You work really hard during the day and look forward to a good night’s sleep…but your fur baby might have different ideas. Does your senior pet move around a lot at night? Are they restless? Restlessness can be common with puppies but, as your pet ages, you may start to see signs of restlessness, changing positions, or pacing around. During the day this might seem somewhat normal. However, at night, when your senior fur baby is supposed to be snoozing, he or she may instead feel the need to stay up and move around.
If you notice that your senior pet is starting to exhibit nighttime restlessness, there may be more serious issues that need to be addressed. Some pets may experience a subtle restlessness, and you may not notice it. Other times, pet restlessness may be much more pronounced. In either situation, pet restlessness can have various causes and methods to “treat” or manage the change in behavior.
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Your Senior Pet May Be Developing Dementia
- Environmental RemediesFirst, lets explore several causes for why your senior pet may be pacing and won’t lay down.
Your Senior Pet Has Anxiety
Anxiety is first on our list of possible causes for why your senior pet might be restless.
It could be something that changed your fur baby’s routine or maybe some new feature in his or her sleeping area makes them feel uncomfortable.Consider if some of the following may be causing your senior pet anxiety:
- Changes in the household routine
- New noises outside that may be disturbing your dog
- New household members
- Reduction in your dog's daily exercise/activity level
Your Senior Pet May Be Developing Dementia
One of the more common physical ailments for senior pets is the onset of dementia and related symptoms. Our oldest senior that recently passed away developed a severe case of dementia that caused her to pace constantly and to walk around in circles. She would sleep in the day and pace at night, completely reversing her normal sleep pattern. Sometimes referred to as Old Dog Syndrome, dementia in a pet is similar to Alzheimer’s Disease in humans and is formally called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome or CDS.
Possible symptoms include increased anxiety, incontinence, confusion, excessive barking/pacing among others, though the most prominent sign your senior pet has CDS is restlessness at night. There may also be daytime symptoms such as reduced appetite, weight loss and lethargy.
As with plain old anxiety, there are things you can do to “treat’ CDS such as change in diet, medication, and supplements. However, as with human Alzheimer’s Disease, there is no cure for CDS.Check out our article on Canine Cognitive Dysfunction to better understand the condition and to learn about several helpful supplements you can give your senior fur baby!
Your Senior Pet May Be in Pain
Another possible reason for why your senior pet is restless at night is pain. As your senior pet ages, their bodies start to change a bit. Unfortunately, various diseases are also more common in later life stages including cancer. Cancer and other related ailments may involve a new growth inside or outside the body. Growths, such as tumors, tend to push up against other parts of the body and, in some cases, cause discomfort for your fur baby. Other growths, such as fatty lumps that appear under the skin, aren’t painful but may cause you a bit of alarm when you see them.
If your senior pet is experiencing pain, he or she may have symptoms similar to anxiety at night. It is important to look for signs such as extreme salivating, dilated pupils, and their tail between the legs.
Now that we have explored several reasons why your senior pet might be restless, let’s take a closer look at possible remedies for your senior pet’s restlessness!Treatments for Restlessness
Once you have identified one or more reasons why your senior pet won’t sleep at night, you can start to explore possible treatments with your vet.
Medication and Supplements
As with any health-related issue, talk to your senior pet’s veterinarian to see if medicine is the best option, as they may be able prescribe something to treat their anxiety, particularly if the anxiety is severe. For those who prefer not to take their senior pet to the vet for everything, there are calming supplements available to natural ease anxiety levels. However, it is best to check with your vet before giving your senior pet supplements as they could possibly cause negative reactions.
In some cases, the severity of restlessness may require a medicine or supplement to put your senior pet drastically and quickly at ease. Your vet may suggest Anipryl for a dog restless with CDS. Other suggested medicines may include Aricept and Namenda as both can be used in the treatment of CDS. If you are looking for a more natural, holistic treatment plan, consider Huperzine A, an herbal extract that shows promise in the treatment of CDS and seizures in dogs.
If it has been determined that your senior pet is in pain, the underlying causes for the pain will need to be explored in consultation with your vet. Senior pets typically have aches and pains that are normal as they age, and supplements for joint pain and mobility can address some of those aging problems. However, acute pain keeping your senior pet up at night and unable to sleep should be addressed by a medical professional.Whichever path you choose, definitely ensure that you and your vet are on the same page as you make the best decisions for your senior pet.
Environmental Remedies
Once any serious medical issues have been ruled out as the reason for your senior pet’s restlessness, try to establish and maintain a nighttime routine for your senior pet.
Most pets do well with routine so try to provide some structure, similar to your nighttime routine, for your senior so they feel secure with activities and objects that are a part of normal nighttime activity. Ensuring that objects, such as toys and bedding, remain in their normal locations is important for your senior pet as moving things around may cause panic and a sense of insecurity. Try to think about how you would feel if all of your belongings were rearranged, without telling you, on a regular basis. It would be unsettling for you, to say the least!
Another option to make your senior pet comfortable is the use of calming pheromones. Try an Adaptil collar or plug in diffuser. Both products release pheromones that will help to calm your senior pet when there is thunder, during travel and other stress inducing events. Alternatively, try a full-spectrum hemp extract treat with CBD such as those from pet.releaf or a natural supplement such as these calming chews. We have used these products extensively and have found them to be highly effective at relieving high levels of anxiety.
You can also minimize outdoor noises by using a white noise machine. These machines can be quite effective at eliminating unwanted background noise. Just be cautious about the kind of machine you purchase as many include sounds that may actually induce anxiety and restlessness, the opposite effect you want.
At the end of the day, your senior pet may just need a more supportive bed. A donut bed is great option and is a simple way to upgrade your senior pet’s comfort.
Detecting changes in behavior, as your pet ages, is important. Senior pets have different food, activity level and health needs. While we all hope our senior pets have few, if any, age related issues, the reality is that things like restlessness and CDS will pop up. Understanding these issues, in consultation with your pet healthcare professional, is a necessary step to ensuring the comfort of your senior pet in the later stages of their lives.
Let us know how you handle the restlessness you see with your senior pet. We would love to share ideas on how to best deal with this issue!