Mary Allen
If you’ve had an older dog, you may already know what these signs are, or at least you recognize them.
Symptoms of dementia in dogs are sometimes referred to as Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) after Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. (Can also be called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, CCD.)
The research strives to develop better tests to be able to diagnose dementia and give older dogs treatment if they need it. Early detection is important because canine dementia can be up to five times more aggressive than humans.
When is the Dog Old?
A smaller dog of about 10 kilos starts to get old at the age of 11, while a larger dog of 25-40 kilos starts to get old already at the age of 9. In Europe and the USA, there are a total of over 45 million older dogs. Dementia is found in 28% of dogs over 11 years of age and in as many as 68% of dogs aged 15–16 years.
Here are some signs that your baby may need care:
Unplanned trampling (especially at night)
Many dogs with dementia lose their sense of place, do not recognize themselves in familiar environments, and may enter a room and immediately have forgotten why they went in there at all. Standing and staring into the wall can also be a sign of dementia.
The dog does not recognize you, nor your good friends – humans, and dogs
They may also stop reacting to their name, either because they do not hear, or because they have lost interest in the environment. Demented dogs also no longer greet people as happy as they once did.
General forgetfulness
They not only forget what they were doing but also where to go. Some dogs stand at the door as they used to do before, but then maybe on the wrong side of the door or at the wrong door altogether.
Sleeps more and more, and does not do much
It’s hard to grow old – even for dogs. If you have dementia, you usually sleep more, often during the day and even less at night. The dog’s natural drive to discover, play and seek people’s attention decreases and the dog mostly walks around aimlessly.
Oops
The general confusion makes them forget that they have just been out and forget about their room cleanliness. They also stop giving signs that they need to go out. They can simply pee or poop inside even though they have just been outside.