OCD corgi update n.3

[limobustruckfleet]

So, we met one of the best (if not, the best one) behaviourist veterinarian in Italy. She's been super gentle with us and told it's probably genetics.
She's trying different medications to see if it's a neuropathic thing - or neuropsychiatric (OCD). She has also told that 2/3 of her patients have been successful. with medication.
Our caitlyn is on lyrica, clomicalm, neuraben, neurofast. Since putting her on this (super low doses, no worries)...she just sleeps. Like a lot. It's 20.22 and she looks like she just fainted. Today I've tried to keep her active even though I got a terrible flu, and she seemed to be mentally absent and generally out of her everyday energy.
I may be materialistic but I still want to return this puppy. I've been suffering from severe major depression for years and taking antidepressants has - unfortunately - just made it worse. Just to be clear I'm 100% fine now - even though I need a couple of treatments a year to be fine - and I'm a functioning person. Giving her antidepressants somehow triggers my memories. The endless sleeping, endless eating and everything else.
I'm trying so hard on her. I'm trying so hard to love her but this is mentally challenging me to the point I cry myself to sleep. I'm not sure everything will change, the vet told us that she may become a functioning dog or...maybe not.

We've given ourselves 20 days. Then we're going to see what to do but man can it get more difficult than this?

 

[tiernon]

@limobustruckfleet I'm so sorry about this happening to you. Irresponsible breeders are a scourge upon the earth.

I think that there isn't a choice that you won't regret making. If you return her to the breeder, you'll be plagued by self-doubt and guilt. If you continue to tough it out, your mental health issues will continue to be triggered.

What I would suggest is to try to finish out the 20 day trial; that will let you truthfully say that you tried. Take a few days right now to decide on a criteria for keeping the dog after the trial. "If X, Y, & Z haven't dramatically improved, then I need to rehome her."

If you decide to wait and see what things look like in 20 days, then you're going to be paralyzed all over again.

Things will be rough, but then they will get better. If you rehome the dog, you will grieve, but not forever. There are paths forward and you'll figure it out eventually

 

[meehan8381]

@limobustruckfleet I read your previous posts- there is no shame in rehoming. The breeder knowingly bred an unstable dog and your family unfortunately are paying the price. The blame is not on you but on them.

 

[childman]

@limobustruckfleet You may have said this in another post, but do you have any rescues that could take this dog in? Breed specific or otherwise?

I agree that there is no shame in rehoming, but I would try to find an alternative as opposed to giving back to the breeder because I'm not sure that would end well.

 

[mitsudang]

@limobustruckfleet Ehi, sono italiana anch'io e vi auguro tutto il meglio!

Io e la mia compagna abbiamo un pastore tedesco gigante super reattivo (aggressivo verso gli estranei) che era ingestibile e grazie alle medicine e a tutto il lavoro fatto con l'istruttrice e a casa (la mia compagna è ora istruttrice e lavora con i cani reattivi a sua volta), le cose sono migliorate tantissimo. Non c'è dubbio che sia un lavoro che richiede tantissimi sacrifici, soprattutto quando la tua salute mentale è coinvolta, e 20 giorni... non sono nulla. Quello che intendo è che, se tutto questo è troppo, va bene, ne va della salute tua e anche del tuo cane: tutte e due avete bisogno di un supporto e se non potete trovarlo l'una nell'altra non c'è nulla di male. L'importante è salvaguardare entrambe.

(Dalla descrizione mi è venuto il dubbio che la nostra comportamentalista sia la stessa... Sei mica andata al Canbridge?)

 

[limobustruckfleet]

@mitsudang Ciao! Posso scriverti in pvt? Anche io, tralaltro, ho una compagna. Purtroppo se fosse aggressività a quest'ora sarei più felice. Sono andata da Barbara Gallicchio, la quale mi ha detto che purtroppo non c'è niente da fare dal punto di vista educativo, o meglio: è come se avesse la sindrome di Tourette. Purtroppo è ingestibile con qualsiasi comportamento del trainer, è come se avesse una risposta dei neuroni errata