Does This Sound Like An OCD Behaviour? - pacing and fly snapping in the evenings

[JerryBerry]

Ive posted about this in the health section but after some research on the net today am wondering whether the behaviour section would have been more appropriate. As you can see from the time of this post, sleep is definitely off the cards as I am so worried about my boy.

Jerry (3 years 8 months) a week ago last Saturday suddenly started pacing the livingroom in the evening, checking the walls and windows as he does in the summer when looking for flys. Although I know there were none in the room he was jumping up and snapping in midair as if he had found one. This is very much out of character for Jerry. His evening routine hasnt changed since he was a pupster - once the children are in bed he collects his blanket from his bed in the kitchen, drags it to the livingroom where me and my hubby are, flakes out, chews his blanket for a while then nods off under our legs. His behavior in the day doesnt seem to have changed, it is only once we are settled in the lounge in the evening???

I know someone is probably going to give me a telling off for this but part of me is trying to put off taking him to the vet until after christmas. Im terrified of what it could be. Any advice from someone who has been through something similar is much appreciated.

Thank you Michelle and Jerry

[siam]

Sorry I can't offer any suggestions about what's causing Jerry's change in evening behaviour, but would be taking him to the vet sooner rather than later to have him checked out. Any condition that could be medical is much better treated in the early stages and there could of course be a simple explanation and the vet would be able to put your mind at rest.

[LurcherGirl]

Sorry I can't offer any suggestions about what's causing Jerry's change in evening behaviour, but would be taking him to the vet sooner rather than later to have him checked out. Any condition that could be medical is much better treated in the early stages and there could of course be a simple explanation and the vet would be able to put your mind at rest.

Agree.

[MaggieR]

 's can understand why you're worried - but I would still get him to the vets to be checked out sooner rather than later.  If you leave it until after christmas, if there is something up, you'll give yourself a very hard time about it. And as the others have said - it may well be a very simple explanation 
Everything crossed here thats the case and your boy is back to his relaxed self again very soon 
xxx

[Neon]

Sounds to me like he's seeing some kind of "spots before the eyes" which he may be noticing more under artificial light.  I would certainly take him to the vet as soon as you can.  Being frightened of the outcome is understandable. 

[JerryBerry]

Thank you for understanding that part    when he was ill before (prostate abscess) it literally made me ill! and Im worried about ruining the kids christmas but I know thats silly and selfish, its not doing the best thing for jerry so Im going to take him.

[Neon]

Well done.     to you all and please let us know how he gets on. 

[MaggieR]

Thank you for understanding that part    when he was ill before (prostate abscess) it literally made me ill! and Im worried about ruining the kids christmas but I know thats silly and selfish, its not doing the best thing for jerry so Im going to take him.

 's from me too.... understand exactly why you're worried and why you were ill last time, they are a huge part of the family, get right under your skin and into your heart  Its one of the reasons we love them so much 
Let us know how you get on with the vet, everything crossed here.
xx

[JerryBerry]

Thanks. Ive just phoned and our vet is away until next week. Im going to wait to see her I think, I dont trust anyone else as I had seen two when he had the abscess and both missed it so I know I wouldnt trust what they said anyway! 

Have done some searching on the net (as you do when - and probably shouldnt!) and alot of the things that came up seemed to centre around anxiety and obsessive behaviors. 

[HelenS]

Good luck. Hope all is well for Jerry.  

[Neon]

Good luck when you do see the vet.  There is one little thing that I would try out of curiosity - when he is in the front room with you at night time, try turning the lights off so you are in darkness (apart from the TV) for a little while and see what he does then.  If he can see dark spots before his eyes, they won't be so noticeable to him in a dark room.  As I say, that's purely me being curious and in no way trying to give you any diagnosis.  

[JerryBerry]

yes he's in the livingroom with us, usually with lamps and the t.v. on will give it a try and report back to ease your curiosity 

[Sarah.H]

How is Jerry doing?

[JerryBerry]

Hi, he's stopping doing it  for a couple of nights he did it and I told him to sit down and he did, then he just didnt bother again. I did have a little chat with a vet I know and although she said if it continued he would need to be checked out she felt that if it was starting at a similar time each day it sounded more behavioral than medical, so we increased his exercise and built in some games of hide and seek (with treats or toys) into our evening routine and it seems to have done the trick.

[Neon]

Thanks for the update.  What great news.  Hope he stays settled now, at least until next Summer when he'll have plenty of real flies to snap at, bless him.