Dog Dementia

[Envillegc1]

My 12 year old working cocker is showing ever increasing signs of dementia.

He is becoming aggresive, insesant barking, and going round in circles.

Just wondering if people had any experience/ views.

 

[Andyquadra]

What about eye sight, is that still good?

 

[HonestJohn]

My old lab is mad as a box of frogs, barks at open doors, shakes and clings to us, teeth clattering randomly. He’s clearly got vision and maybe hearing impairment and has gone slightly coockoo, but that’s par for the course with 12+ dogs I seem to experience. Once the bowel movement self control goes, it’s time to see the vet for the last time

 

[Envillegc1]

What about eye sight, is that still good?

Hearing has gone but eye site seems OK ish.
Have a young child, so the agressive behaviour is the worrying bit for me.

 

[Rake Aboot]

It’s your dog
It’s up to you to decide when it’s time to put the dog down.
If you have real concerns about aggression around your child then you don’t really need to ask on here do you ?

It’s never easy but it’s our responsibility as dog owners to do what’s best when it’s needed.

 

[paul o']

Had a guard dog lab on the farm he was going south and not running on all cylinders as he started to not recognise us kids .my old feller said its better now than later! so we had our last run up to the spinney and we ended his confusion .

 

[Sat Rat]

Yes I've sadly had the same with my cocker at 13 no aggression but confused a lot of pacing around and unsettled, his whole life shifted around the clock, sleeping during the day and awake all night. I live by the rule if no pain, eating and still able to go outside to wee & etc we are good. I knew the time had come by the way Bailey behaved at the time!.
It has broken me to say goodbye to my mates I had 3 cockers to litter mates (1 is bobbing along at the moment)and an older brother sadly I made that decision last Easter.
I will say we are very selfish and want them to stay with us forever, but that's sadly not possible, don't leave it too late

 

[Andyquadra]

Hearing has gone but eye site seems OK ish.
Have a young child, so the agressive behaviour is the worrying bit for me.

Maybe get the eyes tested for pressure and pain. My brother has a springer who's eyes went milky very quickly and was blind.

 

[Pedro]

Not sure if it's better if they do go cuckoo or not. Had to say goodbye to my Lab a month ago. 13 years 6 months old. He was a working dog, at which he was excellent. Initially thought he must know better than me now because he started doing his own thing and not obeying commands. Until I realised his hearing had gone. Then the dreaded back leg problems started. Over his last 4-5 years that gradually worsened and it went from still walking and trotting okay to it being a big thing to go into the garden. Eventually he just sat there as much as to say "that's my lot". Mentally he was as sharp as a button though. Which didn't really help I think. Either way, it's no fun. They live such short lives.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Aye - worst bit of dog ownership.
My old girl is 14 and still loves her grub though spends a lot of time standing staring at things I cannot see - but she is still hanging on in there and not in any pain. Mrs FB has been told advised that this time she is taking the dog on her final journey!

 

[hcm1]

For what it's worth there is a vital concept we have to remember about our ownership of animals. From our side of the relationship it's quantity that matters (we want them to be here forever!) but that quantity is no good without quality to go with it. From their side it is the quality that matters most, 6 good years are better than 16 poor ones as I'm pretty confident that animals don't have a well developed concept of "future" If the now is miserable for them then it's no good.

I also firmly believe that anxiety is as bad for animals to suffer as pain. I have seen countless patients who suffer chronic anxiety and lets be honest, being stressed and anxious is thoroughly unpleasant.

It is very hard to assess the effect that degenerating senses has on animals for obvious reasons but signs of dementia can be very varied.

Generally speaking I have seen little success managing dementia signs but I tend to start with a pain relief trial and if I see no response to that then one can try other medications such as anxiolytics and circulation boosting medications but results are variable.

Sometimes the only way we can stop our animals having a poor quality of life is to let them go, as painful as that is. The other factor is often human (child safety) if kids are old enough to understand to leave them alone then that can be managed but if they are young there is always a risk and it does make it a difficult situation.

Have a chat with your vet about any recommendations they may have, but I would always say never lose sight of the concept that letting them go is always going to be too early for us but it is better that, than letting it go on too late for them. Bloody sucks and you have my sympathy.

 

[Envillegc1]

For what it's worth there is a vital concept we have to remember about our ownership of animals. From our side of the relationship it's quantity that matters (we want them to be here forever!) but that quantity is no good without quality to go with it. From their side it is the quality that matters most, 6 good years are better than 16 poor ones as I'm pretty confident that animals don't have a well developed concept of "future" If the now is miserable for them then it's no good.

I also firmly believe that anxiety is as bad for animals to suffer as pain. I have seen countless patients who suffer chronic anxiety and lets be honest, being stressed and anxious is thoroughly unpleasant.

It is very hard to assess the effect that degenerating senses has on animals for obvious reasons but signs of dementia can be very varied.

Generally speaking I have seen little success managing dementia signs but I tend to start with a pain relief trial and if I see no response to that then one can try other medications such as anxiolytics and circulation boosting medications but results are variable.

Sometimes the only way we can stop our animals having a poor quality of life is to let them go, as painful as that is. The other factor is often human (child safety) if kids are old enough to understand to leave them alone then that can be managed but if they are young there is always a risk and it does make it a difficult situation.

