What is wrong with my dog?

PrairieMom wrote: He has been acting strange all day. He woke us up this morning at 4:30 becuase he wanted to go out side. he NEVER does that, plus, its -24 out there. I let him out and he just rolled around in the grass and layed down out there. I had to call for him to come back inside.
All day he keeps nagging me to let him out side. he rolls around then lays down.
He seemed like he had been a little itchy, so I took him into the garage and brushed him really good, but it hasn't made any difference. He loved it tho, his legs were shaking like it was feelin good. He was just at the groomers and the vet a week and a half ago, so he is clean, and there isn't anything medically wrong that my vet picked up on.
I tried looking real close at him for fleas, but didn't see anything, but we have never ever had problems like that, plus its the dead of winter, so are fleas a problem this time of year?
Is it possible that he just has itchy dry skin? what would I do about that? Crazy mutt.

Calimama replied: Is he eating the grass as well? Maybe his tummy hurts. If you think it's itchy skin did you try giving him a bath? Why anyone would want to go out when it's so cold is beyond me.

PrairieMom replied:
He ALWAYS eats grass, so that symptom doesn't count. I swear, my dog is part cow. As for bathing him, well, he is 85 pounds and has long hair for starters, so i can't really do it myself, and there is no where for him to go to dry off since it is so cold outside. Plus, I am a little worried that IF is problem is dry skin, a bath might make it worse?

cameragirl21 replied: check his nose--is it cold and wet or warm and dry?

PrairieMom replied:
cold and wet.

He is also sleeping in parts of the house that he doesn't usually sleep in. He is always at the bottom of the stairs, or by the front door, but today he is sleeping by the door to the garage, or in the bathroom.

cameragirl21 replied: that's good, means he doesn't have a fever. is he responsive and alert? is he eating his food and does he have an appetite?
i think i may know what's up but i don't think you'll like it, it's nothing bad for the dog though.

CantWait replied: If he's got dry itchy skin, you can give him an egg a day, mainly the egg white mixed in with his food, or vegetable oil.

PrairieMom replied:
Yeah, he's eating, but we put him on a diet, (vet's orders) You would think we were slowly starving him to death, the way he is acting. Right now he is just laying in the middle of the yard, just looking around and listening. Usually he is right up by the back door wanting to get back in the house. For him to be out there like that is VERY unusual for him.
He's plenty alert and all that.

He's starting to freak me out. You know how they say animals have a 6th sense about stuff, hes making me worry that something bad is about to happen. The last time he was strange like this was the day I went into labor with Ben.

mckayleesmom replied: Maybe he is just feeling cooped up since it is winter....so he is changing things around to spice his life up a little...

PrairieMom replied:
real spicy. laying in the middle of the yard in -24 weather. He must be REAL bored.

PrairieMom replied:
please don't tell me he's pregnant.

kit_kats_mom replied:
I don't know if it's the same for dogs but if you put rats on a high protein diet and they are sensitive, they get really itchy skin. Of course, that wouldn't explain the other odd behavior.

kit_kats_mom replied: are you guys in the middle of that ice storm? Maybe he's picking up on the wierd weather??? I know animals act odd before big storms.

or maybe he is in love. Did any neighbors get a new dog lately?

PrairieMom replied: no, I don't think so, the sky is clear here, I don't really know about anywhere around here tho. I think we are just in the middle of that arctic blast.

mom21kid2dogs replied: If it is dry skin you can put fish oil capsules on his food. You are right, bathing only makes it worse. Unless your dog is unusually dirty (or a breed that requires regular grooming~like cockers and poodles) you shouldn't bathe them more than 2 or 3 times a year.

Anything changed in his exercise routine? Maybe he's just missing regular routine or exercise? Has he been using the bathroom regularly? Sometimes they are just unexplicably goofy!!!

PrairieMom replied:
I haven't really noticed a change, although he really doesn't get much for exercise in the winter time. That is the same every year. There is no way i am going out there in this cold to throw him a frisbee.

siblingtooolivia replied: I am all for the change in diet and the recent trip to the groomer giving him dry skin or some type of allergic reaction to the new food, etc......call the vet.

PrairieMom replied:
Last night was HORRIBLE! He was up pacing the house all night long, waking the kids up, waking us up, seriously, he is lucky he survived to see morning. We called the vet who can't get him in until MONDAY. We tried a little benedryl and that seemed to help a little, but He is still so miserable.

Jackie012007 replied: sounds like some sort of anxiety to me... with a food allergy or something, he shouldn't exhibit behavioral changes - he would be coughing and itching. we just went through that with my dog... sounds more like your dog is having anxiety over something. Could be the weather, could be something he senses going on in the house - have any noticable changes in your house, like rearranging of furniture or someone not feeling well? These all affect animals, some are just more sensitive and show physical signs. The pacing and restlessness definitely signal anxiety to me... hope you find out soon!

A&A'smommy replied: he defintily sounds like he has itchy skin I have delt with a LOT of that from my dogs although we have a major flea problem in our area and my long-haired chihuahua is allergic to fleas so I definitly understand. You can start by giving him an egg in his food and then take him to the vet and they can give him a shot to help the itchyness until whatever you give him starts to kick in... do NOT give him a bath that will definitly make it worse... I hope he feels better soon!!

JadensMama05 replied:
LMAO!!! OMG, I almost fell off of my chair!

I hope he's feeling better now!!

Nina J replied: DH thinks your dog is having a mid life crisis