January 13, 2023
Toki’s Journey – Overall Wellness and Behavior
Grab three cups of coffee, this is a long one!
Canine Behavior is a fascinating subject. Everything from the way dogs learn to their emotional inner world are surprisingly like our own feelings and interpretations of the world. Of course, there are many stark differences in how we perceive the world as well. Additionally, dogs can’t talk, which brings me to the mystery that has been my dog, Toki for a few months.
Toki, my 10-year-old pibble, has always been my goofy best bud. Obsessed with Kong toys (you’d never see him without one sticking out of his mouth), energetically stomp/marching through the house with what I call his “helicopter feet” – high stepping with his front legs and arching them outward from his body in a joyful prance. Toki loves casual sniffy walks around the neighborhood, preferring short distances that include stopping at his favorite neighbors’ homes to say hello. He loves his “dog sisters” but is mostly content to hang with me as if I’m the only living creature on Earth. He’s had a few bouts with anxiety in the past when my schedule changed dramatically but is overall well balanced and happy-go-lucky.
But something started to change a few months ago. Occasionally, I would enter a room and find him trembling for no discernable reason. I’d comfort him or cover him in a blanket and the episode would pass. I didn’t think too much of it. I attributed it to cold or fear of the odd noise I didn’t notice in the neighborhood.
Then he started walking with an odd gait from time to time. Occasionally, his hind legs would seem weak. He started trembling more frequently as well as obsessing over certain toys and shredding inappropriate items. Incredibly, he became completely uninterested in his Kongs unless they were stuffed with goodies. I can’t tell you how weird that is. He has rarely been photographed without a Kong in his mouth in over 10 years.
Eventually, Toki started being restless at night, getting up in the middle of the night to go outside. He became irritable with his cat and dog housemates. He didn’t want to walk around the neighborhood. He would sometimes slide all over the kitchen floor when trying to get from one room to another. He seemed lethargic at times and hyperactive at others. During this time, I was talking to veterinarians about controlling pain (known spondylosis) and anxiety. We ran several blood tests, and he was examined multiple times. I was working on behavior modification at home. Well, one day he began vomiting and having diarrhea. It got bad enough that we rushed him to the ER and he was x-rayed, treated and released. The next day he had an ultrasound. The results tentatively diagnosed him with inflammatory bowel disease.
But it didn’t end there! Even when his GI symptoms resolved, Toki continued trembling through all kinds of medications and having difficulty getting around. His demeanor was so upsetting that there were days I thought he was dying or had a brain tumor. That’s when I pulled out all the stops and added in as many vets as I felt would help me. I was concerned that he might be suffering from cognitive dysfunction in addition to physical pain.
Now here is the good news. As of this morning, Toki is behaving like his normal self! He started improving noticeably over the last few days. He even took a respectable walk yesterday. And here’s what we have done to help:
Toki’s favorite house call vet spoke to me in detail about all the options and possibilities for Toki’s long list of symptoms. We decided to address everything. We are treating with medication for pain and inflammation (spondylosis, joints), prescription food and supplements for brain health, medication for anxiety, and adding fiber and continuing probiotics in his diet for gut health. I am working at home to challenge and exercise his brain every day, and I have added structure back into his daily routine. It is worth noting that my schedule had changed drastically in August.
I established Toki with an additional veterinarian who was willing, much like his house call vet, to take extra time to discuss his symptoms and lifestyle at length to address not only his physical health, but his brain health. Both of these veterinarians discussed further workup options with me including honest and direct recommendations regarding the most sensible tests.
Is all of this costing an arm and a leg? Yes it sure is, but the improvement I’ve been seeing is worth every penny and more.
Dogs can’t tell us what is happening to them internally. Outside of obvious injury or illness, it is a dog’s behavior that will alert us to a problem. It is especially important to address cognitive issues in addition to physical health in senior dogs. Many dogs over the age of 8 will start to show signs of cognitive dysfunction, and this is an area that is hard to understand and diagnose.
So, which of the medications and behavioral treatments are doing the trick for Toki? I would guess it’s all of them. His body is now clearly pain-free. He is calm and focused, he is not obsessing over and shredding inappropriate items (RIP all of my bed sheets), and his li’l tummy is all better. I will continue giving him supplements and prescription food to combat cognitive decline. Was that part of his issue? I don’t know, but I DO know that I want to prevent canine cognitive dysfunction for as long as I can. I also know that he is more sensitive to change and discomfort than he was as a youngin’. He is a happy boy now, so I’ll spend a billion dollars to keep him that way. Oh, and Toki is once again carrying around his Kongs like they’re his babies.
Your dog’s health – physical, mental, and emotional – all get expressed through your dog’s behavior. Work with your vet to look at the whole picture to achieve better outcomes for your special BFFs! I hope that I am able to update you with continued positive progress. Do you have experience with changes in your senior dog’s demeanor and health? Message me to talk about it!
HOORAY FOR TOKI!
Where are his ears?