Dementia
Senior dogs, or golden oldies, as I like to call them, can suffer from dementia. In dogs, we call it canine cognitive dysfunction, or CCD.
One of the common signs of CCD is a change in sleep habits. If your aging dog once slept through the night but now paces or vocalizes in the midnight hour, take him in for a veterinary evaluation. You may be surprised and happy to learn that medication may be able to help. It doesn’t work for every dog, but it’s worth a try.
Your veterinarian may also be able to suggest environmental changes that may improve your dog’s sleep-wake cycle. These include keeping him on a regular schedule for bedtime, having him sleep in a crate (if he is already crate-trained) or playing soothing music at bedtime.
More on Vetstreet:
- 4 Odd Dog Sleeping Habits Explained
- 9 Common Health Problems Senior Dogs Face
- Why Doesn't My Dog... Sleep in Bed With Me?
- Surviving Your First 30 Days With a New Puppy
- Managing Your Dog's Arthritis Pain: What You Need to Know
