re: Elderly dog barking at night, pacing, and seeming restless - any pet owners with advice?

I think animals can also have stokes that change their personalities.

A feral cat who lived sort of with us for twelve years, handled mouse problems, demanded food but would not let us pet her even though she trusted us enough to bring her kittens on our enclosed porch for their safety, developed a large goiter. After a year, one day she came inside and became the most loving lap cat we had. That lasted six days, then she disappeared completely. We looked for her and we saw no buzzards.

We think the goiter may have been tied to a throat cancer, which led to a personality changing stroke. And a subsequent stroke ended her.

Why wouldn't other mammals have strokes in their older ages?