Deteriorating Health

[gotwood25]

Just looking for some advice if possible,

My cocker Molly's health has been deteriorating over the past few months, she is getting on a bit (coming up to 12) and around 6 weeks ago noticed a bit of a stench of stale pee. Didn't think too much of it at first, just maybe she needed to do some pelvic floor exercises or something and we kept on top of it with wipes.

Around this time we noticed her become more lethargic and start to struggle to get up from her bed, but once she got going she seemed to be ok.

Fast forward a few weeks and she had an accident in the house lying on the sofa which is something she has never done and her bladder weakness now seems constant, having to bath her everyday and change out her bedding. She is also sore due to the burn and constant wiping from us/cleaning from her.

We've had two vets visits, and almost finished the second set of antibiotics which seem to have had no effect really. Lethargy is increasing, she isn't climbing the stairs (always sleeps in our room but comes up late in the night) and coming in from work she was just lying at the base of the stairs with her head on my shoes asleep. Normally she is waiting for us and goes hyper but none of that till she stirs (she is also deaf so she can sleep right through us getting in now).

Vet thinks she may also be suffering from dementia (no idea how they work that out) and she is also off her food whereas she is normally beyond greedy and would eat forever.

The thing is, a few times during the day she is her old self and has that puppy dog look in her eyes.

Guess I am asking is, if anyone has experienced this with theirs, do we need to start thinking about the end or is it something that can be managed?

Sorry for the long thread, just looking for any peace of mind

Cheers

[Barry H]

Sorry to hear this.  I wouldn't throw in the towel just yet.  Even I struggle to get going in the morning.  The old bones aren't what they used to be...

The first thought that comes to mind is - and I may get shot down for this - but in your shoes I'd get a second opinion from another vet for my own peace of mind.  I'm assuming the 'two vets visits' are from the same vet. The one you have seems a bit useless (apologies if you've used them for years, but they certainly don't seem to have helped much). 

As for the dementia diagnoisis, I'm as sceptical as you.  The fact that she's her old self from time to time is definitely encouraging.  I wish her well and hope she's back to her old self as soon as poss!

[rubyduby]

Too many vets are keen to put down ailments as a product of old age, mainly because they haven't the will or the ability to investigate, two issues spring to mind , the lethargy and weeing require tests, wto possibilities spring to mind one is kidney problems and the other is hypothyroidism , both require thorough and appropriate tests, NOT bog standard in house ones. The kidney issues can be picked up on urine samples (full out of house) and the thyroid needs a FULL thyroid panel test. I would thoroughly recommend the facebook sites that pertain to dogs with these conditions, they have been life savers for my dogs, the people know more than vets(not difficult) and have been excellent on diagnosing and recommendations. If your dog is diagnosed with either issues, WHATEVER the vets recommend run thro with these sites as they frequently get the dosage and dosing wrong. Thyroid can be helped greatly with simple tablets, kidneys may be much harder..change of diet AND meds. First move find and join both sites Hypothyroidism for dogs, and kidney problems in dogs(maybe worded slightly different) go for Uk sites as they are more appropriate etc. Don't give up on your dog yet...it could be age, but age isn't an illness in itself it just shows up the problems

[gotwood25]

Thanks both for the replies, much appreciated.

RE the vets, same practice however different vets... although has to be said, that the rate of change within the practice means I don't think we have seen the same vet twice in all her 12 years. Pretty stuck in the area as they have pretty much bought all the smaller practices and is now the only real choice we have.

Molly has only recently had a full examination of blood and water works which all came back negative, she has suffered with cystitis for the last 7 years or so and has been treat with antibiotics roughly every 4 months in light that all their tests keep coming back negative. 

Will check out those Facebook groups and maybe get checked out at another surgery if I can.

Thanks again

[Ben's mum]

Sorry to hear about Molly  I don't know about the symptoms you describe but you do ask how a vet diagnoses dementia and we lived with Ben who had severe dementia and to be honest you would probably know before a vet does because you know your own dog so well!
I am sure there are various stages like with a person, but you can't mistake a dog with dementia and you would be picking up changes like wandering aimlessly round the house, standing staring at a wall, circling for no reason.  Yes having accidents in the house used to happen but it was more a very obvious disorientation in general and not recognising familiar places or people.  We missed initial signs because Ben was deaf and at first we thought he wasn't hearing us but it soon became clear it was more than that.

The things you describe here don't sound like the more obvious dementia type things but I suppose as always online we are not experts - like Barry H said could you get a second opinion?
 Hope you get some answers xx

[rubyduby]

I have to say I have had 8 different vets (practices) in the last 2- years because they were all so bad, apart from not being thorough they couldn't even read test results properly ...my outlet was the fb site in the end I was telling the vet what was needed whilst paying them handsomely...no good having various tests if they aren't the right one, ie a blood test wont show up thyroid issues it reqs a FULL thyrid panel...etc etc

[gotwood25]

Sorry to hear about Molly  I don't know about the symptoms you describe but you do ask how a vet diagnoses dementia and we lived with Ben who had severe dementia and to be honest you would probably know before a vet does because you know your own dog so well!

To be honest, once this was mentioned a penny dropped a bit. Molly has always been balmy with so many idiosyncrasies with one in particular being, going absolutely hysterical every day coming through the front door after work. We started getting the same reaction of late leaving the room for a few seconds and coming back in... again could be nothing but there has definitely been a subtle change in her behavior the last couple of months.

Will see how it goes, and again, appreciate the comments.

[rubyduby]

Sorry to repeat myself but Hypothyroidism can cause changes in attitude and temperament, nxiety being common, as I said it isn't an illness vets seem to look for but very common...Personally I would ask for copies of all the recent  blood and urine test and put them on the dog hypothyroidism fb site THEY can interpret them better than most vets (also kidney) costs nothing and may be beneficial...

[PennyB]

Liver problems can also cause similar too as in changes in behaviour so worth getting this checked out if you haven't already.
I always get my dogs tested for lungworm too just in case