How About Some Doggy Help?

Well, it worked so well when I asked for help with dentists that I thought I might try it again.
Has anyone ever heard of or had any experience with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction?  Our sweet Poppy has been diagnosed with this and just trying to find some remedy that might work.



Think Alzheimer’s for dogs.  She is okay most of the time but once or twice a week she gets agitated and simply cannot settle down.  Last night was another all-nighter.  She wandered and paced and scratched at our chairs and at doors all night.  She tried to hide in the game closet and in the tiny shower in the back bathroom.  She was in and out of the tub and just could not get settled. 



I stayed up with her until 1am and then Russ took over.  He literally had to keep a firm hand on her to keep her in one place long enough to fall asleep for short periods of time.  Then she would startle and wake up and the pacing started all over again. 

I gave her Valium (prescribed by the vet) plus other  meds the vet had recommended, including a sleeping pill and Benadryl.  Didn’t even slow her down.  She was still agitated today until we took her for a ride.  This is what seems to work best.  Somehow, riding in the car seems to “re-set” her and she goes to sleep and then is calm again when we get home.


Now she is so exhausted (so are we!) and she is walking like she is stiff and sore, undoubtedly from all the pacing and up and down stairs last night.  When she is herself, she is fine but when she takes these “spells” there is just no calming her.  I have one other med the vet prescribed but it is a CNS suppressant and must be used very carefully.  The vet said it will get worse.

Poppy reminds me very much of my mother.  I took care of her when she had Alzheimer’s and she would do the nighttime wandering.  She would not sleep for a couple of days and then just crash – just like Poppy is doing.

 

We’re not ready to give up on her just yet.  Her diabetes is under fairly good control, although her eyesight is not good.  But she is still happy when she is herself, and we still enjoy having her around.  But we need to do something to get her night wanderings under control.  It wears all of us out.  I am concerned about what will happen in the motorhome with her.  So if you have any ideas or suggestions, please share.  Oh yes, I have tried the Remedy drops.  Not much help there. 

Thanks all – now I think I’ll try and get some sleep in case Poppy has another bad night.  Right now she is still calm and exhausted so hopefully she will sleep tonight.