While all senior dogs don’t develop dementia, the risk goes up as your dog ages. One study found that the risk of canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) increases by 50% every year after a dog’s 10th birthday. Unfortunately, no cure exists for dementia, and complete prevention is impossible since no single underlying cause has been identified. However, catching the disease in its early stages may slow its progression.
👉 Physically inactive dogs are nearly seven times (Trusted Source) as likely to develop CCD as compared to active dogs, even after accounting for variables like age, weight, and spay/neuter status. This suggests that daily exercise may be the single most important lifestyle factor in preventing diseases like CCD.
Dog dementia, also referred to as canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. This disease occurs when amyloid plaques form in the front part of a dog’s brain and create cognitive difficulties. Like humans, dogs with dementia usually have problems with memory and learning, and their personalities may alter as the disease progresses. Although CCD is most common in older dogs, it’s not a normal part of aging and does not occur in all dogs that live long lives.
Dog dementia or CCD is an umbrella term for four types of cognitive syndromes:
Sundowner syndrome disrupts a dog’s circadian rhythm. As a result, an affected dog may sleep more in the daytime and become restless at night. Taking your dog on scheduled walks during the day and giving scheduled feedings may help them retain a schedule.
The symptoms of canine dementia (Trusted Source) correlate with one or more of these four cognitive syndromes. Since they’re similar to symptoms of other medical conditions, dementia may be mistaken for things such as kidney disease, separation anxiety, or phobias to storms or other environmental stimuli. Your vet will need to rule out these other factors before they can give your pet a definitive diagnosis. Some signs of dementia to watch for include:
While dementia isn’t inevitable, aging increases your dog’s risk of developing CCD. Both genetic and environmental factors also appear to play a part, which hints that the disease may be expected in some dogs, but preventable in others.
“We still don’t know all the factors that play into why some dogs develop dementia,” Dr. Schott says. “There are some things that seem to help prevent it and, if treated early, we can slow the progression.”
While the exact cause isn’t yet known, CCD only occurs after the amyloid plaques form and negatively impact cognitive function. As in humans, preventing those amyloid plaques from building up will likely decrease your dog’s chance of getting dementia. Unfortunately, there remains no known cure yet for dogs that contract CCD.
Keeping your pet’s mind sharp and reducing the build-up of amyloid plaques can help mitigate uncontrollable factors such as age and genetics. Exercise and mental activities such as fetch and treat puzzles help the doggie brain stay sharp. A 2013 study on humans saw a positive connection between vitamin D and omega-3 supplements and the removal of amyloid plaques. Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants are in dog-friendly foods like salmon, cod liver oil, tuna, and chia seeds.
Some of these ingredients may already be in your dog’s food, so check the bag. If not, talk to your vet about a recipe based on your dog’s age, as most senior diets contain one or more of the above nutrients. You may need to consult your vet about a diet change or supplement.
Because CCD symptoms can mirror other diseases, your vet will need to rule them out. Veterinarians will perform a physical exam and run diagnostic tests like blood tests and a urinalysis before giving a definitive diagnosis. Your vet also might want to conduct an MRI to check for amyloid plaques in your dog’s brain. Visiting your vet regularly and monitoring your pet’s health will help you catch the symptoms early. Early intervention supports the best prognosis for treatment. You can then work with your vet to put together a treatment plan to help slow the progress of the disease.
👉 This free downloadable assessment from the Purina Institute may help you and your vet determine if your dog has CCD and how far it has progressed.
Unfortunately, dog dementia isn’t curable. However, proper nutrition, dietary supplements, exercise, and mental stimulation may slow it down. Here are some treatment options you may want to discuss with your vet:
If your pet is experiencing the later stages of cognitive decline, strenuous mental exercises may be more stressful than beneficial. Talk to your vet about appropriate activities or training for your dog’s cognitive level.
As a progressive disease, there are ways to slow down CCD, so your dog may spend several more happy, healthy years with you when given proper care. CCD isn’t curable, but the signs are recognizable. Most dog owners know when their pet’s time is coming close to an end, especially if their pet doesn’t recognize them and has a declining quality of life.
If you think your dog may be experiencing symptoms of dementia, you should take them to the vet for a thorough exam. While no one wants to hear that their dog has CCD, implementing life changes during the early stages of the disease may slow its progression and give you more time together in good spirits.
There are four types of canine dementia: involutional depression (similar to chronic depression in humans), dysthymia, hyper-aggression, and confusional syndrome. While they all have specific symptoms, many signs overlap with the different types and other diseases. Some common symptoms include confusion, agitation, house soiling, or forgetting where they are or who they’re with.
CCD can’t be cured, but there are ways to help prevent and slow down the disease if it develops. Make sure your dog is on a high-quality diet with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants for brain health. Exercise can keep your pet’s body and mind in good shape, too.
Talk to your vet about how to help your pet live with the disease. With loving care, your dog could have many more happy memories with you. Like many other illnesses, CCD grows worse over time and may progress faster than you’d hope. The best thing you can do in this case is to enjoy every day with your pet. Even if they don’t remember who you are, they’ll remember feeling loved and that’s the most important thing.
Talk to your vet about your dog’s condition. A CCD assessment like this one from Purina Institute can inform you how far the disease has progressed. While dementia isn’t curable, its progression may be slowed, especially if caught in the early stages. Ultimately, how long your dog should live depends on you and your vet’s assessment of their health.
Early dementia manifests in subtle changes, such as a dog becoming less social or waking up frequently in the middle of the night. As CCD progresses, a dog might become disoriented or start eliminating in the house. Canines in the final stage of dementia may become aggressive towards their owners, not recognize their name, or start barking for no reason, in addition to all of the symptoms worsening from the first and second stages.
