I live in a small town. We only have one vet. The next closest one is about an hour and a half away
He's not having any eating or potty issues. He eats good and let's us know when it's time for him to go outside. He doesn't seem to be in any pain.
And the life expectancy is about 16 years, but I know someone who has a beagle that's 22.
I feel aggression comes with age rather then any problem, try to see a better vets who actually get better understanding of his health.
Could be age, maybe a "stronger' or "better" emotional drug/tranquilizer would be the best solution.
Does he eat and toilet in the normal ways? Does he seem to be in pain? Maybe a pain relief is worth a try, best if agreed by the the vet. I would resist a prescription pain killer from the vet if the vet will agree to try some over the counter first. We have used only prescription pain management, usually a liquid, on our dog. But, I use over the counter antihistamine on a regular basis, can't say it does a lot of good.
What's the live expectancy for a beagle? I'd guess 14 is in the last year or two of life in any case.
We checked. Aggression isn't one of them. My mom is making an appt with the vet this week.
Check the side effects of his arthritis medication.
he gets one done every 2 months
My friend had a cocker that was about 14 and had been having sporadic seizures. He then got very aggressive. They diagnosed a brain tumor. You may want to have this checked as well.
Hiw long ago were the blood tests done? I would ask that a T3, T4 test be done to rule out hypothyroid.
The vet has no idea why he was seizing. All x-rays, blood work and MRIs came back normal. He hasn't had an attack in about 4 months now.
I would agree the neutering probably has nothing to do with the aggression. Dementia may be an issue. He could have a thyroid or hormonal imbalance, which can be tested. He may be losing his sight and/or hearing or be in pain and you don't realize it.
What puts up a red flag for me was you saying he was having seizures. Was the cause ever determined and were any tests done or medication given? This may be a neurological problem I think should be further evaluate.
Please keep us posted, poor guy and poor you.
I agree with Blu. Also, in people with early stage dementia, having to undergo anesthesia can sometimes cause a rapid worsening of the symptoms. (This happened to my dad) Dunno if it applies to dogs, but it might help explain the sudden changes.
Good luck!
You may be seeing canine senility here. There are treatments that can help this. Google it and see your vet. Blessings - Blu