Hello - I've not been on hear for a few years but you were all so helpful when Loki was younger Loki is a nine year old black lab. He has a back issue for which he takes Galliprant for and has been on these for a few years now. We also have to be careful what we give him food wise as he suffers with a dicky tummy other that that he has always been fairly healthy but the past month he has started to worry me as his behaviour has become a bit odd He does'nt seem to settle of an evening in the same way as normal and keeps staring at me or my husband as if he wants us to let him outside. we do this and then he just stands at the door. He eventually will go for a wee - have a bit of of a mooch and then settle down but the past week he has just not settled. if he hears the slightest noise he is up and on edge. He has taken to following me around and become very clingy - he is impatient to go out for his walk which he has always been keen to get out on but more so now than ever. he had an ear infection in February and we were horrified how much wax was in his ears. we ended up with a routine with getting them clean with ear drops and cleaning them with cotton pads and it is since then since we have been cleaning them that the behaviour has come on. Ironically he likes sitting on my knee with the cotton pads getting them cleaned the solution and drops not so much we have an appointment to see his vet but it will not be for another two weeks as his normal vet that has known him since he was a puppy is away. we are in medivet practice but one of the original partners has stayed and I trust him I am worried he has dementia or something underlying - he is eating and drinking as normal and is as mad as every on his walks. I have been ill the past few months with my own mental health so I wonder if he is picking up on me? Very sadly we heard his mum passed away last week but he had not seen her due to distance we live but we stayed in touch with them
Hi there I'm very sorry to say that canine cognitive dysfunction (or doggy dementia) was the first thing that came to my mind. It's estimated that 1 in 5 dogs are starting to show signs of their brain aging by the time they are 9 years old, and things like seeming disorientated, and their usual evening sleep pattern being disrupted are quite classic symptoms. But I'm not not at all qualified to diagnose it via a forum - only a veterinarian who can examine Loki in person can do that, and they might find another cause for the changes in his behavior! Hopefully whatever the cause, they will be able to help alleviate and manage his symptoms. And I hope that he, and you, are feeling better soon.
