Week 1-3 of Prozac

We began prozac on February 3rd, 2012. How did I come to the decision that it was finally time? Well, the truth is I'd flirted with the idea for a long time but I hadn't had anything push be over the edge to asking the vet. What changed? Over the months prior, Mochi's sound sensitivity was getting worse. It had gotten to the point where any wind outside had him laying under me, sometimes with teeth chattering. Music was another point of contention - I like to sing and listen to it almost constantly. He started first just sitting under my desk when it was on but was getting increasingly agitated by it.

Shortly after Clicker Expo, a friend who is a vet but not currently practicing said to me, "sound phobias get worse, not better" and I knew we had to make an appointment for that week. If I could do it over again, I think I would have started him on prozac to help him cope with the conflict feelings he was having when he started acting out from pain (since it was clear pain meds were not totally helping the problem). I was partially sucked into the "drugging your dog is bad" and that if I didn't do absolutely everything to help him before drugs, I was a bad owner.

I don't believe that anymore.

See, he really can coexist with dogs who aren't Arya (taken November 2011)!

In week 1 we had some indications - he was just the slightest bit more relaxed. I went over to him one day to give him some love and he rolled on his back and made happy grunty noises. Unusual for him. 

Week 2 saw some more improvement, I dropped some batteries on a counter which made a huge crashing sound and knocked stuff over... I turned around panicked that I'd scared him and he was standing fairly close to me looking curious. He was more tolerant of Arya.

Week 3 was rough. James, my husband, came home for his monthly visit. You see, he is temporarily working away from home. It's a career building move, but it's been hard on us. Mochi took it hard when he left this time and resource guarded his bowl for 3 mornings after. His bowl sits near the back door, so he guarded both. I was able to walk over and ask Arya to go outside with no trouble from him but he was clearly anxious about the whole thing.

On Sunday the 26th he was a little nervous about his bowl but did not try to guard the door. He then ran outside but turned around (presumably to check his bowl to make sure he ate it all). In the past, he would have lip lifted, growled or even snarked Arya for being right behind him. Instead he paused, she backed up and he came back inside. I asked her to go out and she did, he followed with no incident. 

Monday the 27th there was no bowl guarding, he ate quickly and went outside. Which brings us to now! He's curled up under me taking a nap while I play Adele. He's actually sleeping, not being vigilant, teeth chattering or needing to calm himself by plastering his head to my foot.