Senior dog who is agitated, pacing and panting

[Danita]

Dirk our 14 yr old GSD has gotten so bad. He can't relax, he used to be so laid back, comfortable and secure.
Now he paces, pants, can't be left alone or he stands at the door the whole time or stands in a corner staring at the wall. He has to have both myself and my husband with him before he can relax.
It was getting so hard on him, it was wearing his hips and by the end of the day he would be barely able to stand up. Even at night in bed he would have a hard time sleeping and be up 1/3 of the night panting and staring off. He comes to work with me, and does the same there. He is also petrified of other dogs and cats. He even bit me really hard when I was giving him his med He has never bitten people until now.

We took him to the vet, (seems like its every other week now and he was started on Clomicalm, for separation anxiety. It is hard giving it to him because he gets pretty sedated, I feel so guilty, but at the same time, he isn't scared anymore. I would hate for the rest of his days on earth feeling frightened and confused.

Anyone else with senior dog stories to share?

 

[birdlady]

Awe...so hard. You know I have been going through so much with coco too. She paces a lot and has to be right by me. Standing until her legs begin to sink. It helps when I work as we have another dog. Coco will also sometimes just stand in one spot on the back yard not moving for like ten whole minutes. Aging is so hard on then and us.

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[GG.]

Danita do you think Dirk is in pain (as in some arthritis in his hips)?

that will cause restlessness and panting too

 

[Danita]

He is on deremax daily for pain.

 

[birdlady]

Coco also paces st night sometimes too. She does have arthritis and is on pain meds for it...she still paces...dementia maybe? I just try to make her as comfortable as possible and be home with her as much as I can. I Am sure dirk is going through similar things as coco.

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[birdlady]

Coco takes deramax too.

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[Danita]

Do you think Coco would benefit from the Clomicalm?

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

I do not have experience to share ,just wanted to send you

 

[birdlady]

I dont know...she is already so wobbly and unstable on her feet. I Wouldnt want her to hurt herself while groggy....she is almost 17...so old for a lab...

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[Danita]

Thanks Bonnie.

I think that is smart Leslie.
17 years old, I didn't know she was that old.

 

[birdlady]

yea getting closer..my vet calls her the miracle dog. So dirk may have a few more ahead off him


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[GG.]

I am glad they are both on something for pain - more and more vets are including pain management for our fur babies

it is more common now, but years ago, when we had one of the dachsies spayed, I asked for pain meds and they looked at me like I was nuts but they gave me something

a couple of years ago, when we had the last one spayed, pain meds were part of the going home routine

 

[Anne & Gang]

my heart goes out to you dear....our old doggie Freckles...she was deaf and blind the whole last year of her life...it was very sad...very sad...Dub even held her and wiped her bum afterwards when she had to go to the bathroom...it is hard for an older doggie and even harder to let them go..I wish you the best Danita...Freckles was 18 1.2 when she passed.

 

[tammie]

Kayla my jack russell is now 14. She has completely lost her hearing in the past 8 months but is able to run and get around like she always has. She is more nervous than usual and if either me or my husband move she is 1 step behind us. We step on her and not mean too and I know it's her way of compensating for not hearing. I would imagine she feels like as long as she is right with us she is in control and knows what is going on.
Just in the past 2 weeks she has gotten to where she will stand and stare into space. Today I found her standing and staring into the small space between the fridge and wall. I've noticed also that when she sleeps she stays touching either us or one of the chihuahuas, then if anyone moves she knows it.
The dr. told me 6 years ago she wouldn't live much longer because she had cancer!! What do they know?
If I find out she is in pain and it's uncontrolable I'll do the humane thing, no matter how it hurts me. She's been with me for 14 years and has been a true friend and she truly loves me.

 

[Deejo]

Dirk our 14 yr old GSD has gotten so bad. He can't relax, he used to be so laid back, comfortable and secure.
Now he paces, pants, can't be left alone or he stands at the door the whole time or stands in a corner staring at the wall. He has to have both myself and my husband with him before he can relax.
It was getting so hard on him, it was wearing his hips and by the end of the day he would be barely able to stand up. Even at night in bed he would have a hard time sleeping and be up 1/3 of the night panting and staring off. He comes to work with me, and does the same there. He is also petrified of other dogs and cats. He even bit me really hard when I was giving him his med He has never bitten people until now.

We took him to the vet, (seems like its every other week now and he was started on Clomicalm, for separation anxiety. It is hard giving it to him because he gets pretty sedated, I feel so guilty, but at the same time, he isn't scared anymore. I would hate for the rest of his days on earth feeling frightened and confused.

I am so sorry. How difficult this must be for Dirk, for you & your husband.
Your last sentence is especially touching.

 

[ortegah]

What about Rimadyl for the pain? It will help him relax if he feels better. It helped with our Lacy til she was almost 16.

 

[Danita]

I will ask about that Heather, thanks.

Kayla sounds like she is going through the same.

 

[atvchick95]

I know this is for birds.. BUT it calms people down

not sure if it would have any side effects with his meds he's on though
Chamomile Tea?
CHAMOMILE-- One of nature's safest and mildest sedatives useful to calm birds in stressful situations.

 

[Danita]

Dirk would have to drink a load of it lol

 

[ortegah]

I will ask about that Heather, thanks.

Kayla sounds like she is going through the same.

I'm sure the clomipramine helps keep him from stressing out but it does absolutely nothing for the pain. I had a dog named Callie that was on clomipramine(generic...MUCH cheaper) for years for separation anxiety among other issues but it wasn't for pain management at all. Lacy was diagnosed with severe arthritis at SIX years old and we finally put her down at almost 16. We adopted her at 9 yrs old as her owner got rid of her because she nipped at their child that was squeezing her around the neck.

Her range of motion was so very bad and her joints were starting to twist so like her feet bent sideways as she got older. She started on rimadyl when she was younger. Then we tried Bute for a few years. Then the one that worked the absolute best was Deramaxx. That kept her pain levels down for quite a few years. Also if he's not already on it, Glucosamine is great for them at this age. Trader Joes sells liver flavored glucosamine treats for cheap if you have one of those. It takes a few weeks for it to kick in but it helps a lot.