# 13.5 year old - some behavioral changes



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear you are facing this with Ben. My first reaction would be the dog is in pain, but it seems this has been ruled out. I do a newsletter for my rescue group and I am now working with a foster of a senior foster dog about that dog's recent diagnosis of canine dementia. Her symptoms are similar to what you are describing. The dog is 9 or 10 and was diagnosed about a month ago. This dog gets "lost", staring at nothing, "stuck"--getting herself stuck in places--between the furniture and the wall, underneath another dog in the home. She is restless and paces in the night, for hours at a time. She is incontinent--2 or 3 accidents in the home daily. She also now growls at the male in the home. She forgets her food dish, forgets to eat and on bad days doesn't seem to remember her people. On good days she does not exhibit all these behaviors. The rescue's veterinarian has put her on Anipryl and a special brain food called B/D by Hills and the foster family has seen some improvement. Each day is different for them and they relish the good days. We are going to be doing an article about this often overlooked disease in dogs in a future newsletter. There does not seem to be a lot written about it. 
Please keep us posted on what you find out. Knowledge is power and your experience will help others.


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## GoldieMad (Mar 10, 2006)

Thanks for your reply. Ben certainly does have a lot of the symptoms that you mentioned (thankfully!) - he never gets 'lost', his bowel and bladder control is fine and he never forgets to eat (his appetite is good). He is restless at times but doesn't pace for hours, although he can get up and down, pace and stare at me or the wife for a period of an hour or so (doing all of that) before he eventually settles down. It does vary an awful lot.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

First, congratulations for getting Ben to such a fine "old gold' age! Our golden Joplin made it all the way to 15, and the random barking was part of his very old age. He didnt paw, but he did begin to eat strange things like socks almost like a small puppy. The restlessness really worried me at the time, but the vet also ruled out any kind of pain.


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## GoldieMad (Mar 10, 2006)

Well, congrats on getting yours to 15, you obviously took great care of him. 

Funny you should mention 'like a puppy' - I've begun to also think that Ben is acting a bit more 'puppy-ish' - a bit like humans in their old age really I guess. The more I think about it, the more I think he's starting to do little things that he hasn't done for years (carrying toys around for example).

Did Joplin continue the intermittent barking and restlessness or did it ease off at all?

Was he medicated for it at all?


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

bumping up for more opinions


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## dannyra (Aug 5, 2008)

My first thought when reading your descriptions was senility. Best of luck for you and your golden.


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## Aprilpa (Mar 24, 2008)

They do recognize now that there is such a thing as canine senility. Basic personality changes or confusion, starting odd behaviors, things of that nature. There isn't much that can be done to treat it, just keep your dog comfortable and safe. Some elderly dogs will start to get days and nights switched around. They will sleep most of the day, but be restless and pace all night. It is all par for the course with an old dog.


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## GoldieMad (Mar 10, 2006)

Thanks. Just found mention of some possible treatments here:

http://www.familiesfornaturalliving.org/ONSITE/render.php?currentObjId=3217


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

My angel Cody had canine cognitive dysfunction, with virtually the exact symptoms that your Ben is displaying. I put him on Cholodin (least expensive place I found was www.entirelypets.com) and it worked a miracle in three days. His canine brother Toby never showed symptoms because we put him on Cholodin when Cody went on it, and Toby lived to 16 years and three months with never a sign of dementia. I've since recommended this product to other owners with elderly dogs; the results have been the same for them. Interestingly, I spoke with the manufacturer once when I ran out (buy the large bottle and they'd actually heard antecdotal success using this product for arthritis, which it's not designed for. Hope your old guy gets some relief soon.

BTW, I've known owners of old gold who've tried Anipryl, and none have had much success.


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## GoldieMad (Mar 10, 2006)

That's great news about Cholodin, I'm most pleased that it worked for your dogs too. I'll see if I can find some here in the UK.

Out of interest, even though he was fine when you started him on the Cholodin, how old was Toby when he started taking it?

Also, did Cody ever show any more signs of dementia once you started him on Cholodin ?

Many thanks for the recommendation.


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## Cam's Mom (Apr 13, 2007)

My old guy (13 years 10 months) Cam, also has those same symptoms. In his case we now know it is as the result of a brain tumor. When it started, almost two years ago we did not. 

Two significant things that happened at the same time was that he lost weight, about 17 lbs,( over a few months) and so his need for soloxine meds for hypothyroidism changed. Once we lowered the dose the behaviors lessened for some time. 

Two, he developed larangyl paralysis, and some all over muscle atrophy.

After a couple of months he began to have grand mal seizures.

I too tried Cholodin, but it had no effect.

We ended up having an MRI with a neurologist to confirm a tumor after exhausting pretty much everything else with our own vet. He had full blood panels run, full body x-rays and ultrasound to rule out any tumors which might have secondaries in the brain. Tests to rule out heart disease, kidney and liver problems,

The neurologist put all of his symptoms down to the tumor.

He was diagnosed last October, and given 6 or 7 months. He's still with us and doing OK. He still wags his tail nad runs(sometimes looks a bit drunk) to greet people. Still begs and woofs for treats(cause he heard our vet tell me to indulge his every whim LOL)

Cam also has some kidney insufficiency. But it has not changed since it's diagnosis about four months before the neurological problems.

I hope that there is some kinder explanation for Ben's behavior.


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## GoldieMad (Mar 10, 2006)

So sorry to hear about Cam's health problems, but good to hear that despite the diagnosis he's doing ok. 

I just hope that Ben doesn't have a brain tumour !


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Honestly, I can't remember how old they were when they were put on Cholodin...maybe eleven or so. Cody never had another symptom of dementia, even though he had degenerative myelopathy, which is essentially canine MS. He ultimately was euthanized because of a series of devastating seizures that meant the DM had progressed to his brain. I miss that dog more than words could ever express!

Cam's Mom knew him and could tell you he was sharp as a tack before he died. She did an experiment where she scattered a bunch of his toys around my family room because I'd told her he cleaned up after himself, and sure enough, he gathered them one at a time and put them back in the toy basket!


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## GoldieMad (Mar 10, 2006)

Sounds like Cody was a wonderful dog. Reminds me of my late and much missed Barney who very sadly died a couple of years ago at the relatively young age of 9.


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