Why is my senior husky suddenly inactive and sleeping all the time?

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

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Moxie. I think that her sudden change in behavior is worrisome. Dogs can slow down as they age. However, she is only middle aged. Plus age changes are gradual. Not as dramatic as you have described. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. I worry that she is painful somewhere. For example, neck and/or back pain is common in small and medium breed dogs. Arthritis or a soft tissue injury could also explain the signs you are seeing. The veterinarian will carefully examine her. X-rays may be recommended. Based on these results, treatment can be started to help her feel better. In the meantime, keep her quiet and do not give any over-the-counter pain medications as these can be toxic to dogs. I hope this information helps!

It sounds like he is experiencing typical geriatric changes. There is not much we can do to restore hearing if caused by aging. The energy definitely slows down as they age. A daily canine multi vitamin may help. If you haven't been getting his blood checked once a year I would consider this and go see your vet to have this done as there certainly are diseases that can cause shadow to feel lethargic and sleepy. In regards to going up stairs, it sounds like arthritis may be slowing him down a bit. I would consult your vet about pain medications that you can give shadow to help with arthritis. Dasuquin for dogs is a great product along with omega 3 fish oils to aid in reducing inflammation. Welactin is a great fish oil product you can get over the counter. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please contact me with any additional concerns you may have!

Based on the information provided, I'm not sure how old AJ is, or how long this has been going on, but it looks like she is not spayed. This sort of change in behavior can be due to a variety of things. Arthritis and pain can decrease a dog's activity level, as can problems with the heart or lungs. Any time I have an unspayed female with decreased activity level, pyometra (infection of the uterus) also has to be a concern. A check up with your veterinarian to look for a fever or signs of pain is a good place to start. If they find abnormalities, checking bloodwork to look for signs of infection or organ dysfunction would be the next step. I hope AJ is feeling better soon.

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!

It is normal for dogs energy to levels to decrease slightly as they age. You should consider if Calhoun is still interested in the same activities, or if he no longer plays or gets excited for walks, for example. You know Calhoun best, so if you are concerned that he seems "off" I recommend having him seen by a vet who can perform the appropriate diagnostic tests. I'm happy to answer any additional questions you may have!

Her reduced activity level may be due to the lameness or arthritis pain. I recommend a veterinary exam for the lameness. They will feel her neck shoulder and the rest of the leg to determine the cause. They may also do X-rays to look for bone and joint problems. If they think Ruby is painful they can prescribe pain medication. I don't like older dogs to get too lazy and not exercise since they can gain weight and lose muscle mass which makes the lameness worse. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Ruby.