5 1/2 year old female bulldog pacing and biting at the air what does this mean??

[Wilfred]

My female bulldog started pacing the floor on Wednesday - shes not panting. She is eating, drinking & going potty all normal. Then yesterday she starting biting at the air and floor but there was nothing there. When you talk to her she stops and then goes back to it. She is sleeping fine but then when awake she does the biting at the air thing. (it doesn't go on all day but quite a bit)

Brought her to the vet yesterday afternoon and all blood work was normal. Of course she wasn't doing the biting at air while at the vet. I have now taken a video of the behavior and will get to the vet on Monday. Just wondering if anyone else has ever experienced this???

 

[Petra]

Maybe it's what they call "Fly-snapping" or "Fly-biting"? Our Boeboe does it sometimes, often late at night when she's tired. I can snap her out of it and if I don't keep her mind onto something else for a while she goes right back to doing it. If I understand right it's a mild form of seizures but vets seems to be a bit unsure of what causes it. I've given Boeboe a snack when it happens to keep her mind of it and I don't know if it has something to do with bloodsugar cos she stops doing it after her snack. You can try that maybe, it wont hurt

I'm sure someone that knows more than me will come along soon

 

[Casper]

I'm not sure where you live, it's not on your profile....... Could it be Flea's, fire ant's, ear infection maybe, seems something could be annoying her, I'd defintely check for anything causing pain, ear infection, something grabbing her attention, in which may be annoying her to cause her to bite the air, if everything there is okay, I'd get her in to see a vet, seek possible solutions, may even be neurological. I think something causing her pain or anoying her would be the first on my checklist before moving onto a vet though.

 

[2BullyMama]

Can you get it on video? Does sound like what Petra stated. [MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] - might be able to give more insight if you can get video


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Libra926]

Can you post your video? I'm wondering if she has any itchy girly bits or a itchy tail pocket? There are tons of reasons that it could be....so lets start at the top with what Casper mentioned. Are any of those a possibility?

There are a lot of instances where the fly biting is a neurological problem.....but lets visit that after we cross off all these others. Welcome! And nice to meet you!

 

[Petra]

When thinking back and reading [MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] comment I figure this... Boeboe did it much more frequent before her Entropion surgery, so maybe she did it back then cos her eyes was bothering her... Now it only happens maybe once, for a couple of minutes every two months or something. So it's seems much possible it can be something that's annoying her to cause her to do it? I've tried to read and asked the vet about the fly snapping but there isn't really a straight answer to get I hope it's something simple that's easily sorted out

 

[Lokismom]

Did anything come of the vet appointment on monday? Sorry I am late to the convo

 

[loveabully]

Franklin just went through something like that it wasn't fly snapping it was just the head shaking their head tremors Franklin only had this happen like 4 times there no reason for it and if you take them to the vet and get everything done everything comes back normal all I do is distract him give him a treat or I clap my hands really load an it stops it only happened at night when he would be sleeping or just waking up it hasn't happens in awhile my other dog was going into heat so he was stressed out about it

 

[Annie1991]

Punk will do this when I haven't cleaned her tail pocket in a day or two. Mickey does this also when he wants his tail pocket cleaned.

 

[Wilfred]

Sorry for delay but its been quite busy for the past few weeks!! We ending up having to bring her to the University of Minnesota neurology department. Roxie was having seizures. She has now been on phenobarbital for 2 weeks just got blood levels checked and talk to the doctor tomorrow to see if we can decrease the dose. Thank god the seizures have stopped but she walks around like she's drunk. Will see what the doc has to say Monday.

 

[Davidh]

Sorry to hear that, but at least you know what it is. If you have questions or need help with this just let [MENTION=572]Libra926[/MENTION] know and she can help.

 

[Wilfred]

Thanks I really appreciate that!

 

[Libra926]

Phenobarbital does cause cause ataxia. A "drunk" like effect. Let me know if you have any questions that I might be able to help you with.