Why is my dog pacing? - Wag!

Some dogs are simply more nervous or anxious and will use pacing as a way to relieve their anxiety. Others will pace when they are agitated about something or ... ServicesWalkingSittingBoardingDrop-InVisitsIn-HomeTrainingDigitalTrainingVetChatWellnessPlansSafetyCommunityGuidelinesTrust&SafetyComparePetInsurancePlansHelpCenterServicesWalkingSittingBoardingDrop-InVisitsIn-HomeTrainingDigitalTrainingVetChatWellnessPlansBecomeaCaregiverBecomeaWalkerBecomeaSitterLoginBecomeaCaregiverBecomeaWalkerBecomeaSitterSignupHomeDogSymptomsPacinginDogsPacinginDogsMostcommonconditionsBrainTumor/Dementia/LiverDiseaseRatedasmoderateconditon12VeterinaryAnswersMostcommonconditionsBrainTumor/Dementia/LiverDiseasePrepareforunexpectedvetbillsCompareInsuranceOptionsPrepareforunexpectedvetbillsCompareInsuranceOptionsWhatisPacing?Whenyounoticeyourdogpacing,stopandwatchthemtoseeiftheyareexhibitingothersymptomsthatcouldpointtoanunderlyingcausethatmayrequiremedicaltreatment.Somedogsaresimplymorenervousoranxiousandwillusepacingasawaytorelievetheiranxiety.Otherswillpacewhentheyareagitatedaboutsomethingorsomeoneinorjustoutsidethehome.Somedogsmaypacebecausetheysimplywantyourattention.Youknowyourdogbetterthananyoneelseandiftheirpacingseemsunusual,speakwithyourveterinarianaboutthepossiblecausesandhowtostoporminimizethebehavior. Therearecertainmedicalconditionsthatcancauseyourdogtopaceandactunsettled.Youshouldspeakwithyourveterinarianifthepacingispersistentorisaccompaniedbyothersymptomssuchasrefusaltoeatordrink,suddenweightloss,discoloredurine,excessivedrooling,whiningorcryingorexcessivethirst. Possiblereasonsyourdogispacinginclude:AnxietyLiverdiseaseCushing’sdiseaseDementiaBraintumorsVetbillscansneakuponyou.Planahead.Getthepawfectinsuranceplanforyourpup.CompareplansWhyPacingOccursinDogsAnxietyAnxietycanincludeseveraldifferentthingsfromseparationanxietytofear.Anxietyiswhenyourdogbecomesoverlystressedandcannotemotionallydealwiththesestresses.Itcanbetriggeredbypasttraumaorbadexperiences.Mostdogsthatexperiencesevereanxietycanbegivenmedications,eithernaturalorprescription,tohelpalleviatetheiranxiousness.Insomecases,aprofessionalcaninebehaviouristmayalsobeabletohelpyouworkwithyourdogtoeasetheiranxiety. LiverDiseaseItmayseemoddtoincludeliverdiseaseasapotentialcauseofyourdog’spacing,butdamagetothelivercancauseabnormalneurologicalbehaviorswhichincludepacingandsuddenchangesinbehavior.Whentheliverisnotfunctioningrightitcannotfiltertoxinsoutofthebody.Thesetoxinscantheninvadethebloodstreamandaffecttheneurologicalsystemofyourdog. Cushing’sDiseaseCushing’sdiseaseistheoverproductionofthehormonecortisol.Itismostcommoninolderdogs,butcanstillaffectdogsofanyage.ThemostcommonsymptomsofCushing’sdiseaseincludepacing,wanderingandrestlessnessaswellaspantingandanincreasedthirst.Cushing’sdiseasecanbecausedbyapituitarytumorthatcanpressagainstthebrainorbrainstemandcauseneurologicaldamage.Thisisaseriousconditionthatwillrequireon-goingtreatment.DementiaDogscandevelop'doggydementia'orcaninecognitivedysfunctionintheiroldage.Thesymptomsofdementiawillcomeonslowlyandyoumaynotnoticethematfirst.Yourdogmaybecomedisorientedorconfusedandthiscancausethemtopace,wanderorcircleaimlessly.Thisisadegenerativedisease.BrainTumorOlderdogsaremorepronetodevelopingtumorsinthebrainoralongthebrainstemcausingabnormalbehavior.Thesetumorswillaffecttheneurologicalsystemandcauseyourdogtopaceandseemunsettled.TopWhattodoifyourDogisPacingSometimesdogswillpacewhensomethingupsetsthemorthereisanexternalsourceofstress.Whenthebehaviorpersistsbeyondafewhours,youneedtoassessyourdogandtrytodetermineiftheyareseekingattention,sufferingfromanxietyorifthereisamedicalconditioncausingthemtopace. Dogsthatareanxiousmaystillneedtovisittheirveterinarian.Anoverlyanxiousdogmayneedmedicationtocalmthem.Therearealsonaturalremediesthatcanbegiventoalleviatesomeoftheiranxiety.Pastexperiencesortraumacanalsoplayaroleinyourdog’sanxietyandreassurancewillhelpthem.Sometimes,therapeutictreatmentssuchasmassageoracupuncturecanhelpyourdog’sanxietyascanworkingwithaprofessionaldogtrainer. Dogsthathavebeendiagnosedwithahealthconditionthatiscausingthemtopace,suchasliverdisease,Cushing’sdisease,dementiaorbraintumors,willrequirespecializedveterinarycare.Treatmentswillvarydependingontheexactcauseandtheseverityofthecondition.Medicationsand/orsurgeriesmaybeadvisedbyyourveterinarian.On-goingcareandtreatmentsshouldbeexpected.TopPreventionofPacingItcanbedifficulttopreventamedicalconditionfromoccurring.Keepyourdogactiveandfeedthemaqualityfoodtoensurethattheyaregettingtheexerciseandnutrientstheyneedtomaintainahealthybody.Besuretoscheduleregularvisitstoyourveterinariantoensurethatyourdogisinoptimalhealth. Dogsthataresufferingfromanxietycanbecomeproblematicandmayrequireaprofessionalbehaviouristthatspecializesinanxietyindogs.Takesometimeandresearchnaturalremediesforanxietythatwillcalmyourdogandallowthemtorelaxandnotbesoanxious. Speakwithyourveterinarianaboutwhatyouhaveresearchedandasktheiropiniononthesubject.TopCostofPacingYourdog’shealthisveryimportanttoyoubutitcanbeexpensivetotreatcertainconditions.Liverdiseasecancostaround$5500totreat.Cushing’sdiseasecancostaround$2000totreat.Dementiaandothercognitivedisorderscancostbetween$300and$500fortreatment.Braintumorscanbeverycostlyandtreatmentscanrangebetween$5000and$12000.Top*Wag!maycollectashareofsalesorothercompensationfromthelinksonthispage.Itemsaresoldbytheretailer,notWag!.PacingQuestionsandAdvicefromVeterinaryProfessionalsAmericanPitBullTerrierTwoYearsUnknownseverity0foundhelpfulUnknownseverityHasSymptomsBecomingMeanShewasasweetheartbeforeandoveramonthspanshehasnowbittenherownerandmemultipletimeswithoutwarningandhasseriousanxietyissues,pacing,growlingwhenwetrytopetherandsometimestryingtobiteus,territorialissuesoverhertoysandourbed.Isthereanythingwecandotohelpher?March18,2021OwnerDr.LindaS.MVBMRCVS0RecommendationsI'msorrytohearthis. Itsoundsasthoughshemayhavedevelopedreourceguardingandisgenerallyanxious. AsthingshaveescalatedsoquicklyitisimperativewestartaddressingthisASAP.Iwouldconsultwithabehaviouristrightaway.Inthemeantime,keepeveryonesafebygivingherspace,readingherbodylanguageandtryingtoavoidthosesituationsinwhichshehasbittenbefore.Forexample,ifshebiteswhenyoutakeachewaway,shecannothavechewfornow.March18,2021Wasthisexperiencehelpful?ShihTzu/RatTerrier6mosUnknownseverity3foundhelpfulUnknownseverityHasSymptomsPacing/DroolingOurpuppybeganpacingacoupleweeksagoandhavenoticedherbehaviorchangingmoreandmore.Nowsheisdroolingalot.Sheisfineuntilaboutnoon.Sheeatsanddrinksfirstthinginthemorningjustfine.Sheisalittlepig!lolSheisthinandIcan’tgethertoeatoncethepacingstarts!!