Dog sleeping a lot

[Lynne&Co.]

I'm not sure if this is related to age but curious to know the length of time older dogs should be sleeping? I realize that activity level, age and health all play a role in the length of time anyone needs to sleep but my 11 year old dog Billy is sleeping a lot. As some of you may remember he had surgery in February to remove a mast cell Tumor so this new sleeping pattern could be due to that.

He is in bed for the night by 10pm and wakes by 7am. After breakfast he goes back to bed until about 10am. If it's nice weather we go for a walk for 30-60 minutes then back home he goes back to bed. From 11am-5pm he only gets up to greet visitors or to toilet then back to bed. Eats his supper at 5pm then back to bed from 5pm-10pm only gets up to greet people or toilet. Then off to bed again for the night at 10pm. He used to follow me around all the time inside the house or out to the garden and now prefers his bed.

He just had his annual checkup 3 weeks ago and vet said he's just old. Blood panel, fecal and wellness exam all came back normal. Is this his new normal? I'm kinda sad for him if it is

[Barkingdog]

Does he go out to pee and poop after breastfast or before breastfast? If not that a long time to go with peeing . I was wonder if he is trouble peeing and has an infection .

[Lynne&Co.]

Yes he does go out to pee and poop at breakfast......just forgot to mention that.

[Barkingdog]

Originally Posted by Lynne&Co.

Yes he does go out to pee and poop at breakfast......just forgot to mention that.

OK , I was just trying to find out if your dog was having trouble peeing and if he had an infection that was making him tried. My dog Marty will take a nap after eating or after a walk and he is only 4 yo . His nap can be a hour long at a time , but as soon I start making lunch or dinner Marty wake up.

[marko]

All dogs are different and age differently...although 11 is not ancient for a dog, your dog is now a senior citizen. An old approximation is 1 year for a dog is 7 human years so your dog might be around 77 in human years. Although many 77 year old humans are still very vital and active, I'd bet hard that most have slowed down considerably.

If your dog has seen the vet and gotten a clean bill of health...then yup this just might be old age - and with old age comes lots of napping. Napping is good though, I love a good nap when I can get one

Here's a very general article on senior dogs just in case it can help.

Good luck!

http://www.pets.ca/dogs/articles/senior-dogs/

[Lynne&Co.]

I know what you mean BD! Billy was always on high alert when food was being prepared. Now he just looks over and then snuggles back into bed.
As you say Marko, he is a senior and the article you included reiterated the age thing. He just seems way more tired than 3 months ago but I guess that would equal almost 2 years if I use the 1 human year to the 7 dog year formula.