Tipper - adrenal tumor/breathing issues

Patti,
Dogs have been known to nip/bite when they are not feeling well and they are touched. Be very careful when you touch Tipper. I would take the last incidence as a warning and would take it seriously. I am sorry if this is scaring you, but it is time to take precautions for your safety and that of your other animals. Consider keeping your dogs separated at least for now/if not indefinitely. Tipper is unstable. Your little Yorkie needs protection. As far as visitors to the house, I would keep them from touching/bothering Tipper also. Possibly removing Tipper to another room, would be a solution. I have a friend who had a very sweet, loving, dog. The dog became Ill and wasn't feeling at all himself. Things did not end well from my friend or her dog. Please take Tipper's warning seriously. I don't want something to happen to you or someone else. Many hugs,

Yes the poor little Yorkie... how many pets do you have? I remember when Flynn was young if he was sleeping on my bed which he used to do back then and I moved my foot or something he would growl.. I was like right you little bugger and push him right off and he soon learnt not to growl at me or the cats for that matter. Even though Elle is a pain giving him a swipe every now and then, I will not let him retaliate at all... EVER as he might just start thinking it is ok for him to nip at her and he could do real damage. I know it does not seem fair, but that's the breaks I have to protect Mum's cat... don't worry I do give her a telling off if she swipes at him to protect him as well. But he knows it is up to me to be the protector not for him to take matters into his own paws... that is unacceptable. Even if he was sick I would tell him off for what Tipper has done. I hope it is something as simple as a sore paw, I would be having a good look at that as it could just be something simple you could fix at home like matted fur. Tell her to behave and have a good look!!

Oh, I hate that happened! :( I've had it happen both ways - the ill dog as the attacker and the ill dog as the victim, more often the latter in my case. Is it possible that your Yorkie has been getting a bit less attention than Tipper? It would certainly be expected under the circumstances but it may also be giving Tipper the idea that the others in the house have no value and therefore deserve no respect. Kind of an extreme case of jealousy - "You're breathing on my mom!" :D

Looking forward to your report this morning, hoping you both had a decent night's rest.
Hugs,
Leslie and the gang

Oh Patti, I am so sorry that this happened, too. But I have to agree with Kathy that I do not think it is safe for Tipper and your Yorkie to be alone together at any time until you can get things sorted out. For such a wee one, all it would take is one sharp "shake" that is instinctive to a JRT for there to be a tragic outcome :(. Since you say that this behavior is out of character for Tipper, there must be something going on for which we do not yet have an explanation. But that means that another attack may be impossible to anticipate.

I repeat I am so sorry that you have this new added worry. But I do think you need to take extra precautions right now to keep everybody safe. :o

Marianne

Hi Everyone:
Yes Leslie you are right Jack Russells do not have any value of other animals, the only animal Tipper actually recognizes is a horse. I did scold Tipper and she knows she did wrong. She has never shrieked or yipped out in pain ever. I was only stroking her face and head and she has no pain there. The only thing I can figure out is she got up on my leg with her front paws and the foot that was hurting her started hurting as she touched my leg. They can displace aggression onto anything when hurting or annoyed, and she chose Toby as he had the nerve to look at her when she yipped and was close by. I think Tipper was trying to take it out on me for all the vet trips. I think that has been bottled up inside her even though she knows I am trying to help her. I think Trish asked how many critters I have. Well I have the Yorkie, and he is not small by any means- 12 lbs, 2 cats, and a parrot Elvis. You can see them all in my album. I rescued the Yorkie as they were going to do away with him because his ears would not stand up, don't you love people. I do not mention anything about Toby on here out of respect for Kathy, as she lost Buddy and I don't want to draw attention to my Yorkie. I have a lot of empathy for her as she is having a hard time with things. Toby is sweet and cute as a button though. Lucky is my rescue cat that was abandoned in a house when the owners were foreclosed on. I saw the story on the computer, and went and got him. He had been in the house for almost 2 weeks with no food and water with a dog. It's a small wonder the dog did not kill and eat him. A neighbor heard cries coming out of the house and the police came. He is on medicine for liver problems that probably started then, and is fortunate I got him as some would not spend the money on a rescue cat since the medicine is expensive. It cost me 800.00 to keep him as I had to have every test under the sun run on him to make sure he had nothing he could give to my own cat I had. So I often laugh and say he is my free rescue cat. My other cat is 13 years old and is a domestic short hair. Elvis the parrot loves Toby my Yorkie and feeds him and they kiss, and my cat Chance is so gentle with him, they love each other. Tipper does not like Elvis so they stay away from each other. I live in a gated community. There are gates all over the house so Toby is safe. I am not worried about Tipper with me as she is just warning me, she would never attack me sick or not, but she will let you know she means business. I do know my dog, even though in the back of your minds you are probably saying she is crazy the dog is sick and she can't trust it. She will not go beyond the warning point ever unless you are a stranger, and then look out. She is the most loyal protective dog, and my vet said she is the best natured Jack Russell he had ever had in all his years of practice. I think it was the paw thing as when she touched it on my leg it hurt her. I am careful with her always, and will continue to do so. She had a better nite breathing last nite even though right before bedtime some thunder and lightening, and then it was just rain. She was ok with the rain. She wanted 2 walks this morning so whatever was bothering her let up. I will have the vet check those feet and clip them tomorrow when she gets her shot. I think she is ticked off about these shots too. Blessings
Patti

I'm sorry this happened and I just want to add, all dogs have a bite threshold and sometimes we dont know what can push them over the edge. Smetimes we say the incident came out of nowhere when it has been building for quite some time and the pup was starting to be pushed for a few days or a week prior to the incident. So it could very well be something has been bothering Tipper for a few days and this incident pushed her past her bite threshhold.

If we learn to watch their body language, we learn a lot. When people come to our house, we tell everyone, dont talk to Zoe, ignore her 100% and if I see her body language starting to give me the least bit of a signal she is not handling things, she is put on a leash.

Tipper has been so stressed from the storms and if she is having some kind of pain, I think Marianne is totally right, it might not take much to push her past her bite threshhold again.

Hugs and love Pattie.

Addy:
I totally agree so I am being xtra careful with her. Blessings
Patti

Patti,
It is fine to talk about Toby. It doesn't bother me at all!:) I know there are many, many, healthy Yorkies out there playing and romping. That makes me feel warm inside. It doesn't make me feel sad about Buddy. I can manage that one quite easily on my own.;) I had wondered why you rarely mentioned him. I appreciate you thought and consideration, but it is really unnecessary, so talk away. :)
My concern right now is focusing on Tipper's instability. We love our babies so much, that it's easy to miss the messages they are trying to send us. The communication is there, often in their eyes or body language. However, it is not always something we want to hear/see.
Please protect yourself and your other animals while you sort all of this out. Something tragic can occur in an instant. You say that Tipper would never bite you, but you really don't know for sure. All bets are off when they are out of sorts and attacks do happen. Please respect her space while watching for clues and move slowly around her. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!! Xxxxxx

Awww Patti,

that is so scary and sad! Daisy has snapped at me in the past, but it was because I accidentally startled her while she was sleeping. No excuse. she did get scolded.

Best to be safe and please keep the other animals safe. You have enough going on.

oh shoot, Tipper must have some pain, poor thing, sending hugs and prayers...