s normal sleep cycle. I don’t know that there has to be a trigger. But when the dog wakes up (perhaps naturally) she is being triggered to bark. Does she seem anxious when she barks? How does she respond to someone talking to her? Going to her? Hounds bark to touch base with each other. Is she just trying to find where her pack is? Would simply calling her name and saying “it’s ok, go back to sleep” help?
Have they tried moving her closer to them at night? Where she can hear them breathing if she wakes up? Jack spent his life sleeping downstairs happily enough (he’s an overly eager alarm-barker and usually once or twice a week he’d wake us up barking at something outside, but other than the above-mentioned incident he was never a problem). About a month after we lost Maddie he abruptly decided he did NOT like being alone downstairs and would bark (interestingly he’s fine when we are at work and is frequently still asleep on the couch when I arrive home). So we moved him to the bedroom. About once a week he starts roaming around and that’s when I said the ginger seems to help him. Otherwise moving him upstairs worked like a charm.
Those are my initial thoughts. I’ll see if I think of anything else.
Thunder shirt?
Robin Vogg says
My input, would be for the person she has bonded the most with, to have the crate directly by their side of the bed, or to have that person throw a couple of sleeping bags on the floor and sleep right by the crate. Do this until the barking at nights stop. Seems like a small price to pay for insuring to this precious dog, that she is not alone.
Essa says
So many great suggestions already. The only thing I will add is that I am having good consistent results using CBD Hemp Oil with anxious dogs. I use Hemp Health oil which was originally recommended by my holistic vet. There is a dosage range, and even using it at mid-range dose I have seen remarkable results with anxious dogs becoming more focused, calmer, and less crazy nervous energy- I normally see results within 10-15 minutes. Maybe the CBD hemp oil on a cookie at bed time would help this dog to be comfortable enough to sleep through the night.
Margo says
Rescue Remedy has helped my nervous dog Sam a lot, over the years…he is 12 now. He couldn’t sleep at night after I had been away in the hospital for 2 weeks and my husband had to look after all the animals (yes, poor non-animal husband!). Sam would shriek all night, very upsetting to everyone. Eventually he calmed down, once we got back into a good routine, and I started leaving a light on and giving him the Rescue Remedy. But even now if he gets upset by something, he will cry a bit at night. During a thunderstorm I just sleep on the couch and everyone is happy!
I am old fashioned I guess, and don’t like the idea of crating dogs. I would keep a new untrained dog in one easy to clean room at night and when I’m out. To me it seems a lot to ask of a dog to stay in a crate all night.
I’ve found that it takes dogs and horses about 1 full year to adjust to a new life. My 4 all had different issues when they came here to live with us. It seems to me that a lot of people expect too much of their dogs. I think one has to figure out a good routine and help the dog learn to follow it, with lots of rewards (food, attention) and TONS of patience and with the assumption that it might take a long time. Adopting a dog with issues is certainly not for someone who is time-pressured.
I would only give one of my dogs major medications if everything else had failed, and I had given the situation a lot of time.
All just my opinion, after looking after dogs for many years!
Sharon says
We saw a holistic vet about our GSD rescue’s anxiety. She also is very sound sensitive. The vet
suggested Canine Companion, a Hemp capsule which she takes at night. Rescue remedy did not work for her.
I found that adding a white noise machine is helping her to sleep better. We have a few critters that wander into the yard, which used to wake her up, but she doesn’t hear them as much with the white noise.
Jenny H says
Not much help, but:
I would presume at the research facilities it was likely many of the dogs barked at night. That would have bothered nobody since nobody would have been there trying to sleep.
One wonder too, what lighting was or wasn’t in the room where the dogs were housed at night.
Then were the dogs in small crates at night? He might be discombobulated by having TOO much room at night?
Not to mention, when and what is he fed? A full belly to digest tends to promote sleep.
Beverly Ann Hebert says
I understand that there is something abnormal going on here, so I hesitate to bring this up because it may be a dumb question, but has anyone looked at how much time the dog spends asleep on a 24 hour basis? How much does she sleep during the day? I just thought if she has disturbed sleep patterns at night she may be napping a lot during the day and then that will interfere with her sleeping at night. Also, is it possible that a specialist in human sleep problems might have some ideas and insights into what could be going on with the dog?
Kriss says
There are so many helpful comments here! My dogs (and I) love the relaxing piano music of Lisa Spector – Through A Dog’s Ear. Possibly worth a try. And stop those meds, if possible. Poor doggie, just needs a lot of time to figure out the big world! http://throughadogsear.com/lisa-spectors-blog/
Cheryl Wylie says
I think this dog’s brain is stuck in a pattern of constant vigilance stemming from her previous environment. What stops her from barking once she starts? I would find out what soothes her, makes her feel safe. This poor girl. Medication didn’t work for my feral dog. I had to find out what made him feel safe and build his confidence on that and my energy had to reflect that he could trust that I had his back.
Natalie says
So can she nap comfortably during the day? What was the lab kennel situation like at night? This is really basic, but perhaps she needs night to be as similar as possible to the day – obviously we can’t make people stay up for her, but what if it was lights on/more regular noise, etc? Also, they haven’t yet explored the options of SSRIs for her general anxiety, which may help at night as well and be less likely something for her body to “get used to.”
