My dog is shaking and hiding under my bed recently

Question

Rorrie and Pencil   QUESTION: My dog, Rorrie (8 yr old adopted sato chihuahua/terrier) has been acting what appears to be very anxious and nervous more and more lately. There has been an increase of her panting, shaking, jumping up on me and my roommate, hiding in the corners of the rooms and under my bed. Her bizarrebehaviors began when I got a new roommate with her own loud barking, ill behaved pomerianian who goes to the bathroom in the house everywhere. At that time she did not hide however.  THen once my roommate got a new puppy her shaking and panting and following me around everywhere sky rocketed.  I notice my roommate is scared of my dog and things she is "posessed" which she says jokingly but i can see it in her eyes that she is freaked out by Rorrie.  My roommate complains about rorrie being "crazy" and puts her in my room when I am gone when she starts acting "crazy".I have had changes of roommates and cats here before, and she's never had a reaction like this.  There is a picture attached of my last roommates kitten and Rorrie.  Honestly, i think the solution is asking my new roommate to move out,m but is there anything likely to work that is less extreme that might help her be a happy calm dog again?  Thank you for your time and for any help you might have.

ANSWER: If possible, GET RID OF THAT ROOMMATE ASAP!  Who knows what your dog might be subjected to when you are not there.  My first suggestion, while you are getting rid of that witch, is: lock your dog in your room (and I mean LOCK, from the outside, using a real keyed deadbolt) whenever you leave the house.  Do NOT allow your dog and that person to interact without your constant, and vigilant, supervision.  My guess from your statement is that your roommate and her dogs are terrorizing Rorrie.

Second, go to the veterinarian with these symptoms.  It's possible your dog has received a neurological or orthopedic injury from interacting with your roommate's dogs or your roommate, herself.  Have a thorough evaluation done, as well as a stool check and a super blood chemistry.

After the roommate is gone, observe Rorrie for a few weeks and REPOST PLEASE if her condition doesn't improve.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank You Jill for your feedback.  

Rorrie's behavior is inconsistant, for example, I just came back tonight and my roommate said Rorrie had a great night and she is eating and acting like her old self.  What would explain the inconsistencies.  And even when i am alone with Rorrie she is acting in these bizarre ways at times.  I also take her with me a lot of places: work, friend's houses, etc, could it be seperation anxiety when I can't take her with me?

Answer
Something set this dog off.  My guess is that it's related to the chaos in your home (another adult dog, additional puppy, and who knows what goes on when you're not there.)  It's possible the dog is suffering from pain or some cognitive dysfunction related to neurological problems.  You need a full checkup by a veterinarian, including neurological, orthopedic, blood chemistry, eye/ear, etc.  If her physical health appears ok (fully aware that even super blood chemistry can not report presence of tumors, even with sed rate) then it is definitely behavioral and if you report this behavior began with the present roommate, the connection is clear.