16 year old pug with mental issues

sharilie

sharilie

O.G.
Mar 28, 2010
320
4
#1
Hey there!

So my pug, Samo, is 16 years old and suffers from dementia. He is on medication from the vet, is mostly blind and deaf, he has no other health problems. 3 month ago my other dog passed away. Since then Samo had trouble beeing the only dog.

During daytime everything is fine, he seeks attention, wants to cuddle on the couch, enjoys belly rubs, beeing carried and talked to.

The night is the opposite: he cries and barks but can be comforted beeing held and pet.

Since 5 weeks this has changed. He barks without reason, I then get up, care for him and put him in his bed when he is asleep. No later then 15 minutes it starts from the beginning. This goes from around 1.30a.m. til 4a.m.. I am so tired!

I can add another medication but it is unsure if he wakes up the next morning.

I don‘t want him to suffer but I don‘t know if I should put him to sleep. He is so stressed at night.

Anyone has experience with a dog who had dementia? What did you do?

I really appreciate your help!
 
#2
sharilie said:
Hey there!

So my pug, Samo, is 16 years old and suffers from dementia. He is on medication from the vet, is mostly blind and deaf, he has no other health problems. 3 month ago my other dog passed away. Since then Samo had trouble beeing the only dog.

During daytime everything is fine, he seeks attention, wants to cuddle on the couch, enjoys belly rubs, beeing carried and talked to.

The night is the opposite: he cries and barks but can be comforted beeing held and pet.

Since 5 weeks this has changed. He barks without reason, I then get up, care for him and put him in his bed when he is asleep. No later then 15 minutes it starts from the beginning. This goes from around 1.30a.m. til 4a.m.. I am so tired!

I can add another medication but it is unsure if he wakes up the next morning.

I don‘t want him to suffer but I don‘t know if I should put him to sleep. He is so stressed at night.

Anyone has experience with a dog who had dementia? What did you do?

I really appreciate your help!
Click to expand...
oh my....im so sorry ur pet is going thru this....i have no experience with dementia and pets but i did go thru it with my grandmother.....maybe at night when everything is more quiet and not everyone is up and around ur dog gets confussed more and barks "calls out" to find out where u r for reassurance?? big hugs to u and ur dog :-*
 
#3
MAGGIEMAYINLOVE said:
oh my....im so sorry ur pet is going thru this....i have no experience with dementia and pets but i did go thru it with my grandmother.....maybe at night when everything is more quiet and not everyone is up and around ur dog gets confussed more and barks "calls out" to find out where u r for reassurance?? big hugs to u and ur dog :-*
Click to expand...

Thank you!

I only can imagine what it must be like to be when your grandmother has this terrible illness.

We tried to let him sleep with lights and tv switched on. It didn‘t make any difference.
 
#4
Is very difficult to watch beloved pet experience age issues.
Honestly, your vet should be best resource.
You make decisions, but vet can explain how process plays out. Give slight sense of control back to you, maybe.
At some point, dementia causes forget. Forget how to eat, when to pee, etc.
You'll want rock-solid vet communication. For comfort & support.

Dogs never live long enough. Hugs.
 
#5
remainsilly said:
Is very difficult to watch beloved pet experience age issues.
Honestly, your vet should be best resource.
You make decisions, but vet can explain how process plays out. Give slight sense of control back to you, maybe.
At some point, dementia causes forget. Forget how to eat, when to pee, etc.
You'll want rock-solid vet communication. For comfort & support.

Dogs never live long enough. Hugs.
Click to expand...


Thank you! True, dogs never live long enough!

I talked to my vet this morning. We can add a new medication promoting better sleep but it‘s unsure, due to his age, that he will wake up again.

I don‘ t want to put him down because I don‘t get enough sleep. But I don‘t want him to suffer...

According to him, he isn‘t suffering. We didn‘t had any issues with him peeing inside. He eats well.

It‘s like when the sun goes down he gets another dog.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fahiondecor
#6
Oh, I am sorry you have to watch him hurting. I bet he was relying on your other dog very much, for being his eyes and ears and motion detector. It is probably the loss of the other dog that has made so many changes because now he is lost and cannot get help from his friend. Maybe you can let him sleep with you on the bed all night to be cuddled? Is there any reason you would not allow that if it eases his sleep?
 
#7
daisychainz said:
Oh, I am sorry you have to watch him hurting. I bet he was relying on your other dog very much, for being his eyes and ears and motion detector. It is probably the loss of the other dog that has made so many changes because now he is lost and cannot get help from his friend. Maybe you can let him sleep with you on the bed all night to be cuddled? Is there any reason you would not allow that if it eases his sleep?
Click to expand...


