HELP!!!! Blind Rage

Hi Guys

I'm not sure what to do. I used to think (and still do - to some extent) that our dog was very good natured. He never barks just for the sake of barking, he doesn't growl, he doesn't snap, but last night something happened. This was the second time it happened. We went through the whole ritual of taking him out for his pee before going to bed. All of a sudden Duke just went into in absolute energised blind rage. The whites of his eyes quite literally turned red. We have no idea what triggered this, none whatsoever. He started snapping at our bodies, jumping at any body part, wanting to bite, and he snapped at my husband's face, his jaws closing just in front of my husband's nose. He kept on running up and down, jumping, barking, the whole works. Nothing we did calmed him down and it lasted for about 2 -3 hours, and eventually the dog tired and went to bed. We tried pinning him down, tried ignoring him, spoke to him in stern voices, etc. etc. We do not believe in hitting dogs, but last night I was on the verge of hitting this dog, and for the first time in almost 3 years I was actually scared of my own dog. And honestly, it takes a lot for me to be scared of him. I can usually play with him, my face right up against his. This is really worrying to me, I love the dog to bits, but if something like this happens without my husband around, I will not be able to control the dog, he is just too strong. And, I don't want to be scared of my dog.

Have any of you experienced something like this. I really need advise on this, as Duke is usually such a dozy cute dog.

Hi and welcome to the forum, you'll great some great advice on here, I'm afraid I've never experienced this and can understand your worry. Could something have spooked him? I think if I was in your shoes I'd take him to the vets and see if there was anything underlying. Not much help I'm affraid.

janey wrote:Hi and welcome to the forum, you'll great some great advice on here, I'm afraid I've never experienced this and can understand your worry. Could something have spooked him? I think if I was in your shoes I'd take him to the vets and see if there was anything underlying. Not much help I'm affraid.

Janey, i'm with you
Rather find out if anything underlying could be triggering it.
Sounds like a very scary experience

I would take him to the vets as well, see if maybe there is something medical that is making him behave that way. If they don't find anything, they may be able to tell you something that may have caused it, or may be able to refer you to someone that can help. Sounds like a really scary experience and I hope you can figure it out!!

It definatly sounds like something medical something going in his head perhaps thats triggering the aggressive part of all dogs. Check with the vets and ask for every test possible especially chemical inbalances too much or too little in the brain can cause things like these outburst.

L2 hydroxyglutaric aciduria or L2-HGA, ask your vet about a dna test for this condition as this condition can cause behaviour problems,anxiety,etc... it is becoming more common in staffy's now due to breeders not getting there dogs tested for it before breeding,i hope this is'nt the cause but hope it helps.

Thank you all.

Will be going to the Vet tomorrow morning. It happened again last night, we tried walking it off and it seemed to calm him down somewhat, I also found if I pick him onto my lap and stroke his bum (of all places) he calms down, but in the end that is almost rewarding him for behaving badly.
Hopefully the vet will be able to help, I'm praying they will, and hopefully it is not something serious.

I really appreciate all the opinions and ideas. Thank you
Chantel

Good luck, please let us know how it goes. You must be so worried. Hopefully it's something simple, medically, that they'll be able to sort out.

Hi Ernestine

Thank you, I will, but I can only hope. I don't think our vets here in PE are as jacked up as the vets in the UK, or even Cape Town.
Will keep you posted.

How scary.. Have experienced something similar with a nova scotia duck tolling retriever. Initially we expected he was in pain of some sort. A combined vet and behavior specialist we consulted with (was my sister's dog) had him checked (and we did a trial where he was on pain meds to see if it helps).. she ended up suspecting a kind of epilepsy where the epilepsy seizures are displayed with fits of rage(rage seizures). We never knew for sure as my sister felt she couldn't handle the dog and he was returned to his breeder.

BTW - Is that your boy in your profile pic? he's stunning, very Jock of the Bushveld looking

yeah hope you get to the bottom of it...

My Ty does this he will snap at your face / arms / feet then whip around the house like a mad man for a few minutes then calm down and go to sleep. I though it was him having an energy burst never thought of it being a medical problem, let us know what the Vet says please keep us updated am starting to worry now.

@Ernestine
Yip, that's my boy, and he's my morning smile

@Tys mummy
I will post an update as soon as we've had him to the vet. Anniemother, in this post, mentioned something about epilepsy. I spent pretty much the whole day reading up on the subject. The more I read, the more I find simptons that relates to Duke. Going to ask the vet to do all possible tests in order to find what the problem might be.
Duke also had this little energised episodes, lasting for a few minutes and then going to sleep, but what I experienced the last two nights is something quite horrible, and very different to his usual bouts of sillyness. Keep an eye on it though, you don't want him snapping at someone who doesn't know how to handle the dog.

