Dog with anxiety - what do we do

[BadLuck2023]

Hi all,
Our 10 year old shepherd has always had some anxiety but lately it's gotten so much worse. Weve tried 3 kinds of anxiety meds from the vet and they don't really work. He fights them to the point where he's running into walls. We don't have the money to send him away to a behavioural expert which is what the vet has also suggested.

Lately at night he's been wandering around, just pacing. It makes us nervous as we have 2 cats and we get worried he might bite them as he's very anxious at night, even running away from us. When he's in the garden he's usually running around and gets muddy so we clean his feet before he comes in and he has bitten us a couple of times.

I dont know what to do

This sounds as if it could be dementia. Has your vet considered this? If he’s becoming a bite risk it may, sadly, be time to say goodbye. I’d be horrified by any behaviourist who would board a 10 year old dog with severe anxiety. It would be immeasurably cruel.

Our last dog became very anxious with age but nothing like this. Your poor dog is suffering.

Sorry, it’s awful to see your dog in this condition.

Actually, after rereading your OP I’d seek a second opinion. Your vet clearly doesn’t understand.

It appears to me from your description that your dog is in pain. I agree, change vets and he needs to have blood tests ASAP. This is not anxiety.

Behaviour problems can be due to pain. A 10 year old GSD is a likely candidate for orthopaedic pain. I would consider a robust and meaningful (several weeks/months) course of painkillers if appropriate

It takes animals time to re-learn that "it doesn't hurt as much anymore" hence the need to do it for several weeks.

Your vet should be open to discussing this differential.

..and no reputable behaviourist would ever board a dog! They assess the patients in their own environment and work with owners on a long term behavioural modification plan.

behavioural training camps/residentials are completely useless. They fix nothing in the long term and stress the dog.

My first thought was dementia, not anxiety
Change vets

He doesn't seem to be in pain, he's still happy on his walks so I seem to think it's dementia too

I think a reputable behaviourist is your best bet, even if you can only afford one visit for a consultation. In my experience, they look for pain first. My 7 yr old lab has just been diagnosed with arthritis, no outward sign of pain but just couldn’t relax & had started running towards other dogs barking. She’s now on pain meds, anti-inflammatory meds & Reconcile for anxiety.

I agree. It sounds like dementia or similar possibly as well?

To echo other posters, I'd get a second opinion as there could be an underlying medical issue.

I had a 10 year old westie who started to become more "anxious" (as the behaviour indicated) but I was sure there was something else from how she was walking and carrying herself, I told my vet that I thought she was going blind but they checked her eyes and told me she was fine. Got a second opinion and it turned out my beautiful girl had a brain tumour that was pressing on her optic nerve (which was why she was blind but not showing traditional signs of blindness), it was that causing her anxiety. I'm not telling you this to worry you as like I say it didn't just present as anxiety, I just wanted to demonstrate there are lots of medical issues that can cause a heightened sense of anxiety in older dogs and your vet seems quite dismissive.

I hope you get some answers soon for you and your dog.

If it's dementia, there's a supplement you can buy without prescription called Aktivait There's another medication called Vivitonin which can be taken alongside it, but you do need a prescription for that one.