You are so right with everything you are writing.

The thing is, the dog is a very noisy sleeper and my husband can‘t sleep with him in a room. In fact he doesn‘t get any sleep the other way around but he doesn‘t want him in our room.

I thinking about moving with the dog to the guest bedroom. Hubby doesn’t like that either.
 
#8
In both humans and K9s this is called “Sundowners Syndrome”.
Something about the evening or night causes more agitation. Could be that the brain is more fatigued or something else- but your dog does need something because it’s torture on a K9 to live this way.

What medication is he currently on?
 
#9
I’m also going to add that IMO, and no one has to agree with me- your dog having distress and needing extra assistance at this time outweighs your husbands feelings about you sleeping in the other room for a while.
We have to realize we are all they have and your dog is declining and is probably quite afraid. Make his final chapter as comfortable as possible.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lori1116, Stephanieg218, Fahiondecor and 1 other person
#10
Irishgal is probably correct about "sundowners syndrome" being part of the problem.

Years ago we had two hounds that were good buddies. They were middle-aged. When one became sick his buddy went bonkers. Tearing up the house, barking for hours, things like that. When the other died he really went off the edge. It was dog separation syndrome.

The medications we tried only made matters worse. For instance Clomicalm (sp?) is Zoloft, and Zoloft often results in a period of about a month of increased emotional agitation before it actually leads to calming down.

What medication is your dog on?
 
#11
Thank you Irishgal and BigPurseSue.

I‘ve read about the sundowners syndrom. Some things fit, some don‘t.

I sleept with him next to me last night. No issues. He only woke up 2 times and fell asleep quickly. I think he doesn‘t want to be alone. I‘m now trying this. I think if this doesn‘t work out I know what has to come next.

I‘m in Europe so I think our medication is different than in the US. He gets Karsivan im the morning & evening, Aktivit in the evening an before bedtime Metacam.
 
#12
sharilie said:
Thank you Irishgal and BigPurseSue.

I‘ve read about the sundowners syndrom. Some things fit, some don‘t.

I sleept with him next to me last night. No issues. He only woke up 2 times and fell asleep quickly. I think he doesn‘t want to be alone. I‘m now trying this. I think if this doesn‘t work out I know what has to come next.

I‘m in Europe so I think our medication is different than in the US. He gets Karsivan im the morning & evening, Aktivit in the evening an before bedtime Metacam.
Click to expand...

He probably doesn't want to be alone, and that's possibly at the root of what's going on. Although I'm not familiar with those medications, Googling them appears to portray them as supplements and pain meds that wouldn't affect his behavior. Staying with him on a regular schedule may be the best solution. Over time he may calm down when he sees that you'll be around to reassure him when he expects you to be there, especially at night.

It's so very hard when they get to be elderly and you can't always sooth them or diagnose the problem. Keeping your dog close to you at night when you sleep can be a good solution to many problems with these old guys. :heart:
 
#13
BigPurseSue said:
He probably doesn't want to be alone, and that's possibly at the root of what's going on. Although I'm not familiar with those medications, Googling them appears to portray them as supplements and pain meds that wouldn't affect his behavior. Staying with him on a regular schedule may be the best solution. Over time he may calm down when he sees that you'll be around to reassure him when he expects you to be there, especially at night.

It's so very hard when they get to be elderly and you can't always sooth them or diagnose the problem. Keeping your dog close to you at night when you sleep can be a good solution to many problems with these old guys. :heart:
Click to expand...

I‘m sorry, I‘ve could have explained the medications. You are right. The Karsivan and Aktivait are fir supporting the brain function, the vet hoped that a better bloodflow and brainfunction would stop the barking at night. Metacam is for the artherosis.

We will be sticking to cuddling on the couch during the day and sleeping in bed at night!

I will tell you how it works for us.
 
#15
According to the vet is is beginning of demtia. He has no other health issues.


  • Disorientation – loss of ability to navigate the house or remember where specific places are (i.e. furniture, corners of rooms)
He knows how to move in the house, knows where hes bed is, where food and water is...
  • Interaction changes – decreased interest in social interaction (i.e. petting, grooming, playing)
He comed to us when he wants to be petted and plays for short amount of times.
  • Sleep/wake cycle Changes – restlessness throughout the night, sleeping during the day
This matches perfect!
No issues.
Never liked the outsides and is nearly deaf.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Back