My senior dog is disoriented and bumping into walls. What's wrong?

Sadly, many of the ailments of human senior citizens can also occur in our canine companions. Impaired vision or blindness can occur in dogs and can be due to things like cataracts, glaucoma, etc. The good news is that these diseases, if caught early enough, can be treated and sometimes even reversed or cured! My best advice is to take Baby to your local veterinarian as soon as possible to have a complete ophthalmic examination performed. Some of the tests you should ask for are as follows: a menace test, intraocular tonopen test, schirmer tear test, and fundic exam. I hope this helps. Have a great day.

I'm very sorry to hear this! Unfortunately dogs can develop dementia as they age which can make them act in odd ways including pacing and looking into space. This is not a condition that is easily diagnosed in dogs as there are no medical signs aside from.the symptoms. Another thing that could cause behaviour change in a dog would be any condition that effects the brain. Especially diseases such as tumours which will press on and effect different areas. I would be slightly concerned that the behaviour change in your dog may be due to a physical brain condition such as a tumour, the fact that Buddy paws his head makes me wonder if there is a physical source of discomfort. My advice would be to return to your vet for an examination of neurological function and an eye exam. Sometimes these tests will show nothing, but often there are clues to be found regarding tumours. For a definitive diagnosis an MRI scan is often required. In terms of treatment it is very limited for both conditions. Treatment usually involves managing pain and trying to increase blood flow to the brain to help cognitive function. Although if quality of life deteriorates then euthanasia is sometimes the only option. Best of luck.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I am sorry to hear that Whitey is not feeling well. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. She may be quite ill with these symptoms. I would recommend having her blood tested and having abdominal x-rays taken. I hope this helps and that Whitey gets better soon. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

There are an umber of possibilities but I would be concerned she may have ear or dental issues causing pain, discomfort and disorientation. Older dogs can also develop cognitive dysfunction (similar to dementia) which can cause similar signs - a full check up by your local vet would be recommended as soon as possible as early medication can help relieve many of these symptoms

It sounds like Larry is acting disoriented for periods of time - it's possible that he has low blood sugar, liver disease, or a neurologic problem. It also might be possible that he is having vision problems. I'd recommend having your vet examine him and check some lab work to help determine what might be going on. If you can take a video of him when he is abnormal it could help your vet.

As long as she is behaving normally otherwise, you can monitor her at home. If the behavior persists or worsens, consider an exam with your veterinarian. The symptoms described could be due to old age changes. Your veterinarian may recommend blood work and a neurological exam to rule out medical causes. https://www.petcoach.co/article/4-signs-of-cognitive-dysfunction-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/aging-gracefully-6-things-to-know-about-canine-cognitive-dysfunct/

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! These could be signs that his vision may be affected perhaps by cataracts, or any other eye disease occurring in an older dog. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian to see if that seems to be issue. Good luck and have a good night!