My senior dog sleeps a lot and won't go outside. Is this normal?

This does sound like strange behavior but if Sasha is otherwise acting normal I would not worry to much about it. She may be just enjoying the changing of the seasons or, due to her age, she may not be able to walk around as much due to arthritis. If Sasha stops wanting to eat or her bathroom habits change then I would be concerned. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

If he is eating and drinking well, with no vomiting or diarrhea, then it does not sound abnormal. Some dogs are just more energetic than others However, if this behavior is new, then I would consult your vet for testing. If their thyroid is low then it can lead to lethargy and may be contributing.

I can understand your concern. It seems you have done the right thing by checking her vital organs with baseline bloodwork and her poops are normal. At her age, she is entering senior/mature dog status, so this is most likely the reason Hazel is slowing down and no longer behaving like a puppy or young adult dog. I would also suspect that Hazel may be experiencing some arthritis in her joints, which tends to enable pets a bit. I would recommend getting her started on some joint supplements such as Dasuquin, Synovi- G4 or Duralactin to see if that makes any difference with her activity level. And if you are overly concerned and start noticing an abnormal gait, then I would consider getting an x-ray done of her joints to look further into things. I hope that Hazel does well moving forward. Best wishes and take care.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Zippy. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. He may be experiencing pain from arthritis or could have developed a disease that is contributing to his behavior changes. If there is something that can be diagnosed, then there may be treatment options to help keep him more comfortable. After his examination, laboratory work may be recommended. I hope this information helps!

Yes I would bring him in for an exam sooner. He may be in pain causing him not to want to move. There could be other problems also that could cause this so getting a veterinary diagnosis and the proper treatment is the recommended plan. Then hopefully he’ll get back to his normal behavior quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Tank.

At 3years of age he would generally expected to be more active but every dogs character is different and some are very placid. If his behavior has changed over the last 3 months I strongly recommend a full health check by your vet to rule out medical or painful conditions which may be reducing his mobility

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/