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My senior dog is anxious. Could it be dementia or hearing loss?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Yorkshire Terrier | Female | spayed | 30 lbs

My 13 yr old Yorkshire terrier has recently ( last 3 days) been showing signs of anxiety similarly to the way she reacts to the smoke alarm going off, but there are no signs that I can hear. I was wondering if this could be due to hearing lose or do you think there is something else going on?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 9th, 2017

You are correct there could be something else going on. In senior dogs like Molly, they can develop a condition called canine cognitive dysfunction. This is similar to dementia in humans, and it would cause her to behavior strangely at times. I would have Molly seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose if she does have cognitive canine dysfunction by doing a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays to rule out any health problems that could potentially cause her symptoms. If canine cognitive dysfunction is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment with you. While it cannot be cured, it can be managed with mediations, behavioral therapy, and special diets.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on November 24th, 2016
Yes these are early signs of dementia (cognitive dysfunction), along with staring at the walls, altered mentation, forgetting familiar faces, and aimless wandering. There is a medication that can help reduce symptoms associated with this disorder called Selegeline that you can inquire about through your veterinarian. There is also a Rx brand good called Hills B/D that is designed to help pets manage brain related changes and provide antioxidants to support brain health.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 2nd, 2018
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Miko! Given his age, he may be experiencing something known as canine cognitive dysfunction. This is somewhat similar to Alzheimer's disease in people. It is characterized by becoming stuck in corners or small rooms, pacing, panting, and vocalizing at night. Some dogs will become withdrawn and show appetite changes. Other will seem to forget their house training. It would be worthwhile to have him evaluated by his veterinarian to determine if this is possibly the cause of his signs or if he is experiencing something else. I hope this information helps!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Molly may benefit from some anti-anxiety medication at this stage, and pain medication if she is having arthritis or other medical issues. Take her in for a full workup and ask your vet for anti-anxiety meds like Lorazepam as this may help her feel less anxious when you are gone. There are things we can do medication-wise to really help her quality of life at this point.

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My senior dog barks all night. Could it be anxiety or dementia?

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.

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What helps an older dog with age-related anxiety and cognitive issues?

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!

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My senior dog is suddenly anxious, panting, restless, and hiding. Why?

Poor Gibson! As dogs age, they can develop canine cognitive dysfunction (similar to dementia in humans) or decreases in their hearing and sight, which can result in anxiety and behavioral changes. Restlessness, panting and sudden jumping could also be a sign of pain. At this point, your best bet is to take Gibson to his vet for evaluation to determine if he has any apparent sources of pain, which could be managed with pain medication. If not, your vet will be able to discuss some of the different medication options to try to manage cognitive dysfunction, but these are not always overly effective. I hope that all goes well!

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Why is my senior dog shaking and hiding, even without a thunderstorm?

Shaking can be a sign of anxiety (as with thunderstorms) or could indicate pain and discomfort. I would recommend taking Molly in to be examined by your veterinarian. She likely has some degree of arthritis and this could be causing her discomfort. She may need to be started on a joint supplement and an anti inflammatory drug to help with pain. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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My senior dog is aggressive & destructive. Could it be dementia?

I'm sorry that Chewy is showing such changes. The signs you are describing are possibly dementia, but are not the most common signs that we will see with dementia which we typically call Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD). I am attaching a a handout about CCD below that discuss possible supplement and medication options for treatment. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2549 Since Chewy's symptoms are not typical of CCD and seem to be getting worse, I would have your veterinarian examine him again to see if there are any abnormalities on examination and consider consulting with a neurologist or behaviorist to assess the significant changes in behavior that you are noticing with Chewy. You can find a neurologist near you here who can assess for any abnormalities on neurological examination. http://find.vetspecialists.com/ A veterinary behaviorist is a veterinarian who has additional years of training in behavior. They can also prescribe medications if needed. Hopefully you can find one near you here. http://www.dacvb.org/about/member-directory/ Good luck! I hope that was helpful and you can figure out how to help Chewy. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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