# Senior GSD Aggression



## Aerina519 (Oct 25, 2009)

Hi Everyone,

I posted a while ago about my 10 year old GSD, Jasmine. Jasmine was having some health issues, and after many tests (including the test for Cushing's), the vet determined that her symptoms are most likely due to old age. Now, she hasn't gotten any better but not too much worse. She has been having an aggression issue lately though. She has become very short with the 2 cats we have, mostly just chasing them. Last night, after I went to bed I heard her running around, barking and growling I believe at the cats. Then today my daughter had a bowl of crackers on the couch and when one of the cats walked over it Jasmine showed her teeth at her. About a month or so ago I had a treat in my hand and I was trying to get her to speak before I gave it to her and she showed her teeth at me. This concerns me because I have a 2 year old. I am planning on calling the vet in the morning but I was wondering if anyone has any advice or experience with senior dogs showing aggression? Will she get worse? Are we in danger of her turning on us? If so, are there warning signs I should look for? This is really very hard for me, I've had Jas since she was 9 weeks old and she's been my best friend for 10 1/2 years. She loves my daughter very very much and she's sooo good with her, but I worry that might change...


----------



## Elaine (Sep 10, 2006)

Sometimes this sort of thing can be due to pain like arthritis or senior dementia.Ask your vet about both.


----------



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Have you had her thyroid checked recently? That can cause aggression and is common in seniors.


----------



## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

You didn't mention if she's taking any medication, but some medicines like Pred can cause personality changes.


----------



## LDB158 (Jan 25, 2010)

I haven't had a shepherd experience this, but my 10 yo border collie/lab went through this before I had to put her down. She would try to start fights with my Shepherd. If he walked by her, she would growl at him and charge at him. Whenever I had guests come over, she would growl at them as well. She would be okay once they sat down but she never took her eyes off of them. If they moved all of a sudden, she would jump up and show all of her teeth. One of my friends was petting her, and then all of a sudden, she snapped and bit his hand (luckily not breaking the skin). That was my fault, I should have had her by my side or in the other room, but she seemed to be fine when he was playing with her. She also snapped at me a couple of times, but not hard.

The vet would always have to put a muzzle on her (and they had to put an orange sheet on her file alerting all the techs that she bites). She tried to bite the vet a couple of times that I went there for her check ups. 

After she got really sick (hard time breathing, seizures, not eating), the did an xray and found out she had lung cancer. They believe it spread from a brain tumor, which is what possibly caused the sudden change in temperament. Her head had a huge loss of muscle on one side several months prior, and they told me they thought it was nerve damage when I took her in for it back then. I wish I had gotten a xray then, but the vet seemed so sure it was a nerve damage condition, common in border collies. 

That was my first experience with a senior expressing agression, but like I said, it wasn't with a german sherpherd. 

But like someone else already mentioned, ask about arthritis, because that was one of the things the vet had mentioned to me that could have caused Trix's agression before they found the cancer. She had really bad arthritis in her hind legs.


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Yep, full blood panel, with a thyroid check is the first step.


----------



## blord (Feb 14, 2009)

I have been having this kind of issue with Ellie lately as well. She is just not as tolerant of people or animals as she used to be. She used to love to play with other dogs but now she gets immediately defensive. I have begun to worry about my sons friends coming over as I can tell she is anxious and on the defensive. I keep her on a leash by my side most of the time when we have company or I'm comstantly watching her and calling her to me. She hasn't actually done anything but growl, but to me that's enough. She has had a full blood panel done recently and her thyroid was borderling but everything else is normal. She does have spondylosis and some arthritis in her hips. I have Tramadol for her but am unsure of when she needs it because she doesn't show her pain too much. I'll be interested to see what other people have to say about this. The vet says it's just old age.


----------



## GROVEBEAUTY (Oct 23, 2008)

Have you thought about Canine Cognitive Disease? There is an article on it in Dog Fancy this month.


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

blord said:


> She has had a full blood panel done recently and her thyroid was borderling but everything else is normal.


A change in behaviour with borderline thyroid levels is suspicious. I would have the free T4 and free T3 run.


----------



## blord (Feb 14, 2009)

LisaT said:


> A change in behaviour with borderline thyroid levels is suspicious. I would have the free T4 and free T3 run.


 
I was thinking that too. The vet seemed to think it was unnecessary. I guess they send it to Michigan to be tested and it costs over $100 so usually if they see a problem in the dog they just put them on medication. She said Ellie had no real symptoms. I think she does as I've been trying to have her lose a little weight so I've cut her food back, but when I took her in to be weighed she had actually gained weight. This and her behavior make me think I need to override the vet.


----------



## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

I think a lot of vets don't understand the thyroid very well. I have had to be very assertive to get proper testing for the dogs I have here too.


----------



## Gib Laut (Feb 21, 2010)

wonderful article by Ms. Dodds....

DODDS-BEHV-THYROID


----------



## Josiebear (Oct 16, 2006)

I have a family member who had a 16 year old lab that was the same way. He was called the "grumpy bear" or " grumpy old man". He would bark and grumble at people and other dogs. It's almost like he had a short memory or something. The dog eventually had to be put to sleep though.

Check him out to rule out any health issues.


----------