Have a chat with your vet about any recommendations they may have, but I would always say never lose sight of the concept that letting them go is always going to be too early for us but it is better that, than letting it go on too late for them. Bloody sucks and you have my sympathy.

Its very hard to balance our emotions with the well being of the animal.
Sadley he is on a slippery slope and I think we kid ourselves that he may get better tomorrow, even if its for a couple of minutes!
I was trying to get to the end of the shooting season with him, for him as much as me, but will just have to see.

I may be wrong but I think there are meds, but these in effect just traquilize the animal, making them more compliant to our needs, but not theres.

No easy answers!

 

[Home Loader]

Have a young child, so the agressive behaviour is the worrying bit for me.

You have pretty much answered your own question if its making you nervous.
Remember the good years and don't hold on, things don't get better and god forbid your worries comes true. It's already been said a few good years are much better than a few extra with the questionable quality of life, and the stress that brings.

 

[Twodogs]

I feel for the anxiety you, and the many others who have been in this position, are going through, never easy.
All things considered the aggression and children appears to be the most pressing issue.

I have a 13 year old GSD, who is sadly going this way, though without the aggression, randomly barks at nothing, stares blankly into space, lots of head nodding. Fortunately bowel and bladder all good at the moment which is a bonus as he is does not know when to stop eating. He appears comfortable and pain free at the moment, every day is a bonus.

Because they bring us so much joy and companionship their eventual loss is so much more difficult. Their quality of life has to be foremost In our thinking.

 

[kenbro]

Two of our three terriers are 13.5 years and both (As well as fleas) have health (Physical/Mental) issues.
We will can manage most problems to extend their reasonably comfortable life, but if the become incontinent that will signal the end.
20 + years ago, one of our Aussie Terriers became unable to walk/ stand for more than a couple minutes at a go, so couldn’t walk to the door to go to the toilet.
Wifey had him sussed out and used to carry him outside were he‘d do his ablutions then he’d just roll onto his side and lay there until she carried him back indoors.
This went on until he could no longer stand even with help.
He was 16.
Ken.

 

[tackb]

i went through this with my sprocker , he became dizzy and off balance thankfully no aggression so i did the hardest thing and it broke my heart , 6'4'' 20 stone crying like a baby but i held him to the end.

i'd had 15 fabulous years with the dog of a lifetime and still can't bring myself to get another

i always remember this , they give us complete love and devotion their entire life so at the end you owe them company as they drift off , their whole world (you) needs to be there till they are gone , it's hard but you owe them a last hug as they go don't just send them off with the vet because they should be with familiar faces not strangers at the end

great i'm crying now ffs

 

[Stalker62]

Can never finish reading this. Never...

 

[BenBhoy]

Have a young child, so the agressive behaviour is the worrying bit for me.

You've answered your own dilemma there I'm afraid Imagine if worst happens & you had all these warning signs....

My lurcher was diagnosed with dementia last year. She's been on a few tablets since, one is gabapentin, one I can't recall name, half a paracetamol, all twice a day. It's not cheap but she's 12 months older & 100% better than this time last year.

But crucially she's never been aggressive, she'd be gone, end of.

 

[Buchan]

For what it's worth there is a vital concept we have to remember about our ownership of animals. From our side of the relationship it's quantity that matters (we want them to be here forever!) but that quantity is no good without quality to go with it. From their side it is the quality that matters most, 6 good years are better than 16 poor ones as I'm pretty confident that animals don't have a well developed concept of "future" If the now is miserable for them then it's no good.

I also firmly believe that anxiety is as bad for animals to suffer as pain. I have seen countless patients who suffer chronic anxiety and lets be honest, being stressed and anxious is thoroughly unpleasant.

It is very hard to assess the effect that degenerating senses has on animals for obvious reasons but signs of dementia can be very varied.

Generally speaking I have seen little success managing dementia signs but I tend to start with a pain relief trial and if I see no response to that then one can try other medications such as anxiolytics and circulation boosting medications but results are variable.

Sometimes the only way we can stop our animals having a poor quality of life is to let them go, as painful as that is. The other factor is often human (child safety) if kids are old enough to understand to leave them alone then that can be managed but if they are young there is always a risk and it does make it a difficult situation.

Have a chat with your vet about any recommendations they may have, but I would always say never lose sight of the concept that letting them go is always going to be too early for us but it is better that, than letting it go on too late for them. Bloody sucks and you have my sympathy.

Totally agree. Run a pain trial first. A grumpy dog can be extra grumpy with an unpredictably moving small child. With a knee arthritis that made me immobile for about 3 months, I now sympathise with my older patients a bit more

 

[Dazb1967]

i went through this with my sprocker , he became dizzy and off balance thankfully no aggression so i did the hardest thing and it broke my heart , 6'4'' 20 stone crying like a baby but i held him to the end.

i'd had 15 fabulous years with the dog of a lifetime and still can't bring myself to get another

i always remember this , they give us complete love and devotion their entire life so at the end you owe them company as they drift off , their whole world (you) needs to be there till they are gone , it's hard but you owe them a last hug as they go don't just send them off with the vet because they should be with familiar faces not strangers at the end

great i'm crying now ffs

I couldn't bring myself round to go in with my dog at the end, My mother passed away unexpectedly an hour before his vets appointment and the dementia had set in really bad with him so I still had to take him because it wasn't fair on him but with everything going on my wife had to take him in because I really don't think I could have coped.