Almost all higher lifeforms are susceptible to dementia or cognitive dysfunction syndrome and dogs are no exception. As they age and reach old age, dogs display behavior inconsistent with their earlier conduct. They may get sluggish, urinate inside the house, become cheerless and withdrawn, etc. These are symptoms that your dog’s brain is losing its power to process information.

The disease has only been recently recognized in dogs, till the 1990s little was known about it. The disease causes progressive cognitive and behavioral decline. Changes in the canine brain mirror those seen in people suffering from dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Similar deterioration has been seen in the brains of aging rodents, sheep, goats, bears and primates. The changes in your pet may be subtle at first but will become more pronounced with time. The chief abnormalities that can be a giveaway to canine dementia are known by the acronym DISH - Disorientation, Interaction declines, Sleep-wake disturbances, House-training lapses. These disturbances may manifest in different forms, you should be able to recognize the problem. For instance, your dog may stop responding to its name, it may stare into space, your dog may start waiting at the hinge side of the door when wanting to go out, etc.

Dementia, as a condition, is very common. Sadly, there is no cure for it just some medication that can help alter some forms of behavior. Behavior impairment linked to dementia is a problem with almost 30% of dogs above the age of 11 years and almost 2/3rd of the dog population suffers from it by the time they reach the age of 15-16 years. There is no evidence that specific breeds are more vulnerable, although dementia may be more common in the longer-lived canine breeds, which tend to be smaller.

The dementia happens because of the presence of beta-amyloid plaques that lead to cognitive dysfunction syndrome. These accumulate in the brain and over time the levels of the crucial neurotransmitter dopamine also drop. The upshot is the blunting of nerve conduction. This leads to mental deterioration ranging from memory lapses to impaired processing of visual cues.

Diagnosis is by systematically excluding other conditions that may cause dementia. However, with a lot of pets the dementia goes on unabated and unnoticed as owners treat it as a normal age-related event.
Conditions that can look like dementia include a brain tumor, blindness, deafness, osteoarthritis, diabetes and heart disease. Some can be found in a simple physical exam. Others require a thorough workup, which may include a neurological exam, blood work, urinalysis and imaging studies that could total $2,000.

The drug Anipryl (selegiline HCL) produces an amphetaminelike response. More critical, it enhances dopamine levels and boosts overall neurotransmission in the brain. Possible side effects include vomiting and diarrhea.

Though it can take up to 60 days to deliver its full effect, Anipryl has been shown in studies to alleviate at least one clinical sign of dementia after a month of treatment in about 70 percent of dogs.

It is possible to counter the effects of cognitive damage through antioxidants. If you find that your dog is becoming a little slow, do not punish him or treat him harshly. Make it easy for him to access the sleeping areas, do not confuse him with furniture rearrangements, eliminate sharp edges and use baby gates. Interact with him regularly to keep him sharp.

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