Sundowning In A Grey...is It Possible?

[Devotion]

HI! I'm back with some concerns for Avril. Just a quick refresher....Avril had encephalitis last summer. She presented with acute seizures which really was status epilepticus and had to have anesthesia to come out of it. You all helped me so much with that.

She had what I would call severe circling, head tilt and basically couldn't do much of anything on her own. But she fought and overcame. Her personality is Devine. She is the sweetest most gentle hound.

 

Ok now fast forward, Avril does have brain damage. It's just apparant and hard to describe but it's there. However, I do not for one minute think her quality of life has been diminished. She is also partially blind. I would describe it as being "legally blind." she see's shadows but doesn't realize what it is unless very close. She is a certified therapy dog and still does a great job. She goes to lots of Greyhound events etc.

 

Ok. Here's the new question, cocern. She becomes extremely aggitated every evening around 7 (ish). She paces, whines, will even bark, seems completely unsettled for about 30 minutes. I have not a clue as to what is going on. I've had cancer and just in my explaining this it's like what I would feel after chemo at times like I was crawling out of my skin. I work in rehab and know patients with dementia can have what they refer to as "SUNDOWNING" when it becomes dark the patient gets aggitated. I swear this is like Avril. It's the weirdest thing I've seen.

Has anyone experienced something like this? if so please help or advice me!

 

and yes, I have a great relationship with my vet. I just want outside experience/knowledge etc if there is any.

 

We go out at nights sometimes and when we come in she seems fine. 9 or 10. It has happened when we come in late but not always. So unless, I set up a camera I haven't a clue if this happened.

She is so sweet and has NEVER shown aggression to any of our other pets or us so that's not an issue. It's just complete unsettling on her part.

 

I'm sure I've left so much out but I just really would like to know if sundown is an option in dogs like people.

 

thanks for reading....

Pam and Avril

[DaisyDoodle]

It could be sundowning. Or, could it literally be the darkness/sundown? Or, perhaps a side effect of some medication she gets a few hours earlier in the day/evening?

[Guest 4dogscrazy]

Just throwing this out there...is it getting dark when this happens? Could she be getting scared due to her partial blindness?

[Devotion]

Oh gosh I don't know why this is happening. I live in Houston and it gets dark around 6ish. so it seems to happen a bit later. i swear it's the most bizarre thing to witness. It's like she is terrified for a brief time. Her med schedule is 6am and 6pm. they said to space them out 12 hrs. I can certainly change this if necessary.

 

I'm just so concerned. thanks for input!

[GreytNut]

My guess is that it has to do with her vision. She already doesn't see well, and when the light begins to diminish her sight becomes that much worse. After a while she adjusts to the change and relaxes again.

[krissn333]

There IS something called canine cognitive disorder, but your case makes me wonder if it has more to do with her vision.

[hikinghounds]

I don't really know about sundowning, but I thought I'd mention the supplement Denamarin http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/vet/products/Denamarin.aspx that I'm giving Zephyr who got encephalitis last year. The neurologist suggested it when all his meds. and treatment started to effect his liver function. I think it's mainly used for liver support, but when I researched it I found out it's also thought to be a good brain supplement. I thought that was great since Zephyr had encephalitis and I'm sure his brain was still healing. Although he doesn't show any outward signs of brain damage, but he still takes seizure meds. A friend who is a vet said she has suggested it for dogs who have the canine cognitive disorder and older dogs, etc. We changed Zephyr's seizure med. to Keppra and over the months have reduced all his meds. so his liver function is very close to normal now. He's almost off all meds., except Keppra, and we think his liver function will return to normal. Since we changed meds. along with adding the Denamarin I can't say for sure how much the Denamarin helped, or helps because I'm still giving it to him.

 

Zephyr was having these funny "spells" where I wasn't sure what was going on and they started a few months after him getting encephalitis. Occasionally he walked around and seemed confused, like he was maybe searching for something or wondering and worrying about something. I would get him and have him lay down with me and he would settle. Sometimes he'd get up again and want to continue but I'd have him lay down with me again and he then he'd settle. These all happened at night. I thought maybe it was a small seizure, or maybe brain function. I never totally figured it out, but it was odd and of course worried me. I did notice that since taking the Denamarin those have stopped. Again, I can't be sure if it was the Denamarin that helped, if it was just natural healing, or change in meds., but I thought I'd let you know about it. If you think you might try the Denamarin search the Internet for the best price. It's kind of expensive, but you can find it for a lot less than full price on the net.

 

I'm so glad that Avril is doing well overall and is a sweet happy girl.

[dante2zoe]

My whippet started sundowning a yeer or so ago. I put timers on lights all over the place to keep the darkness at bay until I get home from work. That seems to help. I also started him on Cholodin, which also seems to help. It is hard to see them so confused!

 

Scritches to your pretty girl.

[Devotion]

Thanks so much for the help! I am definitely checking out the denamarin. I will be speaking to my vet about all of this tomorrow.

Again, appreciate the advice, and good thoughts for Avril.

[Guest Snazzy_Chloe]

By your reply it appears not to be related to darkness as you say it is after 7 (when it turns dark at 6) when she has problems. How about shifting her med time an hour or so (if that is possible with your schedule) to see if the condition follows the time shift of the meds - Then you would know if its related to the meds and if so that would be something you could talk to the vet about (changing frequency or amount of the dosage) . Although if you gave her meds at 6 -you would think that they would be into her system by 7 - I think it would be worth a try. Interesting that she doesn't have any issues at 7AM?

[Devotion]

Went to the vet and went over everything will Avril. Took video of what was occurring. They felt it was more of a seizure episode. Put her on 200 mg of Gabepentin at night and so far (last night and tonight) NO EPISODE whatsover! I'm over the moon excited!

 

Avril's not drowsy just seems more settled and not anxious.

 

Thanks for your support! I so greatly appreciate it!

[Guest LeeV]

Our nearly 13 year old greyhound has recently started the same thing, except that it seems to begin around 10 pm, rather than just after sundown. We can no longer simply let her out in our fenced backyard for her last opportunity to relieve herself, or she'll simply stand in the middle of the yard rather than coming back in -- even if it's raining or very cold. She's perfectly willing to come back in when she's on a leash, but seems not to understand that she should come back in (even if she's called). And she starts getting very nervous around that time, not wanting to leave our side, panting, and trembling. Fortunately, she hasn't been exhibiting any behaviors such as barking after we go to bed, but I feel sorry for her. She seems fine during the day and early evening.

 

The other thing is that she seems to have stopped dreaming -- or at least she doesn't do the leg twitching and whimpering that she used to do when she was having a dream. For a while, she would shoot up and run across the room when she woke up from a dream, rather than acting like she had since we got her at the age of about 3, but now she doesn't even to that.

[seeh2o]

You may want to PM Dee, Energy11, as her grey girl, Goldie, has some sundowning going on. My s/o's senior Boston Terrier developed sundowners, he would wander around and bark, it was so sad. He would do it for more than an hour and was nearly inconsolable. He had some liver problems, was on Denmarin for several years with lots of success, though it didn't help with his sundowners.