My dog cries all day and night!!

[Tfili5]

I have a jack Russell terroir he is 6 years old and he is diabetic. Due to his diabetes he has gone blind over the past year. The problem I am having is that he cries and wines all day and all night long for no reason. He walks around in circles and then just stands there or lays on his bed at night crying. Nothing we do will make him stop crying. We've taken him to the vet and they said nothing is physically wrong with him, and that he's not in pain at all. Yet he cries for hours at a time. He sleeps for like an hour at a time and then cries for 4 hours before sleeping for a few minutes again. No one in my house is sleeping because we can't get him to stop, please help! Also we have tried giving him some children's Benadryl as per vets orders and it still won't make him sleep nothing is working

[lisafree]

I rescued a germanshepard lab mix as a pup 3 years ago he has turned out to be a great dog. But he started crying constantly as soon as we got him, after several trips to the vet and endless nights of no sleep the vet put him on fluoxtine 20mg in the morning and 10mg at night. and then we started to get a good nights sleep. He still takes it today, we were going to whean him off of it, but we had a house fire and had to move and he was very sensative to the whole situation, he even lets you know when it's time for his meds. But he doesn't cry near as much as he used to and if he is content then so am I. Good luck  

[countrygal45]

I realize this is the most painful thing a pet owner has to deal with.  But, 13 years old, can't urinate on her own, cancer & diabetic.  She has stopped eating because her body is giving out & it is nature's way of ending life.  Don't be unwilling to end her pain, simply because you don't want to have pain.  This is the bargain you make with a pet - we very seldom outlive our pets.  They depend on us to do right by them.

[Indiagirl12]

I have a 13 year old female lab. She has been recently diagnosed with mammary tumour . Also she is diabetic as we recently found out. because of the tumours she has stopped urinating on her own, so we take her to the vet everyday for urination. Recently she has started crying day and night. We tok her to the vet and she was found to have exteme levels of blood sugar (600). She is being injected insulin on a daily basis, but she has now stopped eating. Also, the crying has increased . Is she in pain? What could we give her? I am desperate.

[nellieforbush]

Hi I have a dog that is about 8 years old and ever since the fireworks started he tries to escape his area and won't stop crying. Even now that the fireworks are done he still tries to escape and cries all the time. Could it be that he also got fleas?

[Annap27]

Oh my gosh! I have the same  problem and decided to google it. I adopted our dog three years ago - he was already blind from diabetes. The whole time he has constantly paced and whined for no reason. Fortunately he does sleep through the night. I've been wondering about giving him Valium.

[Margot49]

Please try some of my suggestions and you might also want to look on the Internet for training or caring for a blind dog.

[Jerry_NJ]

Thanks for letting us know, we do care, we are all dog lovers... I think.

My first response raised the issue of the stress on the dog of being blind.  Then found testimony to the effect that dogs do a better job adjusting than do people, I can believe that, the loss has got to be a disaster to man or beast.

I hope you get some more ideas here, seems the music (radio) provides some help as might an old fashioned ticking clock, maybe wrapped in a shirt of other cloths item that is scented with one of you who he loves and trusts.

Is the crying a whimper or is he howling?  Just a question, I have no answer to either case.

Our Westie is near def, but that is a much less handicap.  Still I try not to surprise him when I approach him from behind.  For a blind dog I guess a "rule" would be not to move thing around that he might run into.  That may have already been suggested.

Bless you in your struggle to make the dog as comfortable as you can.

[Tfili5]

Thanks everyone for the advice. He's been diabetic since we adopted him 5 years ago. He's on a special diet to manage his diabeties. He has a bed in my parents room that we have him sleep on. He does have trouble walking because he walks around in circles all the time and being blind he tends to bump into stuff but that's not what is causing him to cry. He'll just lay on his bed and cry for no reason. Most of the time when he cries hes just laying on his bed crying for what looks to be no reason, hes not hungry, thirsty or have to go out hes just crying. Some days are better then others and he doesn't cry as much. We've taken him to the vet twice now and they said he's not in pain or hungry or thirsty or anything when he does this. They said he's just anxious and upset about not being able to see. The music helps him sometimes doing the day so he doesn't think he's alone. I think we're gonna try going to the vet again to see what they suggest will help him to stop crying

[jmburkekpt]

I have a Doxie that has gone blind, and she as well cries all the time unless she is right next to me and sometimes even then. She shakes and has been eating less. Her blindness is due to cataracts from her coloring. She doesn't seemed to be calmed by anything unless she is right on top of me. This as much as I love her..... can't happen all the time. Also the crying is hard to take all the time as well. I am now trying phermones. Even being with her other dog buddies does not calm her. Good luck. Anxiety is hard to handle ! May the force be with you!