☹️Thisgoesonforhoursuntilshefinallygoesofftosleep.Whenmorningcomesandweuncratehersheseemsfineforabout6hoursandthenthepacingstartsagain!!Pleasehelp!😢July18,2020OwnerDr.MicheleK.DVM3RecommendationsThankyouforyourquestion. Ifsheispacinganddrooling,thatmaybeasignofnauseaoranxiety.Itwouldprobablybebesttohaveanexaminationdonewithyourveterinarian,asitisdifficultformetoassesswhatisgoingonwithoutseeingher.Ifitissomethingthathashappeningveryregularly,theremaybesomethingthatisupsettingherstomachwithherfood,orsomethinginherenvironment.Youcouldtryfeedingherablanddietofboiledwhitechickenandboiledwhitericeforadayortwoandseeifthingsgetbetter,otherwiseIthinkitwouldbebesttohaveherseenbyyourveterinarian.Ihopethatallgoeswellforher.July18,2020Wasthisexperiencehelpful?SeemoreSeemoreVetbillscansneakuponyou.Planahead.Getthepawfectinsuranceplanforyourpup.CompareplansRelatedHealthArticlesIsolatingHimselfUrinatinginHisBedPantingAfterGivingBirthScaredandShakingAggressiveatNightChewingOffHisFurNotPeeingNotPoopingTakingShortQuickBreathsStickingOutHisTongueUnabletoMoveSpottingBloodKickingBackLegsFallingDownUrinatingontheCouchSwayingBackandForthNeedroutinewellnesscoverage?LearnmoreintheWag!appFivestarsFivestarsFivestarsFivestarsFivestars43k+reviewsInstallWag!AboutWag!AboutWag!TrustandSafetyCommunityguidelinesWag!PartnersPressBlogCareersBecomeaDogWalkerTopWag!citiesSanFranciscoLosAngelesChicagoNewYorkAtlantaWashingtonD.C.DallasMiamiPhiladelphiaHelpCenterResourcesDogHealthDogTrainingDogGroomingDogBreedsDogNamesDogActivitiesDogSensesDogBehaviorLifestylesDogBeachesDogCampgroundDogParksDogTrailsSecurityResponsibledisclosureAppStoreGooglePlayStorePrivacypolicyCAPrivacyTerms&conditionsAccessibility©2021WagLabs,Inc.Allrightsreserved.Wag!HelpCenterAppStoreGooglePlayStoreDownloadtheWag!appAboutWag!AboutWag!TrustandSafetyCommunityguidelinesWag!PartnersPressBlogCareersBecomeaDogWalkerResourcesDogHealthDogTrainingDogGroomingDogBreedsDogNamesDogActivitiesDogSensesDogBehaviorTopWag!citiesSanFranciscoLosAngelesChicagoNewYorkAtlantaWashingtonD.C.DallasMiamiPhiladelphiaLifestylesDogBeachesDogCampgroundDogParksDogTrailsSecurityResponsibledisclosure©2021WagLabs,Inc.Allrightsreserved.PrivacypolicyCAPrivacyTerms&conditionsAccessibilityWag!HelpCenterAppStoreGooglePlayStoreDownloadtheWag!appAboutWag!AboutWag!TrustandSafetyCommunityguidelinesWag!PartnersPressBlogCareersBecomeaDogWalkerTopWag!citiesSanFranciscoLosAngelesChicagoNewYorkAtlantaWashingtonD.C.DallasMiamiPhiladelphiaResourcesDogHealthDogTrainingDogGroomingDogBreedsDogNamesDogActivitiesDogSensesDogBehaviorLifestylesDogBeachesDogCampgroundDogParksDogTrailsSecurityResponsibledisclosure©2021WagLabs,Inc.Allrightsreserved.PrivacypolicyCAPrivacyTerms&conditionsAccessibility