I'm at my witts end! I have a 13yr old lab who just barks at all weird hours of day/ night! Lately shes been barking to the point of disrubting my sleep, she'll bark sometimes for half an hour straight. I don't know what to do! Why does she bark for nothing? Her eyes are fine but I do believe her hearing is off. I recently had complete physical w/blood, urine, stool, 4dx. Her liver enzymes where high so she was put on milk thistle, but now was switch to hepagen c for liver.
Is she getting senial? Should I try bark colar?

Maybe it is senility, there is a medication for that (Anipryl):
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=2549

I wouldn't do the bark collar.

I've found my oldsters that have lost some or all hearing will bark for no reason at all. Especially when outdoors in the dog yard, they stare at the sky and park. I usually have to go get them as they don't hear me call to them. I walk them back indoors. When I give them a loving pat on the head when I reach them, they stop.

So it could be the loss of hearing and some senility in my dogs.

I remember a 14 year old I had who would stand out in the middle of the yard (or in the house) and bark at nothing. It always made me smile and happy that she was still around. No bark collar on an old dog. Get a white noise machine for yourself and count your lucky stars.

I have a 13 year old who frequently stands in the kitchen and barks. Recently, he's started doing the same in the yard on occasion. His eyesight and hearing are failing, and I think he gets confused when he can't see/hear anyone nearby. He also suffers from spinal stenosis and has difficulty moving around. I give him tramadol for pain as needed. I've tried various meds for canine senility without much success. My vet prescribed generic Xanax, which I will use once in awhile at night if he seems particularly confused and upset. It helps him to settle in for the night.
Other than that, a scratch behind the ears and some quiet one-on-one time help as well.

Hi,
Going through the same thing with my over 13yr old - even the high liver levels. Sometimes he just wants to be with me and other times I feel his brain wants to do something but his body is not up to it - so frustration. I try to keep his day fun and insteresting and make sure he gets some physical and mental exercise. He prefers to sleep in the living room most of the night now - so at bedtime I stay with him until he falls asleep and then when he wakes up around 2am I call him down to the bedroom and he'll sleep there until we get up. Three things that have helped him settle - Rescue Remedy, his Thunder Shirt and gentle massage. Try not to get frustrated - everyday is a gift!

I keep her activity level up when I have oppurtunity, nothing has change except how far weor how long we play. I'll call vet to see if some zanax will help. Even if your sitting there petting her she'll continue to bark. I need sleep, hell she gets plenty during the day, I how ever have to work.

Do try a Thunder shirt, or even a close fitting doggy tee-shirt, which might work to help her feel better.

I recently learned that TRAMADOL can cause stress! I gave it to my old girl who experienced panting, drooling, pacing, sudden fear of T. storms and unease. The vet could find nothing wrong with her. Fortunately, the stretchy tee-shirt helped immensely.

Michele, I hope you figure this out & get some sleep soon. FYI...one of our old girls did this at night.....sight was okay (definitely not 100% though) duing the day but we found out she had night blindness. Once we got that figured out and kept her close by at bedtime/during the night....it lessened considerably. She died at 14 and we still miss her terribly.

Thanks, wilk try a chinese herb Burpleurum & my friend will do some reiki on her. Wish sometimes they could talk!

They do talk but we just can't understand them! Good luck getting it sorted out!

My old dog just passed and I miss him. All I can suggest is ear plugs.

There is a great product for senility. It is called Neutricks. It is an ezyme extracted from jelly fish- It is natural and totally safe. My 12 year was doing the same thing with the barking- I have had her on Neutricks and have not had the problem since. It's a chewable tab given once a day based on weight-
Hope it helps!

See the post about Novifit. Inappropriate vocalization is also a symptom that is helped by this drug.
Is your old dog on any other drugs that might be causing a reaction? I took care of an old dog who would do this when she was on Deramaxx, just whining an barking for hours at night.

My old guy does this too. He will stand or lay in the middle of the yard and bark at absolutely nothing. Have you separated him from the group already?

Mine mainly does this when he's alone or with individuals he isn't close to. I've learned that if I put him out with one or two spring chickens I can trust to be gentle with him, that behavior is dramatically reduced.

Good luck!

I have a 13 1/2 yr old female and two of her offspring (now 9 yrs old). Whenever I or they all leave the room she is in, she will bark incessantly until one of us reappears. Eye sight is failing and hearing is almost gone. She barks when extremely happy. It (the barking) causes her to jump, which in turn she can feel, so uses this to express herself. We are treasuring every moment we have with her. We lost an older dog last summer who was 13 1/2. Other than the barking, for no apparent reason to us, she is holding her own fairly well. We humans know how difficult it is to age. Somehow I think our older dogs are just expressing themselves to us in the only was they know how.

This thread hits home with me. My old boy has dementia, spine/rear end issues, and hearing/sight loss. His appetite is still good, but he mostly sleeps, and has to be strongly encouraged to take a twice-daily stroll down the driveway. He is on pain meds as needed, and my vet just prescribed Valium to help at night.
I worry how he'll manage the winter and the ice and snow, and how I'll be able to help him. It's that old debate--when is it time to say goodbye? I've always thought it was better to let them go maybe a little early than wait even a day too long, but now that the decision is nearing, I don't know if I can do that.
I guess we all have to handle this in a way that works best for our dogs and ourselves, but boy, it's not easy.

I just wanted to respond to your note about your older fella and tell you I hear your pain and no, it sure " isn't easy"! You sure sound like someone who cares deeply about your boy and watch him with equal care! Wishing you strength and peace along the way!

Thank you. The valium didn't help, so we're trying a thunder shirt. I don't know how much longer the old boy has, and I hate to see him like this. The fact that he still has brief moments when I see a flash of his old self doesn't help with the decision that I know is coming.

sending a hug along the way as you companion your boy on this leg of your journey together.