Mary Allen
One by one they appear, the signs that your dog is demented. Unfortunately, there is no cure, but you can still do a lot to make your best friend feel good in the autumn of age.
Just like humans, dogs can have age-related changes in the brain. The changes are similar to those seen in people with Alzheimer’s disease: In both the dog and the human, the protein beta-amyloid sticks to the nerve endings in the brain, which means that the signal transmission between the nerve cells works worse.
The symptoms often creep in and it is not entirely easy to determine if a dog is really demented. The fact that it stops being clean, barks, and seems tired can have several reasons.
– Many common age-related symptoms are strongly reminiscent of dementia and therefore other diseases must be ruled out before a diagnosis can be made. They take blood samples, examine whether the dog has an infection, and check blood sugar and liver and kidney values, says veterinarian Ylva Trygger.
Between the ages of 11 and 12, just over a quarter of all dogs have dementia. But many get the disease much earlier, especially dogs in breeds with shorter life expectancy. There, dementia can begin to be felt already at the age of 7-8.
Common signs are that short-term memory gets worse, the dog forgets what simple words like Sit, Lie, and Stay mean. Many also become anxious, unable to be left alone, start wandering around at night and turn around during the day. Some bark more and become disoriented, maybe they get lost and start peeing inside.
In some countries, dogs with dementia are treated with medications reminiscent of those given to people with Alzheimer’s. The reason is that many dogs do not respond to the medication, that side effects are common, and that the medication can not be combined with painkillers that the old dog may need for, for example, stiff, painful joints.
However, relatively recent research shows that antioxidant-rich food and plenty of fatty acids in food can have a positive effect on brain function in aging and demented dogs.
– It has been seen in old dogs that the brain begins to burn fat instead of glucose. Therefore, you can give properly with fatty acids, and then you should be careful to store the feed correctly, keep the package closed so that the fat in the food does not turn rancid, says Ylva.
In parallel with the grief that a demented dog slowly but surely changes its personality, it is easy for a dog owner to also feel irritated. Ylva encounters many frustrated houses and carpets for old, giddy, and increasingly demanding dogs at her clinic in central Stockholm.
– It is clear that it is difficult when the dog is no longer room clean, barks during the day, and has forgotten all commands. But it is a beloved family member who must grow old. A demented dog needs and deserves extra love, care, and empathy, says Ylva and emphasizes how important it is to give the dog physical closeness, but also to let it be part of the family as much as possible. If the dog feels safe and involved, the secretion of the feel-good hormone serotonin increases, which in turn reduces the symptoms of dementia.
– It is also important that the dog gets proper exercise. It is enough to be out for walks, preferably for an hour a day. And if you notice that the dog is demented, you should continue to activate it mentally, but the exercises should be easy and lead to a quick reward so that it can feel good!
According to Ylva, dementia is rarely a cause of death. Other diseases usually affect the dog’s quality of life more.
– Does the dog seem well, have an appetite, and is a little happy now and then I think it’s okay. Only when the dog no longer thrives is it time to let it fall asleep.