In all, thanks again for all the support and advice. Much appreciated. I used to be a member a few years ago, but somewhere along the line I lost track, so glad I'm back on, just nice knowing there is so many people willing to give feedback and/or advice.

Good luck for tomorrow, I know you won't get the answer there and then but its a step closer I hope x

Wow,scary stuff.To know you've trusted a dog for 3 years and to have it turn is very scary i'd imagine
We've had ours about 6 weeks now and she 'mouthed' my 4yr old yesterday and i nearly had a fit,can't even think about her turning 'nasty'.
Hope you get to the bottom of it,not nice for you and probably not nice for your doggy as they're so eager to please xx

Years ago there used to be something in Bull Terriers called 'Bully Rage'. It sounded exactly like you described. Unfortunately at the time they never got to the bottom of it, and dogs that suffered it were either pts or at least never bred from, so it's just about died out.

However, nowadays the thought is that it was a type of epilepsy, and had they know then what they know now, it could probably have been treated with drugs.

Good luck at the vets, I'm sure they'll get to the bottom of it soon.

It sounds very likely to be something neurological, it must have been very frightening for you. I know we all love and trust our dogs but when he went into that wild state it must have felt like you didn't even know him.

As others have said I would get him to the vets, best of luck.

How did the vet visit go?

yes I am interested to know too!

?????

Any news, I hope it's something treatable!

Any news? How's he doing today?

Duke of Lorraine wrote:

Hey whats happened?

How ever minor the news is, we'd still wants to know any news at all is good. what did the vet say/suggest. has he had any tests?

Do lets us know x

Oh this is a scary and sad story - I cant imagine feeling scared of your own pet. Look forward to the update and will keep my fingers crossed that it is something treatable

Hi Guys

Thank you fo all the interest. My husband always jokes with me and says that I'm only allowed one blond moment per day. Well yesterday I added a post, edited it and somehow submitted a blank. I would say that was my blond moment for the day.

Anyhow, we had Duke to the Vet. She is not doing any tests at the moment. The vet said she would rather prefer to see Duke when he is in one of those states, as she can then decide on the best set of tests to be done, as they are so expensive. She even said that we could phone if it happens outside of clinic hours and she would meet us there, which was nich of her. It has also been raining quite a bit, with various mushrooms popping up outside. She said that if he ate some, it could also have the same effects, as it releases chemicals. We usually check for mushrooms, but I guess there is always the odd chance that we miss one. Never really saw the dog even going near it, but yes, I'm not with him every minute of every day.
Now it's a waiting game. Hopefully it was just something he ate and hopefully it doesn't happen again. It hasn't happened since the weekend, which is so far so good.
I will keep an update though, should it happen again. Hold thumbs that it doesn't.

Thats great that the vets is being helpfull and that if it happens again you are able to call her outside hours. I hope it was just down to something he ate. Fingers crossed thats all it was. Thanks for the update x

Fingers crossed it doesn't happen again.

What a helpful vet!

Let's hope it was just Duke eating 'magic mushrooms'.

Caryll wrote:What a helpful vet!

Let's hope it was just Duke eating 'magic mushrooms'.

I hope it was only something he ate and doesn't happen again.

Keep us updated Hope you find out!

That's wonderful that the vet is being so helpful and nice. You are lucky to have such a vet. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it was just something he ate and doesn't happen again!

I hope it all works out and the vet can help you.

I've had experience with something similar to what you've described although it wasn't a Staff. When I was a kid in the early 80's we had a Collie/Kelpie cross named DJ. There was no problem with him, normal pup up until he was about 18 months old when one day, I remember it like it was yesterday, he started running like a madman around the kitchen, got into cupboards, smashed plates etc. Like he had super strength.

One Christmas day I went into the garden and he was having a seizure, he was convulsing on the ground and foaming at the mouth. I assume he had Epilepsy. A few months later I was playing in the yard and he snapped and mauled me, my hand was in his mouth, luckily my dad was there to get him off me. I still have the scar to this day.

I hope the vet can help you and sort out the problem. There is probably some medication that will help.

Awww I hope something is sorted for your boy its quite a worry.
It does sound very much like a seizure black out and sometimes a high temperature from a infection can cause them to imulate the same symptoms. Hope hes okay