Why is my senior dog withdrawn and losing hair after a loss?

An eleven year old Cavelier is fairly old for that breed. They are prone to heart disease which could cause him to sleep a lot and not walk fast. He could be missing his sister but I'm concerned about a heart or medical problem. I would take him him for a senior exam and blood work. If he's just starting with a medical problem and it's treated he may gain back some energy and interest in life. Heart disease can be treated with good results with medication. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Buster.

I recommend to have Buster examined by the veterinarian. Changes in behavior like this could indicate dementia, hypothyroidism or cushings disease. The doctor will ask you many questions and Buster will need some blood tests. I hope this helps.

Poor Buster. This could be a local reaction, an allergy, fleas, ringworm, bacterial infection and possibly mange. Mange would be a little less likely as usually they will get patchy hair loss from the eyes and feet/legs as well but not always. I would start by trying benadryl twice a day. See link below. You can also try medicated shampoo like miconahex-triz shampoo 2-3 times per week. If there is crusts, you can try coconut oil, neosporin or even lamisil in the area to see if it improves. Unfortunately, there aren't any good natural products to help treat mange. There is a flea product called bravecto that works well of fleas and also treat some mange which might be a good choice. If these things aren't working or it gets worse, I would consider having your vet taking a look at it before it gets too bad. The worse it gets the more difficult it may be to treat. I hope this helps! https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl/#!

We would only be able to speculate here as to why they recommended pain medications for a relatively painless procedure. Unless of course they have a sedative that also had Butorphanol in it. This is a common combination drug used to achieve adequate sedation in pets. So if that was the drug used, there is a low reason for concern about any foul play. If Buster is still not back to normal however, he should be seen by your vet for a follow up. 4 days is enough time for him to recover from a sedative, so a follow up may be best if he can behave enough for a proper exam. If he is just a bit off but still eating, drinking, and has adequate energy, then he may just need a few more days. Older pets do take it a bit harder than younger adults. I hope that Buster feels better soon! Best wishes and take care.

Hello. Any sudden change in behavior, especially in a senior pet, is worrisome. This may be a neurological problem, like early onset cognitive dysfunction, or the beginning of a loss of senses ( hearing, sight ) that may be causing his reaction. You really need to have Buster fully evaluated to see if there is a medical reason for this strange behavior, or if there is a medication, diet change, treatment or behavior modification that might help. I am sure if there is a need for any treatment, a method to get it into him will be found, or perhaps a consult with a behavioral specialist should be tried first. Hopefully, you can find a solution to his distress. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Buster may be in pain as shaking and panting is often a sign of pain. Excessive panting is also often a sign of Cushing's disease. I suggest you take Buster to a veterinarian for an exam. Dachshunds are prone to intervertebrate disk disease due to their long back and short legs, and that would be very painful. An x-ray can rule this out. Cushing's disease can be ruled out with a blood test. Please find a way to schedule an appointment with your vet for Buster.

Hair loss can have a variety of causes. One of the first things to determine is whether he is scratching himself in that area or not. Dogs often scratch themselves at night when we are sleeping so it is harder to see. If he is scratching, the hair loss could be due to parasites such as fleas or mites, a bacterial infection, yeast overgrowth, or skin allergies. If he does not seem to be itchy, hair loss can be caused by hormonal changes or certain endocrine diseases. These are just some of the possibilities. In order to determine what is most likely, I recommend taking him to your local veterinarian for a thorough exam and an initial skin test if needed to determine the cause.