Rosalie says
With humans a study was done and they found that some humans don’t process melatonin the same way as others, they don’t flush it out at the same rate so they didn’t have the normal cycle of it building up and depleting and it didn’t help them fall asleep. They found that waiting a few days until it was completely out of their system (I think it took 3 days) then starting out at a much lower dosage worked well for the people who processed melatonin this way. They used 500 micrograms as one of the new dosages (all were under 1 mg I believe). I wonder if trying the dog on a much lower dosage of melatonin might help more than a higher dosage. Trader Joe’s sells a peppermint flavored chewable tablet of 500 micrograms (which is half a milligram) that is easy to give and every dog I know who has had this has liked the flavor.
Valerie says
I hope a solution has been found for Kasey by now, but I would like to add my suggestion just in case there has been no improvement. I completely understand that some people may not want their dog in their room, much less on their bed. However, with Kasey, I would take time off work and have her close to me at night so that I could calm and comfort her whenever she woke. Being in a completely new environment may be very difficult for her to handle except in baby steps and my dog mum instincts tell me she need comfort and reassurance. I am no expert, however, I have fostered young puppies several times and currently own two foster failures.
Carolyn Moser says
Nicholas Dodman DVM Center for Canine Behavior
Pets on the Couch… March 11 I heard him present information from his latest book which is subtitled Neurotic Dogs, Compulsive Cats, Anxious Birds and the New Science of Animal Psychiatry.
Chapter 14: The Narcoleptic Horse-Night Terrors and other Sleep Problems begins with the description of a 7-month-old German short-hair pointer puppy with “extreme sleepwalking episodes at least ten times per night.”
I believe he can be contacted via the Center for Canine Behavior Studies
The Center pursues canine studies that seek to enhance the human-canine bond through better understanding of canine behavior.
Mail: P.O. Box 532, Salisbury, CT 06068
Telephone: 860-485-4066
Executive Director: Chris P. Janelli
Email: info@centerforcaninebehaviorstudies.org
I am a retired health sciences reference librarian. I have no opinion on Dr. Dodman’s work. Listening to him I was impressed with his compassion for animals and methodical approach to solving conditions with animals who were suffering in the extreme.
muttzrule says
Don’t know if I have much to bring to the table after reading the many excellent suggestions above, but for what it’s worth:
Please get that poor pup off Ace! A short term trial of it (after no success with milder meds) for my extremely thunder phobic golden/shepherd mix did more harm than good. He was sort of zombied out physically and mentally but just as fearful, which made him even more likely to pee in the house under stress than usual. Not what we were hoping for!?
Nose work was mentioned several times. Playing Find It, hide and seek, fun games along those lines might help her build confidence in exploring new things, bond with her people, and give her a mental and physical workout to drain off some nervous energy.
This may sound goofy, but what about trying a Snuggle Puppie? It’s a stuffed dog that plays a recording of a mother dog’s heartbeat. If Kacey doesn’t tear stuffies up it might be comforting for her.
The amount of love, compassion, creativity and wisdom shown in all the responses is truly awesome. I’ve found some new ideas to try to help my Duncan with his fears. Please post an update if possible to let us know how Kacey and her family are doing. I’m praying it will be good news!
Robin Senor says
Very late to the game, but the first thing that struck me here was that she had to sleep in a crate-
understandable given the circumstances of bedwetting but unfortunate given the middle-night stress scenario. Puppies sleep with their mates, so as former dogsitters we ALWAYS let stressed pets sleep with companions- either a human they have gained trust with, or another dog (yes we indeed split the house up into humans with dogs as needed..due to personalities and space one bed can only hold so many dogs).
Teresa Cannon says
I know this is a rather old post but I have had the same problem with my dog. All the people responding with great ideas have not lived with a dog that has this condition. It’s called sundowners and my dog has a bad case of it. She is very active when my husband comes home and she gladly walks for 3-4 miles. Other than she has sleeps most all day except when I make her get up. She usually wakes about 2 am and it last until sunrise. We have had her on prozac, which has helped with her thunder storm issues. Zanax, and not trazodone. Sometimes I think that makes her worse. All these seemed to work for a few days and then did nothing but keep her wide awake and drunk. She has been in the same environment for years and nothing has changed. So all these helpful people that are trying to pinpoint something else to trigger the dogs are no real help. Our dog simply has a form of Alzheimer’s also known as sundowners and there seems to be nothing we can do at her age. She is completely healthy and on the best diet. Well exercised but nothing helps. It’s currently after 3 am and she is laying by my side in the living room restlessly getting up and down walking around. She is kinda ok if I stay in the living room with lights on but if I try to go to the bedroom and sleep she is fully awake. She slides under the bed and goes nuts, otherwise has to petted all night. We have tried putting her into bed with us but that doesn’t work either. We are at wits end.
Danette says
I can feel your pain Teresa. Here I am at 5:30 am trying to find an answer for my 14 y/o dog who within the last 4 months has started pacing during the day and wakes up several times during the night and will not settle down. She is on Trazodone which seemed to help for a bit, but now seems to do nothing at all. I have also tried gabapentin with no success. The melatonin and cbd both are of interest to me as something to try. Let me know if you find a solution!