Psychotic episodes in my Alaskan malamute

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the unusual and concerning behavior exhibited by an Alaskan malamute, described as psychotic-like episodes. Participants explore potential causes for these behaviors, which include neurological disorders, hormonal changes, and other medical conditions. The conversation touches on the importance of veterinary consultation and the emotional impact of such incidents on pet owners.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their dog's behavior, including fixation on objects and loss of motor skills, questioning the underlying cause.
  • Several participants suggest that the dog may have a neurological disorder, with references to potential conditions like brain tumors or strokes.
  • Some participants propose that hormonal changes could be a factor, noting that similar behaviors occurred during the dog's fertile periods.
  • Concerns are raised about the cost of veterinary visits, with some participants emphasizing the importance of seeking professional help despite the expense.
  • One participant shares a personal experience with their dog's health issues, highlighting the emotional challenges of making medical decisions for pets.
  • Another participant suggests that the dog's behavior could be indicative of epilepsy or other central nervous system issues.
  • Some participants emphasize the need for detailed communication with a veterinarian to ensure proper diagnosis and care.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of consulting a veterinarian, but there is no consensus on the specific cause of the dog's behavior. Multiple competing views regarding potential medical conditions and the interpretation of the dog's symptoms remain present.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the dog's condition, noting the rarity of the episodes and the variability in the dog's behavior. There are references to the limitations of routine check-ups compared to thorough examinations for diagnosing potential health issues.

Who May Find This Useful

Pet owners experiencing similar behavioral concerns with their dogs, individuals interested in canine health issues, and those seeking community support for pet-related challenges may find this discussion relevant.

Pleonasm
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My dog exhibited a psychotic-like behavior yesterday.. Curling up her body posture, standing still in the apartment looking at tennis shoes and other things she normally doesn't care about.

I figured I take her out for a jogg. She then proceeds to walk down the stair when her motor skills shuts off, prompting her to fall down.

Back to the apartment after 2 hours out in the snow. She still can't go to bed and just fixates on stuff in the apartment and breaths heavliy.

Wake up the next morning and she is fine. Relaxed and happy as ever. No problem going down the stairs. No fixations. Like she is 99. 9% if the time.

What in the world is happening to her in these moments? And why has it only occurred twice in 2 and a half years? She is a perfectly normal dog otherwise, although a bit sensitive to stimuly
 
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jedishrfu said:
Here's an article about other neurological disorders in dogs:

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Warning-signs-of-neurological-disorders-in-canines

I would take your dog to the vet for a thorough exam. She may have a brain tumor or have had a stroke or ate something while on a walk or any number of other things.

Could it just be hormones too? I mean how can she be fine the next morning? I really don't think it's a tumor. It is a very rare occurrence but it has happened once before.

Heres' how she curls up
 

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We don't diagnose things here. Its best to go to your vet, really.

Its what we have done through the years with our dogs.

Its also more humane in case your dog is suffering silently from some unknown condition.
 
jedishrfu said:
We don't diagnose things here. Its best to go to your vet, really.

Its what we have done through the years with our dogs.

Its also more humane in case your dog is suffering silently from some unknown condition.

It's very expensive going to the vet with such a bizarre description and I have just been there for a routine check-up. I don't think it's an urgent condition, but it is scary. I was wondering what you think it sounds like? I love my dog more than anything, so don't wore about that. I will go if this was to repeat more.
 
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Here's she is now, perfectly relaxed
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The decision is yours. Did you tell the vet about what happened? If they said to monitor it then that's good.

Our dog was acting really strangely and we thought he had eaten something bad. A trip to the doggy ER revealed that he had prostate cancer. With his age (9 years) we had to decide whether to operate or to let him live out his life (est 6-9 months). We had to monitor his urinating and if we saw he could no longer pee then it was time to call the vet (no more than 24 hours). It was a very sad time for us. He was in excellent health except for that. We don't know if the operation would've helped but we do know there were many downsides to it. Our other dog went through something similar with rectal cancer and an operation which took him several months to recover from in addition to being away from us for a few weeks while at the hospital. (Dogs get very depressed and feel abandoned when their family isn't around)
 
jedishrfu said:
The decision is yours. Did you tell the vet about what happened? If they said to monitor it then that's good.

Our dog was acting really strangely and we thought he had eaten something bad. A trip to the doggy ER revealed that he had prostate cancer. With his age (9 years) we had to decide whether to operate or to let him live out his life (est 6-9 months). We had to monitor his urinating and if we saw he could no longer pee then it was time to call the vet (no more than 24 hours). It was a very sad time for us. He was in excellent health except for that. We don't know if the operation would've helped but we do know there were many downsides to it. Our other dog went through something similar with rectal cancer and an operation which took him several months to recover from in addition to being away from us for a few weeks while at the hospital. (Dogs get very depressed and feel abandoned when their family isn't around)

Okey. My dog is only 2 and half years old.
No I didn't because this happened once when she was fertil, and I know they can get psychotic during those stages. Thinking that they are pregnant, carry stuff around etc. But this time she's NOT fertile and it happened now about 2-3 months later. Has happened two times in total. She was fertile well over 1 month ago. It's a bit of a stretch to think it can still spook around now. And it shouldn't affect her basic motor skills.
 
You can see her better her. This is a very dignified and tough as nails girl. Not insecure at all in my apartment normally.
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  • #11
Pleonasm said:
It's very expensive going to the vet with such a bizarre description and I have just been there for a routine check-up. I don't think it's an urgent condition, but it is scary. I was wondering what you think it sounds like? I love my dog more than anything, so don't wore about that. I will go if this was to repeat more.
If you love your dog you will take her to the vet. Give the vet as much detail as possible. No one here can help you. Treat her just as you would anyone else in your family. She looks like a real sweetheart!
 
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  • #13
Taking her to the vet is a good idea.
Better would be to do it when she is showing this unusual intermittent behavior (if possible).

Another possible cause might be some form of epilepsy. It can be intermittent and cause strange behaviors.
 
  • #14
Pleonasm said:
It's very expensive going to the vet with such a bizarre description...
Phone calls are free and they can likely tell you if it's a warning sign or nothing over the phone.
 
  • #15
BillTre said:
Taking her to the vet is a good idea.
Better would be to do it when she is showing this unusual intermittent behavior (if possible).

Another possible cause might be some form of epilepsy. It can be intermittent and cause strange behaviors.

She is very afraid of certain stimuly, but when this happens, a simple thing like the stairs freighten her and she struggles to go down and falls. No twitches of any sort. It reminds me of rabies symptoms, which she of course doesn't have, but it's the same abnornormal suspiciousness of everyday things.
 
  • #16
Like people, dogs can get medical problems that affect their central nervous system - e.g. distemper, brain tumors, parasites. If you decline to take the dog to a vet, you better look on the web to learn how to do a thorough clinical exam on a dog. There are books and videos about doing clinical exams on people. Perhaps a forum member can point you to vet school info on examining dogs. A routine check-up with a doctor is not a thorough clinical exam. The same is probably true for a routine check-up with a vet.
 
  • #17
Just as PF does diagnose people, it shouldn't diagnose dogs. Take her to a vet.
 
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