Important facts about dementia in dogs
Dementia in dogs, like in people, can be a very upsetting health problem for a family to go through. Dementia in dogs is very similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans, and the official name of it is Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. It’s caused by changes in the dog’s brain and chemicals as he ages. Dementia in dogs can cause many disturbing behaviors because it affects your dog’s memory.
Dementia in dogs usually affects dogs that are older than 10 years old. Symptoms of this health problem are confusion and disorientation. You may begin to notice your dog getting lost in familiar surroundings or becoming trapped in the corners of rooms in your house. Your dog may even stop responding to her name or start to spend a lot of time staring at the wall or out into space. Senior dogs with this problem also tend to shake or tremble a lot and don’t want to play.
Another sign of dementia in dogs is barking for no apparent reason. This is because the dog may not recognize family members or may have accidentally gotten lost in the middle of the room or in a corner. Dogs suffering from dementia may also not have much of an appetite and tend to sleep more during the daytime instead of at night. They often are very restless at night and may wander the house aimlessly overnight. Dogs that are suffering from dementia may also seem to pace or wander more often overall, even during the day. Also don’t feel bad if your dog doesn’t seek or accept attention the way he did before.
Dealing with dementia in dogs is an adjustment for the entire family. If you believe your dog is suffering from dementia, then you should contact your veterinarian right away. Your vet will want to run some tests to confirm that dementia is the true cause for all the changes in behavior. This is because there are many other kinds of senior canine ailments that may result in the same or similar behavioral changes.
Although there is not cure for this health problem, your vet will be able to lessen the impact of the disease, both on your canine friend and on your family. There is a drug that shows some promise in its ability to improve the quality of a senior dog’s later years. The only problem with this drug is that it does tend to be very expensive, but it’s certainly worth checking out.
Your vet will also help you have an action plan for dealing with your dog’s dementia at home. The basic treatment plan is very similar to what nursing homes do for Alzheimer’s patients. For example, the less you can move the furniture in your home, the better your dog will be. After all, your dog will get confused even when the furniture is in the same position, but moving it will make the animal even more confused. You should also try to keep the clutter to a minimum.