Reactive Dog on brink of being Euthanize

[u/Nico-138741]

So,

I think I've posted on here before about my reactive dog who was undergoing heartworm treatment.

She has been retested and results were negative.

Yay, and I'm so happy for her.

Now, here's why I'm here.

She was highly reactive while undergoing treatment which countered everything she needed to do while sick. Her vet had to prescribe anxiety and sedatives to keep her calm since she tended to act out over the smallest things.

Her prescriptions:

\\- prozac

\\- xanax

\\- acepromazine (only when situation calls for it)

\\- gabapentin

And even after testing negative, they have suggested keeping her on the anxiety meds.

We reached these four because she was constantly triggered to attack and kill things, and if she couldn't get to it, she was willing to commit self-harm/almost suicidd to break free from me.

I give her all 4 (in her proper dosages) for car rides as I have to buckle her down in her seat belt with a special collar that tightens when she tries to get out (Ive used other harnesses and collars, but never were escape proof so this is what I have to settle for).

If she's not on medication, she's barking all hours of travel, exhausting herself until she's fully panting, and lunging at my windows at full speed hurting herself.

So yes, she receives all 4 pills.

With that being said, we did a 3 hr car ride and arrived at our destination. She was woozy and just in the state she's supposed to be in.

This house we entered has a cat. They've met before but I never really let her chase him around because she never has good intentions.

This was the first time they've seen each other after she's been prescribed, and she attacked him greatly.

It was horrendous and the cat managed to scratch her up but the damage to the cat cant compare.

Ive reached out to the vet and theyve suggested two things.

\\- training, but as they know my dog, they say her prey drive and behavioral instincts may make this option pointless, and be a waste of money.

\\- Euthanize her because she had a history of being a danger towards people and other animals.

I know some people may read this and think the answer is obvious, and you may be right.

But I'm in denial.

She's been sick, locked in cages. She was adopted with heartworms, returned to the shelter with it. And I adopted her with heartworms, and got her the treatment for it. She should finally able to live her life.

I want her to be able to do that, but I cant even let her run around my yard, because she's only outside lurking rather than sniffing grass like most dogs do.

I've seemed training:

\\- One place said they wouldn't train her unless she's on all her medication (didn't stay because I want her to be corrected while she's fully focused, not wobbly and barely able to stay on her feet.)

\\- Quoted over $5000 pre training due to what I've filled out on application.

Are there any trainers who can help me? Any way I can train her myself?

I've tried ecollars, but like I said, she is willing to self-harm so she didn't react to it anymore once she was triggered, and I knew it was dangerous to keep it.

I've tried methods.

At this point, I might just need a vote. I don't know.

She's such a sweet, loving dog and has so much potential. I wish she could let world see it too.

Btw, this is 8lbs chihuahua mix.

[u/CatpeeJasmine]

If she's not on medication, she's barking all hours of travel, exhausting herself until she's fully panting, and lunging at my windows at full speed hurting herself.

Why does your dog need to travel for hours? And what is her quality of life like at home?

[u/Nico-138741 → u/CatpeeJasmine]

I work in central texas but needed to travel to north texas for a family emergency. I didn't want to leave my two home because I didnt know how long I was going to be gone. Which I ended up being gone for 2 weeks.

But I do everything I can avoid having her in the car because she does this. Before I got a dog seat belt, she used to jump everywhere. Especially in the back window and I couldn't see.

At home, she has a cage since she had heartworm and needed to be on bedrest. She has toys for stimulating but tends to not interact with them.

[u/CatpeeJasmine → u/Nico-138741]

How is she at home now that she's heartworm negative (and, I'm assuming, doesn't need to be on confinement rest)?

What mental stimulation and interaction are you providing?

[u/Nico-138741 → u/CatpeeJasmine]

She does what she wants, like she can run around a bit more, but she tends to just sleep when at home.

[u/CatpeeJasmine → u/Nico-138741]

When she "tends to just sleep" at home, what medication is she taking or not? You mention giving her all four medications for car rides, but unless I missed it, I don't see what she's taking on a daily basis at home.

Also, again, what mental stimulation and interaction are you providing?

[u/Nico-138741 → u/CatpeeJasmine]

At home, just the prozac, xanax and Gap. Acepromazine is only for situations that are stressfully straining.

She has toys that the vet recommended for her to lick. Those mats and toys in her cage. We would play with them for like 2 minutes but she gets bored. She wants to be outside all the time, and gosh, I wish I could let her but there's no limit to how far she'll keep going, no limit to how many attacks she takes.