Thread: Dementia in dogs

My older dog has progressively shown some odd behaviours and more recently appearing to get lost/confused. All signs point towards dementia in the old boy. Anyone else had this with their dogs? Curious about how quickly it progresses etc might be time to take him on his last hunt soon if it gets too bad

Yep I had a dog that started to have panick attacks, I gave it sedatives to calm it down, if it was a thunderstorm or severe rain it would take off into the night and I would find it wet through, freezing cold and shaking somewhere up the street. It got worse and while I was overseas my son decided to take a photograph of her with a flash, she panicked with the flash, ran out into the rain, never to be seen again. Whatever was going on with her brain was really starting to debilitate her. Was very sad, she was about 13 yrs old!

He's about 12-13, was a rescue dog, about two when we took him on, not keen on losing him but not keen on leaving him to deterioirate and go out in a sad state

This is him sitting in front of the hunting gear so he can't be left behind

My Husky suffered demtia for last 18 months of her life. We managed it as best as we could. I would come home from work to find her stuck in a corner.
We also seemed to have to "make friends" every morning ang again each night. She was fine till her back end failed and she could no longer get down our stairs.

She is now waiting at Rainbow Bridge for me (still brings a tear to me eye sadly)

If only they lived longer eh, this ones been a bloody good mate (also the reason for a lot of swearing at times lol). Got him after the old man died and he was my mate while I was doing work on his house, one of those dogs happy to sit next to you while you dig post homes but then loves to catch a wounded animal for you

Yeah it happens. My Dads dog, a rough haired collie, which was 17 when we had to have her put down but had been going downhill mentally for a good 6 months prior to that. She'd been deaf for about 2-3 years but had still "with it" then over 6 months prior her bowels stopped working and she would get disorientated and was going blind. My Dad really struggled to make the decision to let her go since he was her shadow as he lives alone but she was really far gone and he'd just had his hip replaced a couple of months before. About 2 weeks before we let her go she went out during the night in the rain and collapsed in the yard, the old man goes out to find her and tries to pick her up and then finds he can't get up, ended up lying there in the yard till daylight apparently. When he gave me the call and said it was time I drove to his place (in Marton) to give him a hand with it all and help him through. I'll never forget the smell when I first walked in the room where she was and how she was just skin, bone and hair. Must have weighed about 12 kg (18kg was optimum for her). I personally think the old man left it a week or so too late. I insisted on digging the grave myself over night. Took me 8 hours through 5 foot of clay and I was sore as shit the next day but I'm glad I did. Also insisted that we use my vehicle to take her to the vets as I didn't want my Dad to forever associate his car with the dogs death. Dad was crying when we took her in and I had tears running down my face, welling up thinking about it now. I remember her looking at me as they put her to sleep and you could see in that moment she was with it and knew what was happening and was fighting it but to keep her alive any longer would have be evil. Still nearly broke my heart seeing it. She hadn't eaten or taken a shit in 3 days at that point and stank of bile and... well death really. Heart was strong as anything and wasn't going to give out but her mind was gone 90% of the time and she would have starved to death despite anything we did. That was 11 months ago.

But ah yeah, anyway. Yeah they sadly do get it and I really feel for you. It's not a fun or a easy thing to deal with!

had a ridgey that showed all the signs of dementia , he was cranky barked and growled and chased the cats he had grown up with and never chased (like he had forgotten who they were)walking around looking confused banging into shit like he was disoriented then came the physical problems the incontinence and the muscle wasting and the arthritis which made it difficult for him to move around. told the wife it was time to let go (her dog her call) he was just short of 10 years

jeez @Jacobite that had me wiping my eyes

its a major flaw with all creation we just dont have them long enough. Our old boy who is still so young at heart is deteriorating rapidly, doing all the drive ya nutty old dog stuff and physically failing. Booked for his last vet visit tomorrow here in his garden. Wont be the same without the White shark .....he is a big white show bred Pointer who proved his worth as a gundog teaching the boys the patience of waiting in the maimai for Ducks then all but drowning the other dog (while leaving for the retrieve via the dog door onto the water) by leaping out over the top...poor Saiga was beaten to the bird many a time. Quinn joined our family as a youngster as company for an older bitch we had rescued... taught her how to be a pointer and enjoy life as part of a family. Hardly seems like 12 years have been and gone....

Condolences.

its never easy but i think i can say at least we arent the types to fob them off onto someone on trademe as soon as they start showing a bit of age

god i hate those bastards and it breaks my heart to see the dogs so discarded

Only had one dog put down by vet. The rest I've done myself.


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Originally Posted by tiroatedson

Only had one dog put down by vet. The rest I've done myself.


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couldn't do it myself , not to me best mate.
each to there own but there life is worth a hell of a lot more then a bullet

Originally Posted by madmaori

couldn't do it myself , not to me best mate.
each to there own but there life is worth a hell of a lot more then a bullet

It's a horrible topic. Heard of a farmer that used to take his dogs one one last rabbit trip in the hills, convince dog there's one down a hole, dog doesn't see it coming. Sounding like a bloody good way to do one of the toughest tasks