The American Beagler Forum

Today was the first day of PA rabbit season. I was out hunting, with my 3 hounds, and we had shot a couple of rabbits. About 2 hours into the hunt, my female, "Tricksy" jumped a rabbit, and the chase was on, the other two packed up, the rabbit headed out, and was on it's way back, all the sudden she stopped barking, I thought she was in check at first, then she came out right in front of me, ran circles around me staying about 30 feet away. I hollered her name, she didn't even flinch or look at me. I hit her lightly with the e-collar, no response, just kept circling, bumped her again a little harder, no response. Then she ran up over a hill, I went up there, no sign of her, I called and then hit her once with the collar pretty hard and heard her yelp about 100 yards away. I spent the last 3 hours trying to find her, absolutely nothing, she isn't even in the area now, if she's alive. I was hitting the collar and couldn't get a response. Is this what they call "blowing up"? It's about 1/2 mile from my house, what are my chances of her coming back? If she does come back will she be ruined? I just can't understand this, she whelped a litter 2 months ago, but they have been weaned for 3 weeks, and a two hour run is nothing, we do that 2 or 3 times a week. My male is a little faster, but not enough that he pressured her that much. Now here it is the first day, I've lost my only real good check dog, she was my favorite personality wise and an e-collar. Utterly depressed, that's the only way to put it.

I think you will get her back. She will be back probably be morning. What I would do is baby her when she returns. I would not run in her in a pack until she has been run a few times solo. Slowly rebuild her to what you had previously. She may be a little unbalanced since having the pups.

sounds like she had some sort of seziure maybe something to do with low blood sugar, do a search on running fits or low blood sugar you might find something.

Neighbor came, when I opened the door to let him in, I could hear the most wonderful sound I've heard all day, the wonderful sound of dog bells coming up across my yard. She's in the house right now, gonna take her back outside here in a bit. Assuming this was an imbalance or a sugar fit, what should I do to try and avoid this happening again?

Keep some kind of treat with you, to bring her sugar
level back up.

Seizure for sure. Seen it happen...never saw the dog again.

The last thing you should have done was shocked that dog. Hopefully it was just the sugar and you can get it under control but don't be surprised if she is real uneasy about running in the future. After all, you punished her while she was literally running for her life (from the fit).
It wouldn't hurt to get her checked out by the vet if it happens again. There may be something besides sugar causing the fits.

A dog blowing up to me is one that is doing everything right then one day is the ruffest nut you ever saw. I have seen it happen with young pups put with strong dogs before they are ready. They get to where they want the front so bad that they forget what they are supposed to do when they get it! I have seen it happen to some dogs that were trialed too young too! It don't happen to all of them but it does happen.

I've had dogs that get overheated in the summer and come in wobbly legged. I always carry plenty of water and a bottle of honey. You can give your dog some honey before she goes and give her some more when she comes in. It comes in a squeeze bottle, so just coat the tounge. Just a taught.

Southern,
I know now that the last thing I should have done was shocked her, but you have to understand, I was almost as scared as she was when this happened!!!! I didn't know what to do.

She's beat today, I'm expecting most of this is from her still being run down a little from having the pups. She's been out lots of times and ran a lot harder than this. I'm going to solo her some before she goes back out with my male again.

Low Blood Sugar for sure. Like most said carry something sweet with you to give her. If this is the case she will more than likely do it again if you find her.

Kybeagler,
She's back, made if back home late last night.

huntinfool wrote:Kybeagler,
She's back, made if back home late last night.

See, I told you she'd rturn I get all worried when I lose a dog as well but have learned that unless they get stolen most likely you will get them back.

Yeah Jonny, I was all upset, your post at least gave me some hope yesterday. I think she was probably disoriented once she snapped out of it, and she probably was a long ways from where I was at, she most likely spent the rest of the day trying to locate me until it got dark, then she's smart enough to realize that once it got dark I would be at home, so she headed back. One nice thing is the neighbor saw her and tried to get her to come to him, even called her by name and she wouldn't come. Her loyalty will make it a little tougher for somebody to make off with her if they ever tried.

I had an adult female do this exact thing last fall. She dropped out of the race and was running in a 30 yard circle as hard as she could go and half of it was in a briar batch. she would not come to me and ran past me and laid down. i grabbed her and held her. her face was cut up from the briars and i carried her to the truck. by the time i got to the truck she was fine. I was told it was a sugar fit. Has not happed again......

I have never experienced this but am fortunte to have read this post..I feel a little more educated about dogs. Thanks for all the inputs and explanations. Now I will no what to do if this ever happens to one of my dogs.