14 Y/o Dog

We just put our beloved 13 and a half year old to sleep this past monday. But we did everything we could over the past year to help him have a happy and comfortable life and spent quite a bit of time, energy and money. Aside from a lot of panting and just a bit of stiffness, that dog was happy as a clam and slept like a rock.

He was on Deramaxx which he tolerated very well for arthritis.. he would jump off the back step to go to the bathroom until the last week of his life. He had a tumor in his lungs but even the vet agreed it would be unfair to put him through chemo at his old age. Fortunately the tumor grew VERY slowly and the vet said the panting could be from that in his lungs.. or the fact that he was anemic.. or some dogs have a larygeneal (sp) throat sort of issue that makes them pant.. or in your case.. maybe he does have a heart condition. If you are a pet owner like we were.. I would do as many tests as you can afford to get to the bottom of this. We did what we felt was absolutely necessary but if he hasn't had a complete blood work up.. urinalysis and thyroid test.. you really should invest in these if you don't want to put the animal to sleep. What quality of life does he have if he is so upset and most likely in pain all the time? if he isn't sleeping.. he is in pain.

I know panting can also indicate pain so my gut says, he is in some sort of pain. A good blood work up is a great place to start. And perhaps you are going to have to invest in a ultrasound of his heart or something like that. It could just be a matter of getting some proper meds for him and that dog could live another year, maybe even more.
please let us know how it goes at the vet office!

It sounds like he has dementia. Old dogs can get senile, just like people. And there ARE medicines for it, but I will tell you that in my experience, with MY 14 year old dog, they just didn't work. We eventually had to put him to sleep because he was incontinent, arthritic and just could not function.

When they lose their dignity, it is time to say goodbye. talk to your vet about the medicines.

If he is panting very hard, that is a sign of pain. He may be so arthritic that he is just in a lot of pain. Dogs are very stoic and won't show pain like we would think but panting is a sign of pain.

I would really talk to your vet. It might be getting close to the time to say goodbye. That is the ultimate duty we have as pet owners, and the most painful. Our vet came to the house and did it for us on our kitchen floor. It was awful, but it was the best thing we could do for him. 14 years is a LONG time for a Lab. They usually only live 10 or 12.

Editing to add: I don't know who your vet is, but 16 is almost UNHEARD of for a Lab. And you have to think of what those 2 years would be like for your poor dog. Not very comfortable, for sure. My vet used to breed and show Labs if you would like a referral. She knows the breed VERY well. For sure at least medicate the pain. And look into your heart and ask yourself if you are keeping her alive for your sake or for hers. I'm not judging at all, but please please be honest with yourself. I kept my boy alive for too long because I could not say goodbye. It's so hard and I know the decision that is coming for you and I am so sorry.

>>Is it possiable for a dog to go crazy? Is there med's he can take?<<

Yes, elderly dogs can suffer from a condition somewhat similar to Alzheimers, called Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. My dear, late dog suffered with CDS for the last 3 years of his life. It started with a lot of pacing and panting, as time went on he forgot his name and who we were. He got himself stuck in corners and behind furniture and no longer remembered familiar things such as how to go up and down stairs. Ultimately he became afraid of us. It was heartbreaking. Google "CDS dogs" and you will find some info.

If your dog does have CDS you can get a lot of helpful advice from this group:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/caninecognitivedysfunc...

My dog benefitted mildly from taking phosphatidylserine (available OTC) and anipryl (by prescription). But whether you treat it or not, CDS is a long, one way trip downhill.

Best of luck with your old friend and I hope his problem is something other than CDS.

We also have a 14 year old lab mix who has been showing signs of age in the past year or two. I would encourage you to talk to your vet. This is a time of life where our vet has been so important. Our girl was moving slowly, but otherwise not showing signs of pain, but pain medicine has been really helpful for her. She is also on an anti-anxiety medicine because she had started snapping at our other dog, which our vet explained was also not unusual in an older dog. Finally, she had become incontinent, and there is even a great medicine for that! All in all, she still seems to be enjoying a good quality of life, but we have needed help.

I tend to agree with Elizabeth. We too have a 14 yr old pup (Chow/Lab mix) who is going downhill. The panting may signify anxiety. Our dog sudden developed separation anxiety. Meds don't do much, but over time he has gotten a bit better. At times he seems to forget where he is. He can be outside for a long time, then come in the house and pee or poop. Its like he has forgotten housetraining. Then suddenly, he will be back to his old self. He is arthritic, and over the last year has gone deaf. The poor guy is falling apart. The vet has given us meds to help keep him comfortable. The best one is the pain medication. It made the biggest difference in his behavior. However all his care is taking a toll at home, and to be honest it breaks my heart to see him this way. I think we will have to put him down sooner rather than later.

Perhaps he has an ear infection. If he has an ear infection, it could cause all kinds of problems, and can be very irritating to the dog. Just a thought.