My 4-year-old dog ran away from me one night and when I got near her she would run further once we got her back home she ran away again. I have her back right now but she is acting differently like she doesn't know me. But she has but acting differently since she got a weird bump on her back.
2 Answers
Such extreme changes in behavior should always be checked out by a vet. Several possible causes come to my mind, and only 1 of them is harmless...
- She could have a tumor or parasites that change her behavior
- The bump could cause her pain and your handling unintentionally causes her pain. She runs away to avoid being (unintentionally) hurt by you.
- She could have been hit by a car, bitten by another dog or been injured in another way. Again, she might run away to avoid being hurt by you.
- Someone in your family, a guest or a neighbor could have abused her and she tries to avoid the place and further abusal.
- There is a device nearby that emmits ultrasonic sounds (for example a rodent repeller for a car) that humans cannot hear, but that drives your dog nuts.
- The only harmless cause that comes to my mind: She might be in heat and tries to get some alone time with a male dog. In that case there should be menstrual bleeding (dogs bleed while being fertile, humans bleed after the fertile days passed).
There are many more options that just don't come to my mind right now. Only a vet will be able to examine her and find the real cause.
You should make an appointment with a vet as soon as possible to get her physical health checked. This strange behavior could be her way to tell you that she's somehow suffering.
But she has but acting differently since she got a weird bump on her back
Don't you think your dog suffes from pain or uncomfortable feelings? I would take it to a vet. I do not to want to scare you or predict the worst, but some kinds of cancer, for insance, can cause changes in animal's (or human's) behavior.
