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Some of you might remember I've asked here for suggestions on how to handle Frosty to be able to groom him. He's old and touchy and hates even brushing now, but when I have to bathe him or trim him it's a really bad day. I asked my vet about sedation and they didn't offer any--I asked if they could groom him there because he has a #4 heart murmur and gets very stressed and sedation would be dangerous without their facility--they don't groom. I use a grooming post and muzzle for when he gets unmanageble, but he fights them so bad it is almost worse. Lately he has gotten so bad about biting that my husband can't pick him up without being bit. He could at any moment when you walk past him lying on the floor lunge at your feet and try to chew them off! I can only pick him up if I first get his OK and even then never know if he'll turn on me. I have scars all over my hands from his sudden attacks.
Well, today was bath day. I got through the bath using the muzzle after he tried several times to lunge out of the sink to bite me. I got him mostly brushed out--he won't let me do much with his hind legs. I let him rest an hour or so then was going to pick him up and put him back on the grooming table to see if I could get some of him trimmed. The harder he is to groom the longer his hair gets, because I can't control him enough to cut it. Then all h**l broke loose! He grabbed my right hand so hard and bit over and over. I actually had a hard time getting him off of my hand. My screaming didn't faze him, since he's almost stone deaf! He bit almost through the palm between the thumb and fore finger. The punctures are deep and it's very brused. There are I think 12 different holes! This not the first time it's happened and I've tried everything I can come up with. When I'm not needing to do anything with him and avoid getting too close or touching him when he's sleeping--I can usually get along with him. This is all related to his aging and whatever health or mental thing is happening to him. The last bad bite 5 mo. ago I had over $700 worth of lab tests and X-rays, etc. done trying to find something wrong that we could help him with. Nothing shows up except the heart murmur, slightly high liver enzymes, and a borderline thyroid. He could have early Cushing's but all the tests so far are just borderline, and he doesn't have the classic symptoms.
I'm broken hearted thinking that we can't let this go on much longer. If there is a way to help him with whatever is causing these attacks, we would do it. But he is almost 14 and things are getting to the point that it is dangerous to handle him. My husband is about to the end of his rope. When I get bit it is always much worse and results in antibiotics, but Doug gets bit a lot more often, almost every time he touchs him. Luckily it is always more of a nick or scratch. The crazy thing is, Frosty obviously loves us! He acts so sorry for hours after he go nuts and hurts me. We've tried several "training" methods, but think it is more of a senile thing not a training issue. It is difinetly an abnormal thing.
Sorry to run on so, I'm just so upset. My hand hurts terrible, but my heart hurts worse! I just can't see putting my darling down.
Well, today was bath day. I got through the bath using the muzzle after he tried several times to lunge out of the sink to bite me. I got him mostly brushed out--he won't let me do much with his hind legs. I let him rest an hour or so then was going to pick him up and put him back on the grooming table to see if I could get some of him trimmed. The harder he is to groom the longer his hair gets, because I can't control him enough to cut it. Then all h**l broke loose! He grabbed my right hand so hard and bit over and over. I actually had a hard time getting him off of my hand. My screaming didn't faze him, since he's almost stone deaf! He bit almost through the palm between the thumb and fore finger. The punctures are deep and it's very brused. There are I think 12 different holes! This not the first time it's happened and I've tried everything I can come up with. When I'm not needing to do anything with him and avoid getting too close or touching him when he's sleeping--I can usually get along with him. This is all related to his aging and whatever health or mental thing is happening to him. The last bad bite 5 mo. ago I had over $700 worth of lab tests and X-rays, etc. done trying to find something wrong that we could help him with. Nothing shows up except the heart murmur, slightly high liver enzymes, and a borderline thyroid. He could have early Cushing's but all the tests so far are just borderline, and he doesn't have the classic symptoms.
I'm broken hearted thinking that we can't let this go on much longer. If there is a way to help him with whatever is causing these attacks, we would do it. But he is almost 14 and things are getting to the point that it is dangerous to handle him. My husband is about to the end of his rope. When I get bit it is always much worse and results in antibiotics, but Doug gets bit a lot more often, almost every time he touchs him. Luckily it is always more of a nick or scratch. The crazy thing is, Frosty obviously loves us! He acts so sorry for hours after he go nuts and hurts me. We've tried several "training" methods, but think it is more of a senile thing not a training issue. It is difinetly an abnormal thing.
Sorry to run on so, I'm just so upset. My hand hurts terrible, but my heart hurts worse! I just can't see putting my darling down.