Why is my older female dog biting all of a sudden? Is she in pain?

Hi there. I am so sorry about your situation. This is one of the worst things that can happen to a family pet. I have been there myself, and I know how difficult this type of decision can be. First, it is important to realize that this has always been somewhat of an issue. That it has suddenly gotten worse, with her old age, I always first check and make sure there aren't any health issues making the elderly petore uncomfortable and sensitive - arthritis, metabolic diseases, organ diseases, is she having trouble seeing, etc. In addition, it is important to realize that dogs, just like people, can become senile and/or suffer from dementia. This can stress them out a lot, and also make them hypersensitive to sounds, movements, and essentially anything sensory-related in the environment. In my opinion, when the mind goes it is one of the most difficult health issue of an elderly dog that we have to process. They may be physically fine, but mentally are just unable to function as they used to. This can cause bad habits to become magnified, like in your lady's case where she is snapping more often and even biting. This can of course become a dangerous situation as you have seen with needing stitches. Not to mention what could happen if a small child or animal were put in your position. I would set up a visit with her veterinarian. They can give you some alternative options before deciding on euthanasia, such as checking to see if she is sick in any way. From there, I think it's important to have a family meeting and decide if the benefits outweigh the risks of hee injuring someone else. In the meantime I would use caution if you have guests over and maybe keep her gated in her own area without anything she become possessive about. Also, be very certain her rabies vaccine is up to date. If she were to bite someone outside the family, you can have a lot of legal issues as a result. I can't imagine how hard this is for all of you. I think sitting down and having a very frank quality of life discussion, and discussing some alternatives with your veterinarian is the best way to go. There may or may not be much that can be done, but at least you will know 100% what your options are in your area before you have to make a very difficult decision.

Oh dear! That is a worry for sure! It's really important that you don't get hurt, because dog bites can be pretty serious. I would suggest making an appointment with your vet to talk about possibilities. They might be able to link you up with a behaviorist, or dog trainer that could help a lot. There also could be medications that might help. Or, like you said, there could be a medical problem that is upsetting him.

The sudden temperament change can be due to stress from a new baby or maybe an indication of pain or a neurological problem such as tumor or dementia. You can talk with your vet about medicine for pain but with a new baby it is probably safest to not chance it and always keep them separate. If the medicines do not help and her behavior continues then I am afraid your only other option is considering euthanasia for everyone’s safety. I am so sorry you are faced with this!

I am so sorry Bonnie is acting out like this. I am concerned with her being 8 years old and a history of back surgery that she may have developed some arthritis that is making her painful. I would recommend starting a glucosamine supplement (you can find this at a petstore) and discussing different anti-inflammatories and pain medications with your veterinarian. To keep dogs on pain meds and/or anti-inflammatories it is recommend to check blood work and make sure their liver/kidneys are functioning well. If this does not help with her aggression then I would recommend a trainer that comes to your home to see what the triggers are. I hope Bonnie feels better soon and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there. It would help to have more information on her aggressive behavior in order to speculate about what might be causing it. For example - what situations tend to cause her to bite? Has this just started recently, or has it always been a problem? Etc. Without knowing more, I can tell you in general that it's always a good idea to check for medical issues that could be contributing to aggressive behavior. So yes, a vet visit would likely be a good place to start.

Many times when dogs get older they get arthritis and they hurt so that is why they get grumpy. I suggest you have her to your vet for an exam. If she has pain somewhere the vet can prescribe medications to make her feel better.

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!