Why is my 13-year-old Yorkie suddenly aggressive and biting me?

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.

Hi there. It's unusual to see aggression issues suddenly start in a dog this age without any history of aggression, so I would be suspicious that Danny may have a medical problem causing this. He may be painful or uncomfortable for some reason, or may have a hormonal problem such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease causing him to be more irritable. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam and possibly lab work to see if an underlying cause can be found.

Abrupt changes in behavior like this in dogs is very concerning to me. I would be worried about some underlying neurologic disorder that could be going on. If nothing has changed at home, her routine, or the environment in general, then I would suspect an underlying medical issue. I would recommend taking her to be examined by your veterinarian and possibly having some lab work performed so they can try and determine what is going on. Your vet may recommend further work up by veterinary neurologist or may recommend a behavior modification drugs like Xanax or Prozac. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

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!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Benny. I am sorry to hear about his behavior changes. That is very upsetting. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian. My first thought is that he could have a medical problem contributing to the change you are observing in him. For example, if a dog is painful from arthritis, an ear infection, periodontal disease or some other issue, he may act out aggressively. Another consideration is if he has dementia. This is common in older pets and is frequently observed at night. The veterinarian will thoroughly examine him and determine how best to help you both. In the meantime, be careful around him to keep yourself safe and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

First thing you need to do is to get Yoko to your vet for an exam. Often times when older dogs have a significant behavior change it is due to an underlying medical condition. So, you need to rule that out first. She could be having vision or hearing issues. She may be in pain somewhere (arthritis). If nothing is found by the vet then you really need to seek the help of a professional IN-HOME dog trainer. Hope this helps.

I would first have her evaluated by a veterinarian to make sure she does not have an underlying medical condition. In some cases, pain can cause animals to behave unpredictably. If pain is ruled out, a disease in the brain may be the cause of her aggression. You may also consider contacting a veterinary behaviorist for advice.