very upsetting vet appointment (spaying)

[stella123]

Today i took ruby to the vets to be spayed ( shes nearly a year and has had 1 season) she draged me through the doors anddidn't listen to anything i said.. I was so embrassed. The when the vet went to see if she had any signs of coming into season, ruby just went mad, growling and showing her teeth, then she actually went to bite the women. I had to muzzle her. She has NEVER acted like this before, i just couldn't believe it, it was a side of ruby i have never seen, it was so upsetting

Right after i left, they instantly sedated her, and she has been sadated for the entire day, and i need to collect her myself from the cage because shes guardingthe cage shes in

Not only am i upset about her behaviour and thefact that she had to be heavily sedated ( im sure thats not going to be good for her!!) they also discoved the she has infected mange, caught from the fox. Shes being treated, but if shes caught it from the fox, wont she get it again?? Is there anything i can do to keep the fox away?

[Mavides]

Sorry, can't help you on the fox issue -- we don't run into many of those here in Arizona! :)

However, as for the sedation for the spay...every dog is anesthetized for spaying -- regardless of their behavior...so don't worry about that. As for her behavior...that is a problem. Has she been to the vet before this incident? How did she do then? Have you taken her through basic obedience classes and work with her to allow you to restrain her and check ears, teeth, rear, etc.? How about teaching her to allow others to do that to her? It takes a lot of conditioning sometimes...and the younger you start, the better. I would recommend getting her into obedience (or back into obedience if you've already done some) and also make a few more trips into your vet's office just to visit. Let the folks behind the counter visit with her, pet her and offer her treats. Put her up on the scale and reward her for good behavior and then leave. Do this several times, so she learns that most trips to the vet are very pleasant experiences. It's not going to happen overnight, but with some work on your part, you should be able to fix or at least greatly improve the situation.

Best of luck!!

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by stella123

Today i took ruby to the vets to be spayed ( shes nearly a year and has had 1 season) she draged me through the doors anddidn't listen to anything i said.. I was so embrassed. The when the vet went to see if she had any signs of coming into season, ruby just went mad, growling and showing her teeth, then she actually went to bite the women. I had to muzzle her. She has NEVER acted like this before, i just couldn't believe it, it was a side of ruby i have never seen, it was so upsetting

Right after i left, they instantly sedated her, and she has been sadated for the entire day, and i need to collect her myself from the cage because shes guardingthe cage shes in

Not only am i upset about her behaviour and thefact that she had to be heavily sedated ( im sure thats not going to be good for her!!) they also discoved the she has infected mange, caught from the fox. Shes being treated, but if shes caught it from the fox, wont she get it again?? Is there anything i can do to keep the fox away?

Fox? What fox? What kind of encounters are Ruby and the fox having?

What kind of socializing did this dog go through as a pup? Have you attended obedience classes with her? What does her breeder have to say about this episode?

[stella123]

Ruby has been to training, she went at 12 weeks and stopped around 7 months, she'd been to the vets lots of times and never shown this behavior, She lets us touch any part of her body, paws, ears, mouth anything she doesn't mind at all.
as for socailising, we took her to puppy classes, and she is perfect with other dogs, i have never had a problem with ruby and other dogs. She will greet anyone and everyone who comes into the house and will let most people stroke her on walks.
I haven't spoke to the breeder, i am 100% confident that she is ethical, but i did send her letters and pictures, but she never replied... maybe she never recieved them, i dont know.

[poohbearsmom]

I'm still concerned about the fox you mentioned.

Here in Florida, a fox who is brave enough to encounter a dog or human usually has rabies, and is in the throws of the resulting madness. They can be quite nasty little vermin.

What was your state of mind when taking your girl into the veterinarian's office?

[GypsysMom]

same here, we have fox but they dont come around I will see one now and then dead on the road, But I also would worry about rabies, maybe there is an umderlying condition on why she became aggressive at the vet, other then being a "mean dog" something medical

[spidey]

I'm also concerned about the fox, what precisely is happening? How is Ruby coming into regular contact with a fox?

Why did you stop training? Training is a daily, ongoing process, it's not something that's ever really finished, and taking a few months of classes is not really appropriate for a dog like a Rottweiler, most Rotties should be in regular weekly training classes for four or five years, in addition to regular daily obedience work. This is a working breed, they need to work.

How did Ruby behave during previous vet visits?

[stella123]

Here in England, rabies is extremely rare, but Ruby has caught mange off of it. In London we have "urban foxes" they are such pests, ripping our bins open, craping all over my garden, i really do hate this fox!! Ruby does come into contact with the fox while in the garden at night, its not bothered by her at all, she barks and chases it but it still comes back... I am often woken at 2 in the morning because the fox is at my back doors and Ruby wants to kill it!! Now ruby has caught this nasty type of mange, it the final straw i want this fox gone, but im not sure how to go about that.
As for the vets, Ruby has always behaved and i was uttly shocked by her behaviour she has NEVER acted like that,i was very worried and stress about her operation, and then for her to behave like that really did upset me
I never really "stopped" training, I only stopped going to the classes, i still train ruby myself, just not in classes anymore.

[webangel2b]

I would check into a trap from a your version of wildlife protection group of some type. You might be able to ask the vet for a phone number.

Bad behavior is troublesome to me. Do you walk her regular? I think walking has helped reinforce my leadership with Dixie. She's an angel at the vet with me, with the male version not so much. He doesn't walk her.

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by stella123

Here in England, rabies is extremely rare, but Ruby has caught mange off of it. In London we have "urban foxes" they are such pests, ripping our bins open, craping all over my garden, i really do hate this fox!! Ruby does come into contact with the fox while in the garden at night, its not bothered by her at all, she barks and chases it but it still comes back... I am often woken at 2 in the morning because the fox is at my back doors and Ruby wants to kill it!! Now ruby has caught this nasty type of mange, it the final straw i want this fox gone, but im not sure how to go about that.
As for the vets, Ruby has always behaved and i was uttly shocked by her behaviour she has NEVER acted like that,i was very worried and stress about her operation, and then for her to behave like that really did upset me
I never really "stopped" training, I only stopped going to the classes, i still train ruby myself, just not in classes anymore.

Firstly, it's very important to keep up regular obedience classes. I suggest to people with rottweilers, or other working breeds for the first two years minimally, with touch ups now and again. The training is not so much for Ruby in class, as it is for you, and your understanding of proper handling. As your dog matures, so must your training.

The fox worries me. If it were my yard, there would not be a fox in the morning. Racoons have a tendency to become urbanized here, and become somewhat unafraid of humans, however foxes, while in the suburbs and quite plentiful here tend to steer clear of humans and especially dogs. I do assume that your dog has been properly vaccinated against rabies and other canine illnesses that may be spread by your unwanted visitor, but I'm more concerned for you and your health.

The reason I asked about your mental state when you took Ruby in today... we must remember that our emotions tend to run down the leash. If we are insecure, so are our dogs. They pick up even the most subtle of changes, so it's very important to deport yourself in a confident and happy manner while leading your dog into a situation, especially when it's not an everyday occurance. She's of the age when a second fear period tends to hit larger breed dogs, and so it's especially important to keep up the socialization/desensitization/confidence building during this developmental stage.

Can't really say why she behaved this way, but there are several flags that have been thrown into the kitty. I'd suggest that you get with a trainer well versed in behavior, and start sorting things out.... and get rid of the fox.