health question - probably for Cayla

[Bosworth]

my old lurcher Boz is now 14, extremely healthy, fit and active. I think he is getting slightly hard of hearing (or selectively deaf) and his eyesight has deteriorated slightly but not so that anyone but me has noticed. i have however noticed that he has become far more sensitive to touch. you know the reflex scratching you get when you find the tickilish spot on a dog - well that now appears to be when ever I touch him and wherever and if he gets a tickle it then triggers the same reaction so a slight scratch becomes an all over one if that makes sense. He has no skin complaints, no rashes or inflamed skin any where. The vet says nothing wrong - but clearly something has changed in his body. have you come across this over sensistisation and is there anything I can do?

 

[CAYLA]

My old bitch is very touch sensetive now, now sure if she is making up for other lost senses...... smell or her sight and hearing, she has also gradually lost weight though aswell so not sure if that has something to do with it, she kinda moans and graons alot more when stroked.........like it's a little to rough....would agree with your vet though, nothing particurlarly wrong if they have checked him over, it's maybe an age thing.
She is of course alot more fragile and thin skinned than she used to be.

 

[CAYLA]

Also another sillt thought to add as there seems to be no logical answer

maybe he cannot now reach the parts he used to beable to, so appreciates a rub more so now than ever and because he has not been touched there in a while it's gives him a great sense of relief and mass of feeling, and huge sensitivity type feeling in th untouched areas

Crap but may be another reason

 

[Bosworth]

Cayla, thank you. He is a fantastic dog, and has been through some seriously tough times with me and now in his old age I want him to have every comfort he can. it makes sense what you have said and fits in with what I think but as a non vet person I was a bit concerned in case it was the onset of something. He loves being stroked and purrs like a cat. i have noticed he enjoys his strokes now even more than he used to so he probably has just got more sensitive.