[FUReverGolden]

Yes that does sound like a canine version of sundowners. If you do not want to go the pharmaceutical route possibly try massage and/or CBD ? For me I used gabapentin or tramadol when they got in this state because I associated it ( the restlessness) with pain. Either way it worked, everybody got their rest at night. Good luck

 

[Tagrenine]

Strongly recommend a prescription or over the counter bright minds formula

edit: here are some papers

Dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG has long-lasting cognition-enhancing effects in aged dogs - PubMed

The present study focused on the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with medium-chain TAG (MCT) will improve cognitive function in aged dogs by providing the brain with energy in the form of ketones. Aged Beagle dogs were subjected to a baseline battery of cognitive tests, which were used...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of a Therapeutic Diet on Dogs With Signs of Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS): A Prospective Double Blinded Placebo Controlled Clinical Study - PubMed

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a common condition in senior dogs, which may be analogous to dementia such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people. In humans, AD has been associated with many risk factors such as reduced cerebral glucose metabolism, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) deficiency...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[SRW]

P.S. here is a photo of the dog in question....and a Golden.

In spite of all his ailments, he still knows how to have a good time.

 

[aesthetic]

+1 for Bright Minds

If you do end up considering a vet appt, ask for Selegine. It’s a prescription medication meant to help with cognitive decline. I know a handful of people with senior dogs who have benefitted from it

 

[iPappy]

COQ10 helped one of my dogs with cognitive decline as well as heart problems.

 

[laurab18293]

My family and I went the Pet Hemp/CDB route for our older dog. She was 14 when she passed.

 

[Dogsport]

I would take the dog to a vet anyway. No doctor can force you to put a dog down and they could have medications that would help. If your vet would insist on it, find another one. If you see a vet that is able to dispense herbal remedies, you can experiment with different treatments.

 

[Berna]

Selegiline has helped a lot my old Lab, it takes some time to kick in but it's been a life changer.