My dog's behavior changed suddenly. What should I do about it?

I am so sorry to hear about your dog! With a sudden change in behavior like this I would recommend having her examined by a vet to ensure there isn't a medical cause. Occasionally we can have diseases that cause a change in appetite/behavior such as this, so it is best to have her examined to ensure there isn't a medical treatment to resolve the issue!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Neldon. I am happy to hear that you have scheduled an appointment with his veterinarian. Pain is the number one reason for an abrupt change in behavior. The doctor will carefully examine his back, joints, mouth and ears to look for any source of pain. In the meantime, keep him quiet and be careful around him. Do not leave him unsupervised with children. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps and he is feeling better soon!

Poor Ariel! A sudden change in behavior could be due to a medical illness; for example, if she is having accidents all over the house, that could be due to a UTI or bladder stones. I would take her into the vet in the morning. The vet can do a physical exam, routine blood tests, and a urinalysis to see if there is a medical cause behind her sudden change in behavior. If a cause is found, the vet can prescribe an appropriate treatment for it.

Before assuming this is a behavior issue, I would want to rule out a possible medical issue first. When I hear about sudden changes resulting in aggressiveness, the possibility of pain or discomfort in one of the dogs could be the root of the problem. When a dog is not feeling well, it is only natural for it to react in a negative way if one of its buddies is trying to get it to act normally. A thorough physical exam should be performed by a veterinarian in order to rule out any sort of orthopedic or neurologic pain. Thyroid conditions can also be responsible for behavior changes as well. If it turns out that no medical issue can be be identified, you will have to start considering what may have started this sudden change of heart by Mill. You will have to think back to when it started, when the problem occurs most, where it occurs most, who is around when it is occurring, who ISN'T around when it is occurring, so on and so forth. These types of issues can be long and complicated to resolve, but usually as soon as the issue is identified the road forward becomes much easier.

If you are noticing a sudden onset of blindness, Ryder needs to be examined by the veterinarian right away. This could be an indication of high blood pressure or other system disease that may respond well to treatment if caught early. A sudden change in behavior could be behavioral in nature OR it could be related to increased hunger from an endocrine disease. Discuss this with the veterinarian as well and make sure to keep things up and out of Ryder's reach. I hope this helps.

Anytime there is a sudden change in behavior, an exam with your veterinarian is recommended. Such a change can be due to trauma or infection. Considering the recent history, it is possible Kane may have suffered an injury which will need to be diagnosed and treated by your veterinarian. At the very least, he will get a clean bill of health and may simply be "shaken up" by recent events. If this is the case, he should gradually return to normal activity.

Any abrupt change in behavior without a known cause should be investigated by your vet as soon as possible. Sometimes this is the only sign we get of a medical condition. The behavior could be due to feeling ill, being in pain or may be because of a developing neurological condition. Your vet will do an exam, labwork and possibly some diagnostic imaging, x-rays or ultrasound to determine the cause for your pet's change in behavior and, based on the results, will be better able to advise you on treatment options.