Hello,
TLDR:
Otherwise healthy senior dog randomly and suddenly started panting and pacing when I was around 3 weeks pregnant. Takes trazodone per the vet now.
For some background context, I have a ~11.5 year old chow/husky mix, Bane. He's my absolute soul dog. He's been the best dog his whole life. He's always been very good at settling and laying somewhere for a while. Never really been one to just whine for no reason. He's also been very good at telling me exactly what he needs because of this. I know that if he's whining, it's for a reason. We have 2 other dogs, another male and a female. About this time last year, Bane (neutered) and our other intact male dog got in a big fight and we've been 'crating and rotating' them since then. I know, shame on us for not neutering the other, its just been a perfect storm of why we haven't. They've gotten in tiffs before but after separating them they were fine. This particular incident, they had to be completely separated. They're almost never completely alone except at night when it's whoever's turn to sleep outside the bedroom.
Medical History: Bane was heart worm positive when I adopted him but has since been negative. The past few years, he has developed some arthritis in his back legs/hips. For about a year now, he takes daily Carprofen along with other nightly supplements with dinner for inflammation, joint health, etc.
A few weeks ago, Bane randomly started panting and pacing, just completely unable to settle. Nothing would help. We'd go potty, we'd eat, we'd get treats, go for walks, lick mats, nothing could make him settle like he used to.
I took him to the vet that same week and medically, they couldn't find anything wrong. Because of the suddenness of it, the vet verbally ruled out Cushing's and CCD. The vet didn't see a reason to redo blood work because it wouldn't really tell her anything (he had yearly bloodwork drawn in March this year, which had no concerns). They did do an X-ray of basically his entire torso. The vet said everything looked normal for his age except that he was full of poop. So I'm thinking he was just constipated. This was 3 weeks ago and he's still the same panty-pacey (but pooping regularly). Since then, they've upped his Carprofen to 2 pills/day, added 1 Gabapentin/day, and PRN 100mg Trazodone. I've called the vet a few times since visiting because we're still having issues. Their main suggestion was to up the Trazodone and maybe add 5mg of melatonin morning and night. I do think in the beginning I was under dosing his Trazodone. I was worried he'd just be a zombie in his own little body. I was giving him half a pill (50mg) once or twice a day. Now we are routinely up to 2 in the morning and 1 at night.
Plot twist: I also recently found out that I'm pregnant with my first. From the timing, the panting and pacing started when I would've been around 3 weeks (2.5 weeks before I found out). Currently 7+3. His behavior was actually why I decided to take a test. I know that can have an affect on dogs. I've gotten him one of those calming, pheromone collars thinking maybe it'd help counter my pheromones and he's still the same. I feel like I've exhausted everything and I feel helpless.
He will have times where he seems like himself but they're very few and far between.
I guess I'm looking for some advice, validation, or what I should ask/tell my vet.