senile springer spanial

Question
my springer is 14yrs old and as arthritus which is being treated he as also gone senile could this cause excessive barking day and night i am seriously thinking of having him put down because he seems so miserable what can you suggest

Answer
Yes, senility, or Canine Cognitive Dysfunction can cause a dog to bark senselessly, among other things (pain can also cause abnormal behaviors). I've had old dogs who no longer had a "reverse gear" get stuck in corners (and I would have to go hunting for them), and one who would howl if he got separated from me (in the house).

Having old dogs can get VERY frustrating as they require so much more work. I believe that God gives us these frustrations so that we won't miss our friends quite as much when they are gone.

Another thing I feel strongly about is that these dogs give us their entire beings, heart and soul, for their entire lives, and when they get old, it is finally our turn to give back. This can be interpretated in a couple ways, but for me, it means taking care of my old guy until he is ready to leave... and these dogs DO let us know in some fashion when it is time. This is something that each individual needs to work out for himself.

There is a medication (anipryl) now that supposedly alleviates senility, but I have not tried it. You might wish to talk with your veterinarian about this if you are not quite ready to put your friend down and want to try something else with him.
http://www.pethealthresource.com/dog_health/dog_senile.html

Best wishes with this (I have two 14-year-olds myself... ::sigh::)
Karen