Dog starting to snap- possible sickness?

WittyKitty1

My dog is 9 years old. Always a friendly dog, never snappy towards anyone ever.

in the last week he has snapped at my sisters face when she lay down on her bed (the dog was already lying on my sisters bed)

When I tired to put him outside (usually not a problem) he snapped at me and actually nipped my finger, although didn't break the skin..

I'm just wondering if this could be some sign of illness with him?

Usually in the mornings he is waiting at the kitchen door with his tail wagging all excited to see us but now he is cowering down in his bed as if he has done something wrong..

I'm thinking of bringing him to the vet to make sure there is nothing going on but I don't really know what to say to her in terms of what I want her to do.. Do you think it's just a general check up I should ask for or something more specific?

All advice welcome:D

mistress_gi

well if he is in some sort of pain it could account for the snapping. if it were me i would not delay and would take him to the vet asap, considering this is so out of character.
Good luck

Jelly2

I would definitely bring him to the vet. Perhaps he is nervous of being touched because he is in pain. He's getting on a bit now, so he may be getting something like arthritis and this can be very uncomfortable for him - so that he might not want to leave his bed to meet you in the morning, for example. One of our dogs has arthritis and before she was treated she would growl if we tried to move her by pushing, carrying etc, as she anticipated pain or was actually feeling pain. At first we thought she was just getting grumpy, but we were suspicious that a normally nice dog would suddenly be changing like that. Anyway, I would say that there is something up with your dog, whatever it may be, and that a visit to the vet might help to discover what it is.

meoklmrk91

I would also be heading to the Vets ASAP. Just explain to her what happened, from what you describe he is very off form and this could very well be a sign that he is in pain, so a check up would be basically what you are asking for.

aonb

If your dog used to be happy to see you in the mornings, wagging his tail when you appeared, and isnt doing that now, sounds like there is something definately wrong. If he never used to snap, and is now snapping/growling, sounds like something is definately wrong. Definately a visit to the vet I would say.

My poor little elderly chap, cant be picked up because he has a tender tummy - and will growl if we move to pick him up (so we rarely do) but will sit on our laps happily - for hours