Any vets about - any wits end with barking dog!

[MancMa]

My 12 year old BT has started barking constantly , first at night but now during the day as well. Still eating well and very agile, mad to go for his walks.
I took him to the vet and they have started him on Reconcile which I believe is akin to dog Prozac and given me metacam, which I am loath to use as he doesn’t appear to have pain , i tried it for a few days and it didn’t seem to make any difference anyway.
Im at my wits end with exhaustion and frustration, any ideas/suggestions

Dementia? Especially if they aren't barking at anything in particular

I would say dementia too. Very common in older dogs sadly.

A few days isnt enough for metacalm to kick in. If it is pain you need to try it for at least a fortnight to start to be able to rule it in/out

Metacam should take effect within a few hours.

Reconcile is fluoxetine so a few days is not enough time for it either. Mostly you need to give it around 6 weeks to say there is no improvement.

Oh metacam be one effective after a few hours, but for arthritis you can see continue improvement for up to the first 2 months.

You need to give it at least 6 weeks with the dementia meds then possibly try others. It does sound like that is the case. Also how is his hearing? My dog barked more as she went deaf then she was silent. When is he barking? What is the context?

All night last night . He can hear and see fine and he’s very agile . Vet is calling me back today . I don’t have the kind of job you have downtime from and no sleep for a whole night is just not something that is an option .

Not to build up enough if he has arthritis for example and to then alleviate any impact on behaviour

@21ZIGGY you should still notice an improvement within a few hours, and then symptoms will continue to improve if the dog stays on on long-term metacam.

Where does he sleep? If he's not already in your bedroom you could try having him in with you in case it is the onset of dementia and that is reassuring for him.

The vet has more talked about a behaviourist but at nearly 13 I don’t think that’s a solution . I had hoped they could offer me something to help him sleep but no . I’m just absolutely shattered and my work is suffering plus I feel so sad that I’m not helping

Some people have also had success leaving radios on for dogs experiencing agitation/ barking at night, can have a calming effect and possibly provides a sensory stimulation which they are otherwise fulfilling with their own barking.

I'm a behaviourist and trained as a vet - in situations of sudden behavioural changes I'd always look at medical reasons first. You can do training, he's not too old, but it won't help unless underlying issues are addressed first. One thing to consider though is that there's a lot more cat/fox/hedgehog activity outside at night right now. Can you move him to a quieter part of the house? My dog currently sleeps under the stairs (not shut in) as it's the most in sheltered area away from windows

Second the advice about letting him have access to you at night. That can really help very young or very old dogs.

He already sleeps in my bed . This is so sudden but the vet seems fixated on it being behaviour because of his great physical condition for his age and no mobility issues.

Are you sure there’s no underlining health issues? As behavioural change like that seems unusuaL without some sort of trigger. I agree with PPs it might be dementia, in which case medicating him is an expensive solution to a long term problem…

Ultimately, OP, if he’s barking all night and day he’s clearly very stressed and unhappy. I think a proper check up to the vets is in order (and all the tests you can reasonably afford) before you medicate him.

My dog (almost 12) has started barking even more than she usually does but we think this due to her starting to lose her hearing. We think she thinks she can hear something so will bark, when there is no noise at all. Well, that we can hear. She is also sleeping a lot more during the day.

Think I might try sleeping on the sofa tonight and give him access if he wants it , try and break the cycle of jumping in and off the bed. Plus not so far to trek if he wants to go out. Thanks for suggestions.

@Devilshands it was the vet who suggested the meds which are actually for dogs with separation anxiety and are the dog version of Prozac . He tested his wee and that was fine and on general inspection he’s great for his age , eats well and mad for a walk As often as he can get one .

I take it the PP hasn't had a dog with dementia! Meds can be a game changer once the right dose has been found and give the dog extra years of happy life. It's not an expensive solution to a long term problem. They do not work for all dogs but they can really make a difference and aren't actually expensive compared to other long term meds.

I know this is an old thread but I was wondering how you got on @MancMa . My 14 cocker cross has started barking at night. She also goes up and down the stairs a fair bit in the night (there's an insane number of beds for her to choose between and the other dog is usually in one of the upstairs ones).

She had back surgery a year ago and has recovered brilliantly but she does have some arthritis and did have a bit of sciatica in the summer. That's been dealt with though. She's also quite deaf.

I'm assuming it's some form of dementia although she does seem to have her wits about her generally.

I gave her a dose of loxicom for a few days just in case it was pain/discomfort but no change.

I have an appointment with the vet on Thursday but am looking for any other suggestions in the meantime.