Why is my senior dog suddenly hiding, sad, and acting afraid?

Poor Zena! She is a cutie pie! Since it has come on so suddenly, I worry that she may be painful somewhere or not feeling well. It is common for them to act this way with neck or back pain. I would have your vet do a thorough orthopedic exam on her. If he cannot find anything wrong with her, your vet may decide to do a trial course of pain meds to see if that perks her up. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better soon!

I am sorry to hear about your chihuahua. Because of her age and her symptoms (lethargy and decreased appetite) I would definitely recommend an examination by a veterinarian. We can certainly see medical problems in older dogs that can cause these symptoms such as kidney disease, infections, liver disease, and more. An exam by your vet and some bloodwork may help to be sure there isn't a treatable medical issue. If there are no abnormalities found, then they may recommend some over the counter products that can help with anxiety such as Adaptil which is a pheremone product available as a plug-in or collar, Zylkene or Composure which are calming supplements, a thundershirt which is a compression vest that calms some dogs. And in some cases prescription strength medication may be necesssary from your veterinarian.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chooch. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. Boarding can be stressful for a dog. It can also exacerbate underlying arthritis if she slept on the hard surface of a kennel floor. Her veterinarian will examine her and determine if joint pain is causing her sudden change in behavior. If so, pain medication can be prescribed. Blood work may be recommended to determine if she has any organ dysfunction as well. In the meantime, help her move around if she needs assistance. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

HI, I am sorry to hear about Chiquita. If you know that she had some sort of trauma she may in a lot of pain. Pain can cause a dramatic decrease in appetite. She probably isn't moving around much because she is very hurt. Since it has been three days without improvement but actually worsening of signs - now she is not eating - I would highly recommend taking her to either her veterinarian first thing in the morning or an emergency veterinarian this evening. I am sure she needs pain medications and a thorough evaluation to determine why she is getting worse rather then improving. Best of luck to you and your dog.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Suzy. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. I worry that she is actually quite painful. Small breed dogs are prone to neck and/or back pain which can be quite excruciating for them. Based your description of her sleeping more than normal, not wanting to do stairs and not running as much, this is a possibility. The veterinarian will examine her and determine if she is in fact painful. If so, x-rays may be taken. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help her feel better. In the meantime, keep her quiet and carry her as much as possible. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. They can also interfere with veterinary medications that may be needed for her. I hope this information helps!

Hi Cathy, I'm sorry to hear that Demitasse isn't feeling well! A temperature of 101 F is normal. My primary concerns are her possible decreased appetite, random cries, and sudden change in attitude and being generally clingy. These are all pretty generalized symptoms, but it does seem that she's painful and not feeling well, so I'd recommend having her seen by a vet as soon as possible. Your vet will be able to do a thorough exam to see if they can detect pain anywhere, and will likely recommend running bloodwork to look at Demitasse's organ function, particularly with her decreased appetite. I would also recommend that you test her appetite a little bit with a few treats, or a little bit of bland food such as lowfat chicken and white rice - it will be helpful for your vet to know if she's eating anything at all, and if she can hold that food down or if there are any other symptoms such as vomiting. With the information they gain from the exam and any diagnostics, your vet can then offer specific treatment for her issue, and will likely start her on appropriate pain medication if warranted. I hope this helps and she feels better soon! Feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss Demitasse in more detail.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly neck or back pain though it could also be due to arthritis. It could still be pain associated with a leg even if nothing seems wrong with them. I recommend that you have Sausage evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics include radiographs. Treatment would be based on findings. At the very least they can prescribe pain control medications to make Sausage feel better. In the meantime, reduce his activity as much as possible as that in itself can make a big difference. Good luck and have a good day!