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Thread: Older dog displaying odd behavior

  1. #1
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    Default Older dog displaying odd behavior

    I’m taking my little buddy to the vet as soon as I can get it scheduled tomorrow but figured it would be worth asking about here. He is 14 and I know that alone can be an issue with a dog. I’m trying to figure out if he is just a little sick or presenting symptoms that the end is near.

    For the last few days our lap dog has been pacing a lot and panting some, usually at night. He eventually settle on the couch to sleep.

    He drinks and has an appetite but is having difficulty keying in on his water bowl and his food bowls. He will miss his water bowl, sometimes stepping in it, and I’ve gone so far as to hold it up and gently push his head to the water so he can drink. He’ll eat food from my hand every time he passes while pacing so appetite seems good.

    He seems somewhat uncoordinated and maybe weak. His legs will sometimes fall out from under him momentarily. Could have some vision loss.

    The last few days he wanders when we go outside together, like ambling to an unknown destination. I’ll walk with him and get him back to the house. Before he would go to the spots he wanted to smell and pee on and run back inside.

    He seems to have developed some twitches.

    He has bounced back during the day some but not quite back to his normal self.

    His hair, mainly on his lower back, has thinned a good bit over the last two months.

    His whole life, if I petted him more than a few seconds, he’s snap at me. Especially around the ribs. The last three days I can scratch and rub him as much as I want and he won’t snap or growl. That makes me think he isn’t in pain but dogs are hard to read.

    He had one night like this over Christmas but was back to normal the next day so several days of this has me worried.

    He had a checkup at the vet a few weeks ago and no issues noted.

    Any input is appreciated guys.

  2. #2
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    My mother's terrier started having seizures in his old age. He did similar things like you are describing.
    "Think A Guy Like Me Worries About Percentages?" Tin Cup

    "Some get spiritual cause they see the light, and some cause they feel the heat" Ray Wylie Hubbard

    "P.S. I love turkeys. Mostly just hate those who hunt em." Glenn

  3. #3
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    I hate to say this but it seems the end is near.... Experienced it with 2 dogs, it's hard to let go.

  4. #4
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    my dog is 15 and has some similar symptoms. I made sure my wife and daughter knew it was getting closer to time for him to cross that bridge.

    The vet may be able to put a name to this.



    Have you thought of just PMing Glenn? he loves this kind of stuff. (sarcasm in there somewhere)
    Or just hold out till easter and show up at his house with the dog....
    Last edited by 2thDoc; 01-15-2020 at 07:01 AM.
    Ugh. Stupid people piss me off.

  5. #5
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    You have an old dog and with it comes different symptoms but to me, you haven't described anything to make me think the end is near.
    I'm going thru the same thing with my lab now. Just keeping her comfortable and giving her lots of love.

  6. #6
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    My dog is over 15 and was diagnosed with old dog vestibular syndrome the other week. A lot of similar symptoms. She couldn’t walk for a few days and I still have to carry her up and down steps but she is gradually getting better.

    It is a fancy dog name for vertigo. I’ve had it and it really sucks and can be tough mentally for a dog or person.

    I hope your dog gets better.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ghetto View Post
    My dog is over 15 and was diagnosed with old dog vestibular syndrome the other week. A lot of similar symptoms. She couldn’t walk for a few days and I still have to carry her up and down steps but she is gradually getting better.

    It is a fancy dog name for vertigo. I’ve had it and it really sucks and can be tough mentally for a dog or person.

    I hope your dog gets better.
    I'm guessing vestibular as well. Like human vertigo. my 14 year old BLF got almost a year ago and never recovered. Most do in time, but it led to other complications for me. Was tough to watch.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2thDoc View Post
    ...Or just hold out till easter and show up at his house with the dog....
    Snort

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by cyrusthevirus View Post
    I hate to say this but it seems the end is near.... Experienced it with 2 dogs, it's hard to let go.
    Unfortunately, I agree. Our last Dalmation started doing this when she was 14. The vet said that Selegeline could help. We tried it, and it definitely helped. That said, there were no cheap alternatives to this medication, and it cost us over $220.00/month! At the time, we didn't have any extra income to devote to this, but it improved our dog's quality of life, so we bought it anyway thinking that the end was near. The meds improved her quality of life so much that she lived another 2.25 years. I do not regret going that route, but it was ultra expensive.
    “I can’t wait ‘till I’m grown” is the stupidest @!#* I ever said!

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2thDoc View Post
    my dog is 15 and has some similar symptoms. I made sure my wife and daughter knew it was getting closer to time for him to cross that bridge.

    The vet may be able to put a name to this.



    Have you thought of just PMing Glenn? he loves this kind of stuff. (sarcasm in there somewhere)
    Or just hold out till easter and show up at his house with the dog....
    Post his personal number so we can call him with questions. I work the night shift and have a lot of free time to call when I am working

  11. #11
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    Its tough man, I have two Goldens, one is 2.5 years and the other is about 9 and the older one
    is breathing hard, panting and just not looking or acting as she has. I am sure the "organ shutting down"
    stuff is in progress but she doesn't appear to be in any pain at all, just laboring with breathing and lethargic.
    I will be taking her to Glenn to be checked out soon

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