Dementia (also known as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction) has been recognised for some time and has many similarities to Alzheimer’s disease in humans.
Some of this signs of the disease can be subtle so you may not even realise your elderly canine is effected by the disease.
Signs to Watch For;
– Disorientation and confusion
– Lack or decreased levels of interaction with family members or other pets
– A disturbance in sleep patterns, pacing at night, unable to settle
– Forgetting toilet training
– Reduced activity levels
– Barking for no reason, staring at walls, getting stuck in corners
The most important point to remember is that there are many other diseases that can lead to any of the signs that can be seen in pets with dementia so diagnosis involves assessment of your pet and is a process of elimination.
Whilst there is yet no cure for canine cognitive dysfunction, we do have a few ways of better managing the symptoms.
- Therapeutic diet which has been clinically proven to improve age related behavioural changes and slow down brain ageing.
- Medications -which improve blood flow to the brain thereby improving brain health and slowing down brain ageing. Other medications can also help manage concurrent issues such as increased anxiety and poor sleeping patterns that pets may be experiencing.
- Supplements – We have recently also been using a new supplement created by Blackmoors called Senior Vitality which has been specifically designed to improve brain function and health.
- Mental stimulation – continue to practice simple training measures, encourage toy play, keep up social experiences with other people and pets
- Physical activity- enjoy a daily walk together and get them up through the day rather than allowing them to sleep all day. This can help them sleep better at night too.
