Strange Question?

Question
Hello,

My husband and I have 2 1/2 year old female chihuahua/pomeranian mix who is the joy of our lives.  Shes mainly kept indoors while we both work but gets plenty of outdoor activities and weekend trips to keep her pretty active.  Her diet consists of a wet/dry food combo twice a day, almost always of all  natural variety, as my husband works for an all natural pet supply company in our area of Seattle.  

We have recently been observing a very strange behavior in our little girl (dog).  We see  her looking up at the ceiling at something that we cannot see, and sometimes sets her into shakes or running and hiding under the bed.  At first we thought she had seen a bug, as there was a fly in the room the first time this ocurred.  This behavior has continued to increase (about 3-4 times a week) and we have become more concerned.  We don't know what she sees, or what is making her so nervous to hide under the bed for long lengths of time.  Getting her out from under the bed is near impossible.  We have thought maybe she sees a spirit, as creepy as that is...or is she having a panic attack of some sort or some other mental issue.  I know this is probably not your typical question, but we were just poking around online and came across the website and thought, its a worth a shot.  Any ideas at least for us?  It would be greatly appreciated.  

Thank you,
Tara

Answer
Tara, I firmly believe that animals can see and sense things that we cannot. However, before jumping to the conclusion that she's seen a ghost, could it possibly be something in your attic, or if you live in an apartment or similar setup, could it be upstairs neighbors making noises or something?

It could also be a neurological condition, similar to a siezure, that could be causing her to hallucinate. I would speak to a vet, first and foremost, to rule out any health reasons, and then go from there. If you can locate a canine behaviorist in your area who can come to your house and observe the behavior first hand, that would be ideal.