My lab is trembling and acting confused

[stretch]

My lab is 12 years old going on 13 and sometime she acts confused and holds her bowls in when i let her outside and then shakes before and after. Some days she acts normal and other days she behaves this way. Has anyone experience this with any of there dogs? I need advice.

[FishinFools]

Hey Stretch. 12 going on 13 is a real good life for a lab. Some get older, some don't. The call on "when" is up to you. It is really tough, I know. For me, as long as mine weren't visibly in pain, I had to hang on. I couldn't let 'em go. Whether or not that mattered to the dog, I don't know. But thinking about my last one who passed away on 9/11/01, I think I waited a bit long, selfishly.

No one else can make the call for you. But personally, if the dog is suffering in any visible way, at almost 13...well, you have to decide.

Just saw another dad at my sons soccer game Saturday. New 5mo old Golden. He told me their 8 year old lab got some kind of cancer just before winter. The whole family was devastated. Now they have the new pup, not the same, just different. The point of my story is, he said to me, "Dogs are the greatest and worst things in life." I couldn't agree more.

Good luck, rest easy.

[Ufatz]

There is no good advice here my friend, it is something we ALL have to deal with. I'm old enough to have gone through it a bunch of times and it never gets easier. But you DO get over it. Mine are still with me....every one of them, and I sit sometimes looking across the lake and remembering each one of them.

If your pal is in no pain you might give it more time. But if the dog is becoming confused, cannot control its bowels and is obviously senile you cannot avoid the decision. When you take on a dog you promise it that you will love it and TAKE CARE of it....and that means you take care of it righ to the end.

I recently had to take care of my wonderful gal Annie. I kept the promise I made to her when she was a puppy. But the cancer was too bad and so I helped her.....I took care of her.

She is gone. And now Abby is here.....eight months old. Full of love and life.

And I have made the same promise to Abby I've made to all of them.

Do what you must do. We all understand.

[stretch]

thanks for the advice guys! with her being the first dog that i have lossed it is really hard for me to see her like this. But the biggest thing that gets me is when i bring her to my parents place she acts like nothings wrong at all. so i am little confused on the way she is acting.

[SpitnArgueDuckClub*]

Take her to your vet, get her checked out and ask for their opinion. If it is the worst and you end up making the decision being there at that time was my choice. When I had to put my first lab down the vet was a bit taken back when got down to her level and looked into her eyes saying "I am sorry" over and over and over as she faded away. I still tear up abit thinking about it, hardest thing I have ever done. That said it was also the best thing that I could have done for her. Cancer sucks and 12 years just isn't enough.

[CANOPY SAM]

With all due respect, the dog isn't dead yet. Like Calvin says above, take her to your vet and have a thorough check up done. She likely has a UTI, or something a little goofed up in her bladder.

Could also be some sort of tick borne parasite or virus. Our dog came down with a tick borne infection even before the snow up here was all melted! Have some blood tests done, and get her on an antibiotic. If she really means that much to you a few hundred bucks is worth it.

The dog could have several good years ahead of her. Don't start digging until you know she's done. Infections can cause dogs to act very weird. It's unfortunate that they can't tell us when they don't feel right.

Hope all the best for you and your dog. Please let us know how it turns out. Thanks.

[Ufatz]

Look fellas, I'm sorry if I jumped the gun on the dog, but the sounds of it were of a dog in dementia and loss of bowel control.

By ALL means take the dog to a vet if she seems hit-or-miss on the symtoms.

Frankly, I suspect at her age things are gradually going to fade and I simply wanted the OP to understand and be prepared.

Sorry if I made the end premature.

None of this stuff is fun guys. Been there TOO many times.

[stretch]

well it's not only peeing she also been [PoorWordUsage] in the house and also at random times while just walking. I also notice today while outside she was laying down and breathing very hard in the shade and shaking. I plan on getting her to the vet as soon as possible. It's just hard seeing her get old especially when she tagged along with me every where i went.

[CANOPY SAM]

Get her to the vet tomorrow morning! She's sick. The longer you wait, the more she suffers, and at her age this alone will chisel time off her calendar.

No need to apologize Ufatz. We know your heart is in the right place. Again, just get her checked out, and I hope it's something a good vet can get turned around. If not, it is what it is. Please don't let her continue to suffer.

[Ufatz]

Take the dog to the vet TODAY!

[stretch]

sorry it took me so long to get back but i brought her in and the vet said she is healthy as can be. she has the start of artheritis but she said that shouldn't affect her like that. The vet said she has whats like alzheimer/Dementia which is crazy! i would have never though a animal would have that.

[CANOPY SAM]

stretch, If you can afford it, I'd get a second opinion if I were you. If a dog cannot control it's bladder and bowels, is trembling and seemingly confused, it's not a "healthy" dog.

Do you know EXACTLY what the vet did to come to these conclusions? I'm sorry for saying so, and I'm sorry if you disagree, but I think this vet took the high road and perhaps billed you for nothing.

It's your dog, and your call, but I still think the dog might have some sort of tick-borne parasitic, bacterial, or viral infection. These are way too common now, and they can be tricky to diagnose.

[Ufatz]

Stretch, I agree re: second opinon.

And also, although you dismiss the dementia comments, a dog CAN get the equivalent mental confusion and lack of memory when it gets into it's "senior" years. Had a male few years back who walked into the master bedroom and [PoorWordUsage] all over the carpet. No reason. Dog would NEVER have considered such a thing at a younger age-was not even allowed in the bedrooms.

So DO get another vet to take a look. And make some notes on symptoms etc. so you can share them with a new vet.

And always keep in mind that we have to be kind to our pals. I know you care about your dog.