Senior dementia is a common problem that occurs in both older dogs and aging people. Similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans, dementia in dogs is a degenerative brain disease that results in altered behavior and memory loss.1 These progressive changes impact the quality of life of both dogs and their owners. There is no cure for dementia, but owners may be able to mitigate its negative effects and help their dogs live happily for a while longer.
What is senior dementia?
Elderly dementia, formerly known as canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), is a collection of symptoms resulting from progressive brain degeneration that leads to changes in a dog’s mood, behavior, and memory.
The Behavior Clinic at the University of California, Davis states that 28% of dogs ages 11 to 12 show signs of dementia, and that chance increases to 68% for dogs ages 15 or 16.2
Symptoms of elderly dementia in dogs
Dementia has a negative impact on an older dog’s everyday life and occurs to varying degrees as the dog ages. Some symptoms may appear and gradually worsen as the dog ages, but they may also occur more suddenly and dramatically. Irregular sleep patterns, repetitive behaviors such as licking and pacing, decreased appetite, and a desire not to interact with other pets or their owners can be signs of senior dementia in dogs. These behaviors can strain owners’ relationships with their dogs.
The most common signs of senior dementia can be recalled with the commonly used acronym DISHA: disorientation, interaction changes, sleep changes, house soiling, and activity level changes.
Loss of home education
One of the biggest concerns of dog owners is the loss of house training. When some dogs develop senile dementia, they become confused and may begin to urinate or defecate in the house. This leads to frustration for the owner, who in turn may become upset with their pet. This impacts the human-animal bond and ultimately the quality of life of both the pet and the owner.
Disorientation
Other signs of confusion due to senior dementia include disorientation in the home, staring at walls, and walking to the hinge side of a door when the dog has known for years which side of the door opens to go through. Elderly dementia can cause a dog that has known its home environment all its life to suddenly become lost in rooms or corners of its home.
Vocalization for no reason
Vocalizations such as barking, whining and crying for no apparent reason are also common in dogs with older dementia. This may be an indication of stress, fear or anxiety due to confusion; they can also show aggression.
Aggressive behavior
Aggressive behavior may be more common in dogs with dementia due to their lower tolerance and patience thresholds. Normally, patient and willing dogs can suddenly growl or bite at familiar people and pets.3
What Causes Elderly Dementia in Dogs?
No one fully understands the complex causes of dementia in dogs or humans. The symptoms of dementia are a result of changes or damage to the brain, but different forms of dementia can result from different brain problems.
Sometimes certain proteins in the brain build up around neurons, causing cognitive decline. Neuronal decline is another age-related factor that disrupts normal information transmission in the brain.
How do veterinarians diagnose senior dementia in dogs?
Your veterinarian will rule out other medical problems, such as tumors or disease, before diagnosing your dog’s dementia.3 A questionnaire is sometimes used to identify behavioral signs that are common with this condition, so you need to pay careful attention to signs of dementia the diagnosis.
The Quality of Life Scale, or HHHHHMM Scale, is often used to help owners determine whether or not their dog has changed with age. This scale addresses the signs of dementia and includes a review of the dog’s behavior. The HHHHHMM scale assesses injuries, hunger, hydration, hygiene, happiness, mobility, and more good days than bad.
This scale helps an owner with theDeciding whether or not a pet’s quality of life is still good as dementia progresses, and can also help an owner decide when to consider euthanasia.
Treatment and prevention
Unfortunately, there is no way to reverse the signs of dementia in dogs, but there are some nutritional aids that can be administered to potentially delay changes in the brain as the dog ages.3 Antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are the most important dietary components often discussed for brain health.
Other supplements to support brain health and treat dementia symptoms include SAMe, Denamarin, Silybin and Cholidin.
Some experts recommend supplementing dogs’ diets before they show signs of senior dementia. However, there is little evidence that this works as a fully preventive measure. If you are concerned that your older dog is developing CDS, talk to your veterinarian about possible preventive supplements.
Prognosis for dogs with senior dementia
Dementia is a progressive disease that can best be stabilized over a longer period of time. No matter how helpful owners are or how diligent they are in providing brain-healthy supplements, the aging process will continue to damage their dogs’ brains. Once dementia becomes severe and negatively impacts quality of life, most owners must make the difficult decision to euthanize their dogs.
