Please, PLEASE help me...I can't take this anymore...please...

[Rabbit]

Hello...:'(

First of all, I love my dog...

I am going through a LOT of emotional hardship right now...I've lost two family members and two friends to suicide in the past 3 months, and my "father" is threatening my mother and me, because he's a f***ing meth addict. I am experiencing heavy, heavy anxiety levels...

My sweet pug, Zhen-Zhen, got very sick a few days ago; she swallowed a TON of rawhide and iit blocked her system. She had to go to the vet overnight for treatment.

Ever since she got back, she's been submissively urinating EVERYWHERE. She is so threatened by my reaching for that she pees everywhere. And this evening, when she crawled into my lap, she peed all over my legs.

I couldn't stop sobbing. I was shrieking with wracking emotional pain. I feel like I broke my dog and she hates me. My life is in the shambles right now, and that broke my tattered will to pieces. Please...please help me... :'(

[Cheryl7777]

I'm so sorry you are going through such a horrible time. I can't imagine the pain you must be in. There is a very good chance your little Pug is picking up on your emotional state. That is likely leaving her confused, emotional, and very scared too. Then she just went through a trama herself with the raw hide incident. You didn't break your dog, but getting things back to normal is going to take time and patience. First things first, is there any where you and your Mom can go for help? Are you still in school? Can you see a counselor either at school or find one in your health care system? You really need to find help for your situation. No one should have to live in fear. If you get your life stabilized I'm betting Zhen Zhen will stabilize too. Good luck.

[Rabbit]

Thank you...I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to get this anxiety under control. I feel like I'm losing control over my life...I hate to think my stress is carrying over to my dog. She's such a sensitive soul and I don't want my stress to be freaking her out... I just was shaking with sobs when she peed all over me...what can I do..?

[pugmurch]

Sorry to hear about your situation hope the doctors will help you, with the pug i would just say its going to take time to get her confidence back and you may find as you get more relaxed she will too, you could try have little tip bits for her and praise her when she is good, if she is nervous and pee's all the time when you reach down to her start outside so you dont need to worry about cleaning up, when she sits on your lap you could place a towel or puppy pad incase of any accident and if she doesnt have one, again reward and praise her. I think a way to confidence is sometimes helped through food and keeping calm , my girl was a bit timid when we first got her but little tip bits helped her and also any accidents in the house i would put her straight outside, when she did a wee/poo i would praise her and reward her outisde. Just takes time dont worry it will all come right in the end, take care and good luck

[Tinker's mom]

Hello & to the village! So sorry you're having such issues. I'm more worried about you and your mother. You need to find a safe place to be,talk to the doctor about that first. You're poor pug is definitely picking up on your emotional state, plus the trauma she has experienced. When you get in a stable place and improve she will too.You deserve better that what you're experiencing.Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress. Prayers for you all and hugs to you.

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

Everything everyone above has said is true. Are you still underage or are you an adult? Can you, your mom and Zhen-Zhen go live with your grandparents, aunts/uncles or close friends until things calm down? At least you and your pug?

There may be either a urinary tract infection, which wasn't noticed before, or their could have been trauma to the bladder during the surgery (did they have to surgically remove the blockage?). Rawhides are not good for dogs, especially pugs that love to swallow everything. Stick to chews like raw, meaty bones that are too large for her to chew up or swallow, like beef marrow bones. I would give the vet she saw a call and explain to them that she is now having some "stress incontinence" and ask them if it might be related to the rawhide event. They may give you a medication, usually proin, to help her get control back. You can also go to your nearest vitamin/health food store and get cornsilk and try giving her a human capsule twice a day, it helps with both humans and dogs who are having stress incontinence, but is not as strong as proin.

Good luck hun, please take care of yourself.

Take care,
Lisa

[shaynapug]

You've gotten great advice!

My heart goes out to you with all your loss!!! I'm sure the dr will be able to help you!

I hope that you, your mom, and your little Zhen Zhen will be able to find safe harbor!!!! I think that it will ease all of your minds if you can do this! Even a home for abused women...many accept animals!

The surgery is recent......and she might not be able to control right now......I would talk to the vet about that and the issues that Lisa brought up!

You're in my thoughts!

[Rabbit]

Thank you all so very much for your kindness. I'm really grateful... I am 31 years old, so I'm well into the grown-up thing, but never have experienced such extreme levels of anxiety. I live alone with my dogger, my cat, my bunnies, and my guinea pigs. I'm a potter for a living, and work from my home (I paint animals on my pottery).
Zhen-Zhen didn't have surgery, praise the gods, as with her IV fluids, she was able to poop the wad out. Nooooo more rawhide! I really think she's just freaked out. That medication sounds like a good idea. After I'm able to take my vet bill down from the astronomical total it is, I will ask the vet about it. Is it available online? I just want to do what's best for my dog...
I was just worried for my mom, as she is just SO FRAIL that the wind could break her in half. I hate my "dad" so much. I just met him for the first time last December. It's no wonder she protected me from him my whole life...

[Cheryl7777]

I can understand how you feel about your Dad. My Dad was an alcoholic and beat my mother while I was growing up. I had such hate and disgust for him too. Then I learned that hate really eats at the person doing the hating. Most times the person you're hating doesn't care if you hate them, they have issues of their own and they have no time to be concerned about your feelings. So if you can find a way to set that hate aside or purge it from your life, you will feel much better. You can move on with your own life and your own concerns. Now I'm not saying you have to love the other person, your Dad, but it really is such a relief to let the hate go and move beyond the place where he can reach you. Even if you are an adult and live on your own, there are still places you can go to get emotional and mental help. It is well worth it to put a tattered soul back together. I hope your doctor can offer some relief as well. Please stick around and let us know how things are going.

[6 Beautiful Pugs]

The cornsilk is non-prescription and can be picked up at most health/vitamin stores. It is really cheap, a large bottle runs about $6. The proin is by prescription and I think it runs about $20 for the smaller bottle which should last about a month depending on the dose your vet puts her on.

Take care,
Lisa