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Issues with dog at night

wildholliewildhollie Posts: 3,029
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Hi all,

ok so the story is my 14 year old terrier is starting to have some issues at night
He was recently diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes (his right eye is completely blind) but the left one is not so bad.

So for the last 4 nights we have had some really strange behaviour from him. He is ok in the day time if a little clingy. But as soon as it is bedtime he does the following.

Constantly wandering around, settles in one place, gets up after a minute or so and then goes and lies down elsewhere, then gets up again and so on and so on. He scratches to get up on the bed, we lift him up, he lies down, then he gets off the bed etc etc.

He is keeping the whole house awake with his nocturnal wanderings and i also think he is stressing himself out.
Does anyone think it's because of the onset of this blindness causing him to"freak" out a little ? I'm quite worried about him and wondered if anyone else has experienced this ?

thanks :)

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    tingramretrotingramretro Posts: 10,974
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    I should imagine it is. If he has reduced sight in his remaining eye already, he's probably just about able to distinguish between light and shade, but if you turn off the lights, he's then suddenly completely blind, or near enough. Perhaps leaving him in a lit area to sleep might help?
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    molliepopsmolliepops Posts: 26,828
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    Try a leaving him with a light on, the other possibility is dementia as he is getting on a bit. Two of my late doggies suffered with that and we never found an answer just had to put up with it and reassure them they were OK and love them despite the lack of sleep.
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    wildholliewildhollie Posts: 3,029
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    #4
    molliepops wrote: »
    Try a leaving him with a light on, the other possibility is dementia as he is getting on a bit. Two of my late doggies suffered with that and we never found an answer just had to put up with it and reassure them they were OK and love them despite the lack of sleep.


    Despite the fact he kept me awake until 2.00am this morning i don't actually feel that tired at the moment.:)

    I googled his symptoms and dementia came up so i guess that could be a possibility, I may call my vet and ask....other than that he is in good health (he was at the vets only 3 weeks ago) and this not sleeping only began this week..

    Do you think something like Rescue Remedy would help ?
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    cosmocosmo Posts: 26,840
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    #5
    My dog did this in old age.

    I think it might be a bit of senility.
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    stud u likestud u like Posts: 42,100
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    #6
    I would cage him at night. Safest place.
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    zoepaulpennyzoepaulpenny Posts: 15,951
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    #7
    what about an op to relieve his sight one eye at a time...:D
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