@roovis I had two dogs, an American bulldog lab mix who I adopted first, and Scout, a potcake from Turks & Caicos. They had rescued him late on the island, he spent some time as a feral pup and more than likely was abused. Scout was fostered by my boss at the animal hospital where I was a vet tech. He went to three different homes and was bounced back. He had fear based reactivity and even aggression towards strangers, and while some dogs he loved, he was also dog aggressive. We introduced them and they got along famously, so I made the decision that I would be Scout’s last owner. I would make it work no matter what, and I had the experience to be the sort of owner he needed. It didn’t take long for them to bond. They were inseparable. Scout followed Hendrix around like a little brother. They roughhoused all the time. On occasion it would escalate, but I never had any problems breaking them up. It sounds like your dynamic is very similar. Scout weighs around 65 and Hendrix was a little smaller at about 55.
Scout had always displayed food aggression, but as long as we fed them on opposite sides of the kitchen, they were fine. Then, suddenly, after a couple years, Scout began attacking Hendrix while they were eating. It was bad. We eventually had to put a barrier between them, and even then Scout would still snarl and charge the gate. He also became more aggressive in their playing. We made accommodations, removed toys, did everything we could to remove any potential problems. I got in between them one time and ended up with a bite on my thigh that broke skin and turned into a huge hematoma. Scout had been on Prozac his whole life, and we increased his dosage. After a few months of this, Scout gradually stopped charging the barrier, and eventually we were able to remove it completely. It never happened again, and Hendrix has been gone for a few years now.
My point is that there’s a possibility this will just resolve itself on its own. Definitely try to get into the behaviorist, maybe ask about Prozac or trazadone, keep them separated for now, and see if it works itself out. I definitely agree with the comment about seeing a neurologist if it’s feasible for you. Seizures aren’t always obvious, and during the post-ictal period aggression can be a symptom. I know it’s hard, especially when you are physically put in the middle, but there’s a chance this will work out on its own.
Mandatory disclaimer: ymmv
Scout had always displayed food aggression, but as long as we fed them on opposite sides of the kitchen, they were fine. Then, suddenly, after a couple years, Scout began attacking Hendrix while they were eating. It was bad. We eventually had to put a barrier between them, and even then Scout would still snarl and charge the gate. He also became more aggressive in their playing. We made accommodations, removed toys, did everything we could to remove any potential problems. I got in between them one time and ended up with a bite on my thigh that broke skin and turned into a huge hematoma. Scout had been on Prozac his whole life, and we increased his dosage. After a few months of this, Scout gradually stopped charging the barrier, and eventually we were able to remove it completely. It never happened again, and Hendrix has been gone for a few years now.
My point is that there’s a possibility this will just resolve itself on its own. Definitely try to get into the behaviorist, maybe ask about Prozac or trazadone, keep them separated for now, and see if it works itself out. I definitely agree with the comment about seeing a neurologist if it’s feasible for you. Seizures aren’t always obvious, and during the post-ictal period aggression can be a symptom. I know it’s hard, especially when you are physically put in the middle, but there’s a chance this will work out on its own.
Mandatory disclaimer: ymmv