# Getting senile ?



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I would want to rule out bladder infection. I know the one time is was a poop accident, but maybe with a bladder infection everything down there is inflamed. Just a thought. 

They can get dementia, but 9 seems pretty young for it. Especially in a chihuahua, the breed has a pretty long life expectancy. 

Anyways, just a thought.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Ok, I'll look into that. She's 11. I find that young for that too.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Snapping and barking??? Better NOT be a sign of dementia. :afraid: 

I haven't got to peein' on the rugs yet tho...


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Snapping and barking maybe because she doesn't feel well


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Yeah I would check on something like a bladder infection. It would seem like a more probable and manageable issue.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Countryboy said:


> Snapping and barking??? Better NOT be a sign of dementia. :afraid:
> 
> I haven't got to peein' on the rugs yet tho...


Doing that for no reason, when she had never done it before. In itself it's not a sign of dementia, of course !


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I find Gracie, she is a chihuahua /pomeranian mix , gets snappish and growly when she is stress or not feeling well


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## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

My first guy went senile and it was heartbreaking. He was probably 12ish. 

The first thing to go was his hearing so he became snappish because he did not hear us until we were right there and then he was scared to death. He was also blind. I learned to stomp on the floor really hard if I was coming up behind him so he could feel the floor vibrate. 

He did pee all the time indoors, even if he just was outside. But he had no idea he was doing it. He would just continue to walk along. 

He relentlessly paced. 

When I came home one day and he was stuck in the dining room chair legs I knew we had a problem.

This was over 15 years ago...I don't know if there is any kind of treatment now but there wasn't anything our vet could offer back then.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

When April started getting dementia, she got confused about doors. Couldn't figure out how they worked anymore, and spent time getting stuck in corners. She got night and day reversed and couldn't sleep at night. The confusion was obvious, sad to say. 

We also had a 20-year-old cat who had dementia. Bayou cried for his food. We fed him. He started eating. Turned his head, forgot we fed him, and cried for his food again. He was always surprised he had food in his dish. That was heartbreaking. We ended up putting Bayou to sleep when his memory was less than two seconds, and we had to redirect him to his food between bites. Wow, that was years ago. Now I'm super sad.

Sigh. 

I'd rule out a bladder infection. Hopefully it's something like that and all is well with your dog.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Yeah, dementia sounds really sad. I hope it's nothing serious. I more and more doubt the bladder infection, because Merlin has been drinking a lot more, too.

This Fromm food makes them thirsty a lot, I don't like it. It's the first bag I buy and it will be the last !


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## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

I think the hardest thing was that his body was still so strong. He had always been an athlete of a dog but he was just incapable of doing anything...let alone playing ball which he was addicted to.

It made me kinda realize what alzheimers patients and their families must go through and cannot fathom that kind of hell.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

We get a lot of patients (elderly human, though) who come in labled as Altered Mental Status. Quite often, we find a UTI. Once it's treated, the patients go back to their baseline. 

He may not actually be showing signs of true dementia. maybe its a side effect of infection. At least, I hope so. It would be easy enough to treat, then.

Best wishes!


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I would strongly suspect an infection or a similar issue, given the fairly sudden onset of changes. There is very useful information on recognising the signs of canine dementia and helping affected dogs here: Dog Dementia: Help and SupportDog Dementia: Help and Support | Loving and caring for a dog with canine cognitive dysfunction or other dementia


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

I'm sorry to hear about your chi  I agree get her checked for a UTI and go from there. 

Try a good splash of warm water on the kibble, it really does reduce the drinking/water gorging and less pee. Kinda like when you eat cereal dry, you have to have a glass of water to help it down. 

I have love/hate with Fromm as well. Their grain frees tend to do the worst things to their poops (huge, smelly, soft). I am about half way through a large bag of their Lamb/Lentil and I can't wait till it's gone! It's like more comes out than went in in the first place. 

But then, it makes such nice skin and coat, I try things and end up back with it LOL.

I don't know if you're opposed to Purina, but Proplan has a"bright mind" product that some people say helps with their dementia dogs. 

Just a couple ideas. ((hugs))


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I'm not agains Proplan, I'll check it out.

As for the UTI, it's a possibility and I am considering it. But, she has no signs of it, really, apart from the drinking and Since Merlin is drinking more, it seems to be the food.

I had a bitch that had chronic UTI's for years, so I am very familiar with the symptoms. Tamara doesn't pee more, she doesn't pee more often, she doesn't dribble and she doesn't strain to pee just a few drops or nothing at all. That's why I am sceptical.

I am going to find her another food, one she has been good on and just see if the drinking diminishes. If so, it was the food. If not, then we'll see a vet.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

fjm said:


> I would strongly suspect an infection or a similar issue, given the fairly sudden onset of changes. There is very useful information on recognising the signs of canine dementia and helping affected dogs here: Dog Dementia: Help and SupportDog Dementia: Help and Support | Loving and caring for a dog with canine cognitive dysfunction or other dementia


Thanks fjm, that website is very helpful ! She even has videos of her dog displaying typical symptoms.

Now I know what to look for. I would say Tamara is timidly displaying 2-3 symptoms, not nearly enough to conclude that's what it is, but enough to be on the lookout for progression.

Also, that you to those who shared about their dog's condition. It is also of great help and not something easy to talk about.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Follow-up. Tamara has been to the vet and there is no infection. The most they found were a high level of bacteria in her urine (don't know what kind). We put her on antibiotic as a preventive measure but I had to take her off of it after 3 days (instead of 6) because she was having serious side effects (She was looking ill and shaking hard). 3 days is better than nothing.

I also bought some S/D food as a preventive measure. She will stay on it. I know for a fact this food works tremendously well for UTI's and the prevention of it because I had a dog on it and everytime I thought she could stop it and I did, she had another infection. This lasted for many years.

She's had other weird episodes that make me think she is having cognitive problems, like trying to go down the stairs, two feet away from the steps, trying to go through the bars... Her eyes have been checked by the vet. And tonight she peed in her bed in the living room, right in front of me, as if it was very natural. She had been outside previously, but I wonder if she did anything. I am going to have to watch her more closely.

This is starting to be a problem and I don't know what to do about it. I will bring her back to the vet for some blood work I there are more signs of a UTI, but it really doesn't seem like it. Since being on the new vet food, she doesn't drink excessively at all.

I probably wrongly accused Merlin for all the pee that I found in the living room these past months. Poor guy !


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## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

Have her checked for Addison's, mom's old dog a cockapoo Smokey was roughly Tamara's age when he started acting mentally off was diagnosed with Addison's


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

twyla said:


> Have her checked for Addison's, mom's old dog a cockapoo Smokey was roughly Tamara's age when he started acting mentally off was diagnosed with Addison's


Thanks Twyla, I didn't know Addison could do that. I wonder if Chihuahuas are prone to it, I'll check it out. Tamara will be 12 in january.

Do they get better when treated, do they go back to being themselves ?

Ok, I read about Addison's and she really has nne of the symptoms at all. I'll keep it in mind, it's very good to know.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I read this and unfortunately I think she might be in the very early stages of dementia. Only time will tell.

Her symptoms :
Having trouble with stairs
Having occasionnal odd behaviors
Forgetting easy routines (like going to bed)
Having accidents in the house
Not wanting to be petted sometimes (withdrawal)

If that's what it is, knowing it will make it easy for us to give her better care. I can't imagine not having her around anymore. It's just too hard :-(

For now we'll just be aware. It might not be it.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction SymptomsDog Dementia: Help and Support


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