Dog is snappy at night time
OUR VET DAVID GRANT WORKS HIS MAGIC
QIn the evening, for an hour or so, our 10-year-old Jack Russell turns very nasty, hides behind the TV and will bite if provoked. Could this be sundowner syndrome? Can medication help? I am worried because our four-month-old grandson frequently visits. A This is a concern and I recommend no contact between the dog and your grandson until there is some clarification of the problem. This will need a call to your vet to arrange a consultation as soon as possible. There are some medical conditions to be ruled out that might account for the unusual behaviour. Pain is a possibility. This could be from arthritis or dental disease. Vision defects, later in the day, might cause disorientation and a fear response, while old age diseases of the brain can cause a dog to feel unwell and anxious. describe disease Sundowner who people sleep syndrome with during Alzheimer’s was the day, used and to are awake and disorientated at night.
Dogs suffer from a disease called canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), which has many similarities with
Alzheimer’s. CCD becomes increasingly common after 10 years and by 16 years most dogs will have some signs. The most prominent of these are disorientation, anxiety, failure to recognise owners, aggression, apathy, loss of house training and wakefulness during the night. The diagnosis of CCD is by exclusion of other diseases but an MRI scan of the brain can be helpful. The disease is incurable and progressive, but some medications help in the short term. A qualified behaviorist could advise on strategies for dealing with aggression.
QMy 15-year-old male neutered cat recently lost weight and started drinking more. Blood tests showed kidney damage and anaemia. What is his outlook and could I have picked up these signs earlier? A
Your cat has chronic kidney disease (CKD), which is very common in older cats, with perhaps as many as 50 per cent of 15-year-olds showing some symptoms. I wouldn’t be hard on yourself, early signs can be very subtle and kidneys in cats can function on as little as 25 per cent capacity before more obvious problems appear. Tests for the diagnosis of CKD measure blood levels of urea and creatinine, with urine testing for protein and specific gravity. Levels of urea and creatinine only rise once significant kidney damage has already occurred, although a newer test improves on this.
Nevertheless it can be difficult to catch these cases early.
The main signs to look out for are increased thirst and urination, loss of weight, reduced appetite and lethargy.
Anaemia is also common. CKD is progressive and many cases will eventually require euthanasia, unfortunately. On a positive note there is a lot that can be done to slow down the progression of the disease while maintaining a good quality of life.
Treatment concentrates on a low-protein and low-phosphate, preferably wet, diet to ensure adequate water intake. Control of hypertension, a common complication, is essential.
Survival varies between individual cats, but some can live for a year or more.
David Grant MBE was a vet at the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital for Animals. Email questions to him at pamperedpets@express.co.uk