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Question
So I'm really worried about my dog. She is around 9 years old and has been acting strange recently. She has a brother and when they are let out into our family room to sit with us her brother will stay and sleep on the couch but after 5 minutes she will leave the family room and go downstairs into our basement by herself. The lights are always off down there so sometimes I'll find her in the laundry room or her dog room just sleeping alone by herself. Sometimes you can call her to come upstairs and she will but most times she prefers her dark rooms. My sister thinks she might be sick or in pain? I feel bad for her and I want to help her. Any advice on why she could be doing this?
A nine year old dog has a good chance of being in some kind of pain or having something going on inside of her.
She needs to see the vet so he can feel her all over and check her stomach etc for tumors deep in her belly. She might not be showing any other symptoms but any time a dog hides from the family she is in some kind of distress.
Call the vet tomorrow and take her in to be seen soon.
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Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
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