Dementia in dogs

In one survey of 11- to 16-year-old dogs, 28% of 11- to 12-year-old dog owners and 68% of 15- to 16-year-old dog owners reported that their dog showed at least one of the symptoms of dementia.

It is important to note that these are symptoms that pet owners notice concerning the passage of time, that is, comparisons in the dog's behavior during aging.

Canine dementia is a very unpleasant condition, both for the dog and for the owner. If you suspect that your dog is suffering from dementia, try conducting the so-called DISH or DISHAA assessment that was developed by veterinary behaviorist Gary Landsberg (click for access) 

Basically, it offers six areas to assess your pet's cognitive health.

For each category, rate your dog as follows:

• 0 = no signs,
• 1 = mild signs,
• 2 = moderate signs,
• 3 = severe signs.

Total Score

Between 4-15 is considered mild, 16-33 medium, and more than 33 – a severe cognitive dysfunction, i.e. dementia.

Categories

D: Disorientation

Dogs with these signs can get stuck in corners of rooms or under pieces of furniture and seem not to know how to retreat or get around things intuitively.

They also occasionally need help recognizing familiar people or animals and often seem lost in space and time.

I: Interactions:

Has your dog changed its behavior towards people and other pets in the family?

For example, they can suddenly start "ignoring" them - or react aggressively, as if they no longer know them. A previously sociable dog may now begin to hide from society.

S: Sleep/wake cycles

This is often the first sign people notice. For example, the dog is awake and paces around the apartment at night, perhaps barking, whining, or howling, clearly showing signs of distress, especially if stuck in a corner or behind/under furniture.

H: Uncontrolled defecation in the house.

A dog that used to be perfectly toilet-trained suddenly starts peeing or even defecating everywhere: on his bed, on your bed, on the floor, entirely unexpectedly (both for him and you). It's as if he doesn't know how to ask to go for walkies anymore (this can happen occasionally at first).

A: Activity and anxiety

The dog suddenly increases or sharply decreases physical activity, such as pacing around the house at night but not wanting to walk during the day. Older dogs may begin to resist going to new or old places by unusual routes and dislike meeting new people or dogs. They may also appear anxious in social situations.

VetHealth Broad Spectrum oil cannot stop your pet's cognitive decline. Still, it can alleviate anxiety symptoms, help with incontinence, and reduce pain due to typical old-age ailments such as osteoarthritis.

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