Desperately need some sleep help .

[waggytails]

I desperately need some advice, my old dog hattie, is very fit and mostly healthy although now deaf and her eyesight is not great.  the problem is she has started to wake up every couple of hours during the night, crying and wanting food it's as though she as not been fed. Even if you give her food she still wakes up after a couple of hours. I have tried a few remedies, valerium and calms. Vet gave us something for dementia that made her worse  . I'm have been thinking about trying melatonin, if anyone else's dogs have been like this, what did you find that helped. I'm shattered and need some sleep 

[Pearly]

I think I would be asking the vet to do more tests.  There are many reasons a dog is hungry, if she’s waking every two hours, I would be really quite worried that she has another illness such as thyroid, diabetes or something more sinister.  Sorry.  Pearl was very hungry in her last few weeks then went off food completely.

[waggytails]

Ok thank you

[Ben's mum]

  Ben was like this when his dementia deteriorated as it was like he had forgotten he had eaten. To be honest it was harder watching him struggle with dementia because physically like your Hattie he was very fit.
I can’t  offer much help sorry, as we didn’t find a solution, just struggled on with disrupted nights. It was hard  I just really wanted to send support as I remember what it felt like  

[waggytails]

Thank you, the vet gave us medication for dementia but it actually made her more alert and manic.  It's so hard. We had a bad night last night and then today my other cocker darcy aged 11 yrs hurt his back so now he's on pain medication.bless ❤  think I may just a pj weekend to catch up on some sleep 😏

[bizzylizzy]

No advice I‘m afraid but sending  . A pj weekend sounds like a good idea! 

[vixen]

It sounds like sundowners syndrome to me.  Stevie (13) has dementia and now sundowners.  She is asleep most of the day but at night she is very challenging.  She gets up lots of times and just finds it hard to settle.  She started to try to get into places such as between a cupboard and a wall where she can’t possibly fit and then get stuck.  She has got behind the sofa and the wall and panicked as she couldn’t reverse and screamed the house down.  I found it really difficult to keep coming down, letting her out, trying to settle her and then as soon as I had got into bed, i could hear her spinning and pacing again.  I have decided to just sleep downstairs on the sofa during the week as it is just easier than keep coming down for her.  My daughter takes over the night shift during the weekend so I have 2 nights respite. I think it likely that this is gonna carry on for the rest of her life but I love her and owe her so much it is the least I can do.
I have given her melatonin for a week now as it had wonderful reviews but sadly there is no improvement yet

[waggytails]

I have struggled to get melatonin but found something called melacutin  which is basically melatonin with other things added, so we tried it last night for the first time. It made no difference. So like you said I think it's something we are going to after to learn to live with.  Hope you dog keeps well

[vixen]

I got my melatonin as melacutin too and no improvement yet either.
I was influenced by the good reviews but I guess what works for one dog may not work for another.
Last night was a good night (typical as it was my night off  )  We have tried varying when she has her last meal before bed time and last night she had a late snack and went through till 6.30 but we could do the same tonight and her be up several times again.
It is a really hard time as she isn’t aware of who we are.  Physically though she is doing well apart from wobbly back legs.
I hope things improve for Hattie but I know exactly how frustrating it can be getting up several times a night.

[waggytails]

Sounds just like my girl, but Hattie does know who we are, but she thinks she's not eaten and wanting  food every time she wakes up.😐 we have tried varying times of her food but like you it doesn't really give you consistent results.  I suppose it's something we will just have to work around the best we can. Sending cuddles to your oldies 😘

[vixen]

Thank you for thinking of us.
It is very difficult for us when she doesn’t recognise us.  At least your Hattie knows who you are.
Stevie spends most of the day sleeping and only gets up when she wants one of four things, to wee, poo, food or drink.  We have to guess which of the four things it is   
We do take her out for a short walk to try to get her interested in the different smells and scenery.
I have noticed recently that where she sleeps is sometimes a little damp, almost as though she has leaked a little when asleep.
I am looking at getting her incontinence pads which she will hate 

[phoenix]

Marti thought night was day when her vitamin B12 nosedived, also was depressed and lethargic.
. It is the same with humans.  The vet, like my GP , will poo-poo you, and the specific test is expensive.   However, B12 is harmless and any excess is excreted in the wee.  My vet , ( not mine any more!)reluctantly gave her an injection, and overnight she became a new dog.  If you want to avoid vets, you can get B12 capsules for dogs from Chemeyes.co.uk   and give one a day for a week,  then one a week.
Much has been written recently on humans diagnosed with dementia actually suffering from B12 deficiency, and perking up immediately .  My GP wanted to send me to a Memory clinic, with my B12  level rock bottom.  I took the vitamins instead and  my brain fog and blood levels recovered quickly.

[vixen]

Thank you for the suggestion.
I am willing to try anything at the moment.  It is really difficult getting up several times a night, particularly in this current cold weather. 

[Mudmagnets]

Thank you for the suggestion.
I am willing to try anything at the moment.  It is really difficult getting up several times a night, particularly in this current cold weather.

If you are looking for a B12 Supplement for dogs, my I suggest these from Protexin: they certainly improved my Branston when he needed some help in that direction a couple of years back, for ease because they are a bit fiddly I cut one end of capsule with nail scissors and just sprinkled it on his food.  https://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-supplements-cat-supplements-multi-vitamin-and-mineral-c-5_222/protexin-cobalaplex-for-cats-and-dogs-60-sprinkle-capsules-p-41030

Hope he is feeling better soon 

[waggytails]

Thank you will give the vitamins a go. We have also bought a automatic cat feeder, omg it's a life safer😁,  she now wakes every couple of hours but goes to that instead of waking us up. 😀