Why is my senior dog chattering, squinting, and stressed around puppy?

Poor Gibson! As dogs age, they can develop canine cognitive dysfunction (similar to dementia in humans) or decreases in their hearing and sight, which can result in anxiety and behavioral changes. Restlessness, panting and sudden jumping could also be a sign of pain. At this point, your best bet is to take Gibson to his vet for evaluation to determine if he has any apparent sources of pain, which could be managed with pain medication. If not, your vet will be able to discuss some of the different medication options to try to manage cognitive dysfunction, but these are not always overly effective. I hope that all goes well!

Puppies can sometimes be A LOT for senior dogs and it can take some time for them to get use to one another. If there were any food, treats, toys or special people near by Buddy could have just been acting protective over these. Also, with Buddy being older, if they puppy is always playing, jumping on him, or nipping at him, he may have been just trying to tell the puppy to leave him alone or trying to set some boundaries. Also, if he is arthritic and he knows the puppy jumping on him hurts, he could have reacted to prevent this. I would continue to keep them separate until you know they can be left alone together. I would definitely feed them separately as well. I would be sure you are still spending plenty of alone time with Buddy as he may be feeling frustrated that his home life has changed with the new addition. I would continue to have short but frequent times of them being together. You could also start Buddy on an anti-anxiety chew like composure or composure pro and get him a calming collar like sentry or adaptil. If these don't help, talk to your vet about anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine or trazadone. I hope this helps!

The sudden temperament change can be due to stress from a new baby or maybe an indication of pain or a neurological problem such as tumor or dementia. You can talk with your vet about medicine for pain but with a new baby it is probably safest to not chance it and always keep them separate. If the medicines do not help and her behavior continues then I am afraid your only other option is considering euthanasia for everyone’s safety. I am so sorry you are faced with this!

Yes, that could be possible. Dogs can develop canine cognitive dysfunction, which is essentially dementia in dogs. This can cause behavior changes. Being sick can also lead Nelson to act aggressively because he feels so badly. I'd have him seen by a vet first thing in the morning for a health check. If he does have canine cognitive dysfunction, it can be managed with diet and medication. I hope this helps!

All these signs are worrying, it could be due to a condition called "vestibular disease" which is common in older dogs, I would definitely recommend taking her to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked.

You are correct there could be something else going on. In senior dogs like Molly, they can develop a condition called canine cognitive dysfunction. This is similar to dementia in humans, and it would cause her to behavior strangely at times. I would have Molly seen by a vet. The vet can diagnose if she does have cognitive canine dysfunction by doing a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays to rule out any health problems that could potentially cause her symptoms. If canine cognitive dysfunction is diagnosed, the vet can discuss treatment with you. While it cannot be cured, it can be managed with mediations, behavioral therapy, and special diets.

I'm very sorry to hear this! Unfortunately dogs can develop dementia as they age which can make them act in odd ways including pacing and looking into space. This is not a condition that is easily diagnosed in dogs as there are no medical signs aside from.the symptoms. Another thing that could cause behaviour change in a dog would be any condition that effects the brain. Especially diseases such as tumours which will press on and effect different areas. I would be slightly concerned that the behaviour change in your dog may be due to a physical brain condition such as a tumour, the fact that Buddy paws his head makes me wonder if there is a physical source of discomfort. My advice would be to return to your vet for an examination of neurological function and an eye exam. Sometimes these tests will show nothing, but often there are clues to be found regarding tumours. For a definitive diagnosis an MRI scan is often required. In terms of treatment it is very limited for both conditions. Treatment usually involves managing pain and trying to increase blood flow to the brain to help cognitive function. Although if quality of life deteriorates then euthanasia is sometimes the only option. Best of luck.