I think for the first time ever Angel is suffering from seperation anxiety and i don't know what to do!

Her crate is in the living room, and i have hardly left her since she has had the op, but realisticly i need to pop out, this is for the maximum of an 1 hour but usually 30 mins. What i have noticed is that when i return she has licked the top of her front legs near the armpit bit and top of chest that they have started to look a bit pinky in colour. There is nothing wrong with these bit of her body as she doesn't do it while im home with her (even if im out in the garden or upstairs) it is only when im out.

First of all i thought it was just because she was a bit bored in the crate, but surely if that was the case she would do it whether i was in or not, so i can only assume that she is anxious that i have gone out.

I leave the TV on ive also tried switching it off, but either way when i return she is so wet at first i thought she had wee'd in the crate and had laid in it. Im worried about her feeling that anxious but also she is going to make herself sore

Any suggestions as i don't want her just to get into the habbit of it.

I wouldn't say this was 'true' seperation anxiety but could be boredom where she is in the crate, does she like nylanbones, perhaps you could offer her one of those to chew on or a stuffed kong while you go out so she has something a little more exciting to do.

a good frozen stuffed kong will last half an hour if you are lucky! And by that time the effort of getting all the goodies out might mean she is happy to snooze until you return...

Poor girl she must be fed up

now she has had her stitches out i have given her stuufed kongs, i was a bit wary before just in case she laid in any stray bits of food that could of got caught un the stitches.

i will try nylabones but in the meantime do you think it would be cruel to put some bitter apple spray on her? I just dont want her to be really sore but if thats her only comfort i may feel mean at stopping it.

i think that's a sensible thing to do... as long as you offer her other things to chew, Rufus likes to chew his blankie

Thanks guys - oh the guilt of everything is getting to me. This morning (as i have done since the op) i got half of me in the crate with her, usually she will snuggle me and we have a weird sort of cuddle, this morning she turned her back on me im so really worried that the time in the crate will not only alter her personality but also how much she loves me I know im being a wuss and there is no alternative she has to stay in the crate - im just panicking that it wont be my little angel that comes out at the end of it all

Hopefully she will see you as her Mummy who soon will take her out on lovely walks again - this time with no pain in her joints

Is there any chance you could take her out and about in one of those doggypushchair contraptions, or could you put her cage in the garden on a sunny day, so she has some different stimulants?

I couldn't risk taking her out in the pushchair, but you must be psychic - as i was hanging the washing out i was thinking of setting up her other crate in the garden for a bit (i had got the big crate just for the op her normal crate in the shed)

Well done

sorry you're feeling guilty. I think it's because we can't explain to them why they can't go out, and therefore they don't understand and just look at us with sad eyes

How long is she restricted for?

Think of it this way, the worst is over now

The crate in the garden is what Sandy did for Remi when he had his cruciate lig op, he loved it, just being out in the fresh air made all the difference to him.

The 1st month only out for wee breaks, the 2nd month 3x5minute walks per day (will be interesting as she will be so hyper by then!) 3rd month 3x30min walks, inbetween all walks she must go back in crate to prevent running, jumping or climbing in the house all walks are to be lead only.

Angel just cried the whole time in the garden even though i stayed out there pottering around - i really don't understand it, its almost as if she is scared of not being in the crate in the living room. Even after wee's she wants to get back in it thats why i find it hard to understand the licking that she does when im not here!

I think I would persevere with moving the crate around and leaving her etc, if only to avoid longer term problems in the future. If you keep moving the crate (even from room to room) around she will get used to moving and it won't stress her as much. Is there and friends or family she could visit for an hour or two (again in crate) just to give her a change?

Unofrtunately not, they are all 130 miles away pus i don't drive, im thinking of everytime i take her for a wee of just putting her in the garden crate just for 10 mins - the crate in the living room is too large to move. Depending on the weather tomorrow i may put her in the garden and feed her in that crate.

Though she has always been a mummys girl - to the point that she won't go out for a walk with anyone but me, i have never had problems when i go out. Im going to pet shop in the morning for some bitter apple just to try and stop the licking before it turns into a habit and a couple of new toys.

I know its not the same thing but we had Bella spayed a few weeks ago and although I put her in a very fetching swim suit to stop her getting to the stitches she instead became obsessed with where they had shaved her leg and licked it really sore, I was getting a bit worried but then we went on the fling . Although she couldn't join in anything and was basically tethered all the time there was that much going on that it took her mind off it and she never bothered by the time we got back she had forgotton about it. I think it sort of becomes a habit like us biting nails or twisting hair etc etc.

I was going to suggest you taking her somewhere in the car (a park etc) where she could just watch the world go by but as you can't drive is obviously not possible. Could she go in the front garden (with you watching her of course) so that she could see people/cars/cats/dogs etc going on by, or somwhere where she could see out of a window, you could put her crate on a table or something so that she was raised enough to see out of the window. Anything is worth a try.

Had a slight break through! Just took out for another wee and she went to get straight in the crate in the garden, so despite being a bit chilly and dark i let her get in and got the kids to stay out there with her - i only let her stay out for approx 5 mins.

When i saw the vet yesterday - and i voiced my concerns over her desire to rush back to the crate - he said that i needed to remember that she has had major surgery plus the complication of the fractured hip, and that while she knows she is lame she may feel that that is the safest place for her.

Im going to do the same in the morning, plus give her breakfast in there - hopefully its dry weather!.

thanks so much for all the suggestions!