A Symptom of Pain?

[nolagirl]

I started this as a separate post since I wanted to be sure others don't overlook the same things I did!

Nola came to us as a rescue from the pound (a nasty, dark and awful place in my county!). She's a beaut! Though small for a Rott even a female, her head still has the puppy look to it. Her puppyhood must have been anything but beautiful though! We found we had a Rott terrified of her own shadow, petrified of men, had no idea how to ask to go outside for the bathroom indeed refused to do so often, suffered from separation anxiety so severe that were I to just step out and get the paper she would immediately pee, poop, howl and become so clingy that she for hours she wouldn't leave my side. She had no idea what a ball, tug toy, Kong or chewy bone was for and she still is not fond of any hard toy but she discovered stuffies! Her first stuffie, Purple Pig, is still with us today! It took weeks before she'd get near my husband and if he leaned over her to scratch she would still pee. It took a year and half of work, love and persistence (lord help me I was ready to give up on occasion!) but then one day, it seemed overnight anyway, and she quit going in the house if I had to leave for a minute, formed a real bond with her Daddy and a couple other men as well. She learned some basic obedience and at all times was eager to please. I guess she finally believed she was loved.

In hindsight I believe changes in her behavior over the last 2-3 months were perhaps the most glaring clue she gave that she was ill. This was when she suddenly took to being frightened of men again even lunging, growling and snapping, never close to biting, at her Dad when he got up. Another incident involving Uncle Rick who she adores enough to turn herself into a pretzel when he comes to visit she suddenly was cowering from in fear and growling under breath. We believed it to be doggy "Post-Traumatic-Stress" and was being triggered by something from childhood. Other issues related to her past have come up at times but never aggression! We focused on PTSD as the "cause" never thinking it might relate to a health issue. The other noticeable change was she was regressing with regards to her fear level of her surroundings. These may not relate to her health but just in case I wanted to share my "hindsight."

[observer]

Aggression or other personality change can be a sign of pain or illness. My Missy, who did not have the bad start your girl did, and is one of the happiest dogs I've ever known, nipped her dogsitter without provocation. It was a combination of pain and oversupplemented thyroid.