[Margot49]

Ah, poor little guy and poor you.  You have gotten some good suggestions, assuming he is physically ok.  You might also try something called a DAP diffuser.  Some have had luck with these in dogs with anxiety issues and I wonder if this may be the issue.  Does he navigate the house well?  Can he find his food and water, his bed, you?  You may need to do some reconditioning training with him so he feels more secure. You can use an electric water feeder that he can hear to find his dishes,  do you have other pets?  If so, put a small bell on them and put one on your shoe so he can hear that you are there.  If he does not sleep in a pen area or crate, you might want to try that and give him a nice blanket, a couple of soft toys.  Maybe try setting an alarm clock near him or a radio set on low volume. If it is cold, maybe try putting a sweater on him at night. Try to maybe build up his confidence with a few simple commands like sit and down then reward and praise.  Give him something to chew on, bulky stick, denta bone, etc.  maybe try a stuffed Kong to see if that will interest him.
Hope this helps.  Good luck and keep us posted.

[skydnsr]

I appreciate Jerry_NJ's following up.  Everything I have read and heard leads me to believe that dogs adjust well to blindness, because it's not their major sense modality.  Probably they would have a lot harder time if they lost their sense of smell.  For a dog to lose its sense of smell would be more comparable to a human's losing his eyesight.  Most authorities seem to agree that dogs tend to do well after losing eyesight, at least as long as they are in a familiar environment.  Sometimes a blind dog's owner doesn't even realize for a long time that the dog can no longer see.  So I believe it's more likely that something else is troubling this Jack Russell.  There's a lot of concern shown here by Jerry_NJ and everyone else.

[Misfits4Me]

I agree with the others about trying the pain medication....However, if this is anxiety, I'd try "Rescue Remedy" & see if it helps...It can't hurt! Can be purchased online many places, also saw it for sale at Whole Foods.....Health food stores should stock it, too...We use it here all the time! (People & Pets)....Everyone should have it in the medicine cabinet!!!   Karla

[Jerry_NJ]

Please let "us" know how your dog is doing.

After replying that your dog might be frightened (I hope I didn't add a new worry) I did a small search for "blind dog" on this forum and found the following post which seems related:

"It is possibly diabetes.  Please take your dog to the vet.  Dogs do very well adjusting to a sense taken away.....unlike people.  They compensate very rapidly and do fine. However, YOu need to find the underlying cause as to why this has happened and get the necessary treatment.   "

The leads me to believe your dog can adjust to blindness, and the reply above suggests diabetes which is another match.  So the inputs about treating the diabetes and possible hunger or pain may be the path to a good nights sleep and some relief from the grief of dealing with a loved dog that is suffering.

I am sure there is a whole "book" on dealing with a blind dog... must include keeping things in the same physical location, and moving only if that makes for easier access.  I suppose a dog's already good senses of smell (hope that is still working) helps them find their way around the house.  

[Jerry_NJ]

Did the crying start after he lost his sight?  I can only guess, but I would think a dog would be desperate, maybe more that a human, with the loss of sight - it must be frightening.  Has this been discussed with your vet, or have you done a search on dog blindness?  

Maybe sound will help - place a radio near him, or put an old fashioned clock that ticks in a towel in bed with him... wild guess at best but maybe if we come up with lots of ideas one that works will be found.

We have a rescue West Highlands White Terrier that is mostly deft and that means we have to take care not to surprise him, he doesn't hear us coming.  Blindness must me much more difficult to deal with.

Does he eat?  I have no idea how what diet would be involved.   Or how to manage... and hope I never have to learn.  Very sad and my heart goes out to you and to your dog.

[skydnsr]

I think Caryopteris has a good idea.  If you use a non-narcotic pain medication, and he quiets down and seems peaceful, then he pretty much had to have been in pain.  (If it is a narcotic pain med, and he quiets down, you still won't know if it was because of pain relief or because of sedative side effects.)  Also, since he is diabetic, I wonder if he is hungry.  Is he on a special diet, and I wonder if that could be it?  Like, maybe he needs a higher-protein diet to keep from being so hungry?  I'm just grasping at straws here, but if my dog cried 24/7, I would definitely be desperate.

[Caryopteris]

Ask the vet if you can try a pain medication.  He may be unable to sleep due to pain.