Old Dog won't Sleep at Night

[deepsilver]

My 18 year old cockapoo won't sleep at night.  He sleeps during the day when we are not home and during the night he is restless.  He is up every hour seeking activity and pees on the floor when he doesn't find any.  This is making his us crazy as his activity is keeping us awake.  Having him sleep in another room or outside is not an option as he has extreme seperation anxiety.  We've tried many options to make him not be so restless including taking him for walks at night to tire him out, giving him natural pet medications to relax him,  giving him up to 50mg of Benedryl (he's only 14lbs) and as far as having the vet prescribe a low dose of acepromazine to help sedate him at night and NOTHING works.  He countinues to be up at night pacing the house.  Please help, I'm beginning to lose my sanity due to lack of sleep.  

[SamAnslee]

Thank you for replying.  I totally agree and would also like some valid advice from someone who actually reads and understands the issue.

[DeWitch]

Just reading these at 3:07 AM since being awake for two nights with our 13 year-old Chow rescue that we adopted when he was 10 years old.  He has good nights mostly and then wham we have a few where he paces, pants and wants in and out all night long.   It is funny that I was wondering about food causing the problem just today. We have two rescues and they normally eat chicken but I got a good deal on a beef roast that they have eaten for a few nights now.  And lo and behold Lillyfingers mentioned beef as a cause in her dog to be awake at night.  So it's definitely going to be chicken for doggy dinner tomorrow.

[tonyb286]

It's also worth changing feeding times and amounts, particularly if you tend to feed later in the day. Smaller amounts fed at intervals is better than one large meal and feeding before 6pm may help give the food time to pass through the stomach and upper digestive tract.

[JosesMom]

Omg, this is us! My 13 year old Chihuahua used to sleep through the night and all of a sudden, this year he he started getting up 3, 4, 5 times a night. Putting him in another room isn't an option because he'd cry and bark all night and we're in a small condo. He paces ALL NIGHT LONG. It's driving me insane and I'm a huge dog lover but have been having terrible thoughts about rehoming him, and even putting him down (I won't do these things; I'm just saying they are my thoughts when in desperate to sleep a full night). I don't know what else I can do. He's been tested for UTI and he's fine. He also has no hormone abnormalities. Has anyone found a solution? What can I do? I'm losing my mind. Oh, it's 3:54 am as I write this. Our 7th time being awake tonight. Please please help.

[myTippie]

the difference is the dosage

[Lillyfingers]

Hi Moksele, i left a message below for you and Pam but could only add one name in the note but i wanted you to see it too as i hope my experience with experimenting with my old dogs food could help you with your old friend too.

[Lillyfingers]

Hi Pam, I thought i would let you know what we are doing with our old Jack Russell Mr Grub who is almost 18 and I am lucky enough to be his full time carer! but even we need sleep! Ok so this is what i have noticed during the journey of looking after him in his old years. If I deviate of this plan he acts like he is in pain, pants, runs into things, wakes up every few hours etc....  I feed him boiled lovely leg chicken (without skin so not too fatty and NO bones) with a little bit of sweet potato mashed up in a mortar and pestle. I feed him every 4 hours (sounds like a newborn hey!) and in the mornings when i am tired and want to go back to sleep i will feed him one gluten free biscuit (human food) and he will go back off to sleep. The Vet reckons that Grubby has a some kidney issues as he drinks a lot (and hence needs to pee a lot...sigh!)  I have organised two spaces that are flat one in the house and one out (small and safe) and he basically lives between the two of them. He will sleep around 4 to 6 hours but i find it is mostly 5 hours. He hates to wee or poo in the house so i have to take him into his little flat garden for this. If I feed him any red meat at all he will have an overload of ammonia and without fail he will act like he has dementia and our house hold become sleep deprived and anxious wondering what is wrong with him. So I try not to deviate off the food plan and am rewarded with a calm drug free dog.....and this is definitely worth the effort.