We have a 12 yo dog that is terrified of storms. He sleeps next to our bed every night but when it is storming, he gets to sleep on the bed because he gets so scared.
Well last night, around 3 a.m., out of nowhere, the LOUDEST clap of thunder I have ever heard shook our windows, even knocked out the power, it was crazy. Then the weirdest flash of lightening lit up the room. Needless to say, Charlie was very scared. He literally collapsed into a heap on the floor. I finally encouraged him to stand up (he is very heavy,especially when he's dead weight) and walk to my side of the bed but he collapsed again when the lightening struck so DH helped lift him onto the bed.
As per usual, he settled right down and we all fell asleep again. About 30 minutes later I was woken up by Charlie's panting. I've never seen him panting and breathing so hard. DH woke up to it was so loud. He was drooling and his eyes were running. I was terrified that he was having a heart attack. We tried to calm him for about 15 minutes, DH turned the air on high in case he was just very hot and pulled the blanket out from underneath him.
Finally, DH got the treat bag out and he got off the bed so we could see if he could walk....I was frantically looking up canine heart attack symptoms. I went ahead and moved to the couch as that is the coolest piece of furniture in the house and Charlie's absolute favorite place to sleep. His breathing started to normalize and he began to settle down. I stayed awake and watched him breathing while he fell asleep. I put my hand on his chest and fell asleep myself.
When I woke up this morning he was totally normal, like nothing had happened. I had the vet look him over today and the only thing we can figure is that he was too scared to move off the bed when he got hot and just laid there and overheated.
We are keeping an eye on him. All I kept thinking about while I was petting him last night was that it could maybe be the last time I'd get to do that, but now that it's over, I keep thinking that's what it will be like when I have to let him go.
Well last night, around 3 a.m., out of nowhere, the LOUDEST clap of thunder I have ever heard shook our windows, even knocked out the power, it was crazy. Then the weirdest flash of lightening lit up the room. Needless to say, Charlie was very scared. He literally collapsed into a heap on the floor. I finally encouraged him to stand up (he is very heavy,especially when he's dead weight) and walk to my side of the bed but he collapsed again when the lightening struck so DH helped lift him onto the bed.
As per usual, he settled right down and we all fell asleep again. About 30 minutes later I was woken up by Charlie's panting. I've never seen him panting and breathing so hard. DH woke up to it was so loud. He was drooling and his eyes were running. I was terrified that he was having a heart attack. We tried to calm him for about 15 minutes, DH turned the air on high in case he was just very hot and pulled the blanket out from underneath him.
Finally, DH got the treat bag out and he got off the bed so we could see if he could walk....I was frantically looking up canine heart attack symptoms. I went ahead and moved to the couch as that is the coolest piece of furniture in the house and Charlie's absolute favorite place to sleep. His breathing started to normalize and he began to settle down. I stayed awake and watched him breathing while he fell asleep. I put my hand on his chest and fell asleep myself.
When I woke up this morning he was totally normal, like nothing had happened. I had the vet look him over today and the only thing we can figure is that he was too scared to move off the bed when he got hot and just laid there and overheated.
We are keeping an eye on him. All I kept thinking about while I was petting him last night was that it could maybe be the last time I'd get to do that, but now that it's over, I keep thinking that's what it will be like when I have to let him go.
