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Why is my 14yo Golden Retriever hyperventilating and scratching?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Golden Retriever | Female | spayed | 14 years old | 75 lbs

My 14yo Golden Retriever is having an issue. She is generally healthy for her age other than mild degenerative myelopathy. She began a short while ago to hyperventilate and have leg spasms which look like she's trying to scratch herself with both back legs. she also gets herself up to a sitting position and spins around a bit like she's trying to scratch. I'm concerned about some kind of cerebral event. Any suggestions?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on August 16th, 2017

Hello, sorry to hear about Ruby. Diseases associated with the brain can definitely bring about behavioral changes, which may include anxiety. However, there are other more benign diseases that could be causing her to feel itchy and thus anxious and thus causing the rapid breathing. Those can include something infectious like fleas and mites or something inflammatory like allergies.

With her history of a degenerative myelopathy, this could be a sign of progression, especially if she having abnormal pain or intchiness coming from her back end as her nerves continue to degenerate.

I would have Ruby examined by your veterinarian to rule out other beings causes for her symptoms before we say this is neurologic I.e brain disease or progressive degenerative myelopathy.

Hope this helps and best of luck

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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