Can dogs detect illness in other dogs?

[notathenabutcassandra]

Just that really. Sadly my eldest girl seems to be approaching her end of life. She's an old lass, we're making things as comfortable as possible for her with the help of our vets.

Our other dog (a year younger, they've lived together for 12 years) has started snarling and baring her teeth whenever the eldest goes near her 😕

Could this be that she smells/sense some change? I know they could 'smell' my cancer/chemo when I was sick 11 years ago.

Sorry, OP, but I think it is probably more likely your younger dog is actually in pain for some reason and expressing it through growling in a 'don't come near me, I'm in pain,' type way. I'd recommend getting her checked out (particularly if any of her other behaviours have changed) by your vet just to be safe.

Really sorry about your older dog though - it's horrible when they get old

Yes I think they can. A friend's dog took a dislike to a dog of a family member when it was near death. They had got on very well previously. On a lighter note, my dog leaves the room if I sneeze, as if she's going to catch something.

My elderly staffy had cancer of the lymph nodes and my other staffy and even the cat would lick that area. Dogs/animals are very perceptive in that way that's why they are used as therapy dogs to let owner know when a seizure is coming. Sorry you are going to lose your much loved pet.please be aware that the other dog/pets will go through a grieving process too. 💔

Thanks so much everyone 😊

The younger (not by much!) dog has hip issues and is on the injection (can't recall the name off the top of my head) but seems so much better since having it regularly, she bounds round like a puppy again.

She snarls when the older one comes into the room and I give her a good telling off 😉 but then give them both lots of cuddles together. It was just their behaviour when I was ill that made me wonder - I think they 'smelled' a change in me that made them growl because they didn't recognise something in me. It stopped when I went into remission.

I have read about grieving in dogs and I'm preparing myself for that 😕 In the meantime I'm making liver cake tomorrow - they're both going to be spoiled into oblivion... 😉

One of our dogs became extremely protective of the other several months before she was diagnosed with cancer. I think he knew. Looking back at photos, he'd started lying right up against her with his paw on hers, and herding other dogs away from her on walks.

Yes, it's definitely a thing.

As well as smelling different, elderly dogs look and behave differently too. I look after there dogs - one an elderly lab and two young mixes - there's definitely been behavioural changes from the younger ones towards the old boy, especially in the last six months or so.

Thanks so much everyone. My eldest girl is now booked in for tomorrow.

I know you all know how hard this is. I've been through the whole pain of putting her on steroids to make her final days less painful, seeing that surge of energy, worrying I'm now making the wrong decision, seeing all of the other degradations and distress, knowing it's the right thing, and being heartbroken.

Give your lovelies an extra cuddle Xx

Sending you a massive hug - it's the final kindness but it's so utterly shit

So sorry. Thinking of you and your lovely girl.