Why is my old dog pacing at night and having accidents indoors?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mugsy. As they age, some pets can experience something known as canine cognitive dysfunction. It is characterized by pacing, accidents in the home, vocalizing more, mixing up their days and nights as well as becoming disoriented. Some pets will get stuck under chairs, in corners or in small rooms such as bathrooms and closets. The disorder becomes increasingly common the older the pet gets. It is somewhat comparable to Alzheimer's disease in people. I recommend that Mugsy sees his veterinarian to see if this is the cause of his recent symptoms or if something else is bothering him. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. The pacing could be due to his age. Older dogs can develop canine cognitive dysfunction and pacing can be one of the main symptoms. Pacing, confusion, staring off into space or at a wall, mood change, behavioral changes, etc. can all be symptoms of cognitive dysfunction. My own dog went through the the last 2 years of his life. He was 20 years old when he passed away but I had him on a variety of drugs to help with his cognition and sleeping pattern. I had him on Selegiline, which is a drug used to treat cognitive dysfunction and I also had him on Melatonin (NaturVet Quiet Moments Calm Chews with Melatonin from Petco is what I used specifically). I felt that he slept better at night and paced less. I would discuss this with a veterinarian as a prescription is needed for the Selegiline. I would also make sure he has had his blood and urine tested within the last 12 months due to his age to help catch any systemic changes that may be occurring. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

This could be anxiety as you suggest, or it could be canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia). CCG often includes restless/wakeful behavior at night and sleeping during the day. It can also include loss of house-training, failure to recognize family members and confused or wandering behavior. Melatonin and/or Benadryl are considered generally safe medications to give before bed to help promote sleep. There are also medications and prescription diets made especially for CCD if that is what’s happening to Sherwood. Talk with your vet to see if s/he agrees and to discuss options and doses.

I'd have Gomez seen by a vet for this problem. It could be he is suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction, which can cause dogs to not sleep at night. If he does have it, the vet can diagnose it and can discuss things to do to help with it.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Coco. Canine cognitive dysfunction is common in older animals. It is somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in people. It is characterized by anxiety (especially at night), panting, pacing, becoming stuck in corners (due to disorientation) and accidents in the house. If these signs sound familiar, it would be best for her to see her veterinarian. There are prescription medications that can be used in some cases. At home though, you could transitioning her to Purina ProPlan Bright Minds. It really does seem to help these patients. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sadie. Older dogs can develop a senile like disorder known as canine cognitive dysfunction. It is somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in people. The dogs will forget their house training. They tend to mix up their days and nights, pace, pant and some will get stuck in corners or under furniture. It is worth having her evaluated by her veterinarian to determine if this is the case or if something else is causing her inappropriate elimination. I hope this information helps!

Hi there. So sorry to here that Willy is having this issue. The short answer to your question is yes. He could have dementia. That being said, he could also have a problem with his liver, his kidneys or other organs that may be causing him to have accidents in the house. Another thing to keep in mind is that he may have arthritis that could be causing him to not want to walk to go outside to use the bathroom. It is good that you are taking him for a vet exam. Keep an open mind and be prepared that the vet will likely do a thorough exam and then recommend at least some lab work to check Willy's kidney/liver function and they may even recommend x-rays and/or an abdominal ultrasound. I sure hope they can figure out the root cause of Willy;s issue. Best wishes to you both. Dr. Amber