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Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
(Senility)
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Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (senility)
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (Senility)
Cognitive behavior
includes spatial orientation; problems with memory, learning, housetraining;
and recognizing and reacting to human family members.
Pet owners have long been frustrated by age-related behavior
changes, including house-training problems, apparent memory loss, disorientation,
confusion, staring, wandering, getting stuck in corners, sleep disturbances
(waking at the wrong time, sleeping unusually deeply, night pacing), restlessness,
barking, separation anxiety, panting, drooling, obsessive licking, etc.
Progression of clinical signs is very gradual; most owners fail to recognize
the early stages.
These changes are often written off as being due to normal aging.
A recent study at the University of California School of Veterinary Medicine
demonstrates how common these observations are: out of 69 dogs participating,
32% of the 11-year old dogs were affected by this syndrome and 100% of
the dogs 16 years of age older were affected.
Still, the high frequency with
which the syndrome is seen in older dogs does not make the behavior
normal. Other studies have shown that dogs affected by this syndrome
show deposition of amyloid (a protein) in their brains in patterns very
similar to the amyloid plaques found in the brains of human Alzheimer’s
patients.
In addition, cognitive dysfunction
is often associated with the depletion of dopamine, a neurotransmitter.
Treatments
Treatments that may
help improve cognitive dysfunction include L-Deprenyl, dietary changes,
and environmental enrichment.
L-Deprenyl(Anipryl)
L-Deprenyl helps prolong dopamine activity. This may account
for part of its efficacy in treating cognitive dysfunction. In addition,
since dopamine breakdown results free radicals, L-Deprenyl also helps
reduce amounts of free radicals in the brain.
Of the 69 dogs mentioned in
the above University of California study, approximately 76% showed improvement
on L-Deprenyl after one month of therapy. Some dogs improved in the
first few days or weeks; some dogs did not show improvement until the
second month. Often dogs continued to improve during the first three
months. Anecdotally, the earlier L-Deprenyl is started, the better the
result.
When using L-Deprenyl to treat
cognitive dysfunction, if no improvement is seen after the first month,
your veterinarian may recommend doubling the dose for an additional
month before deciding the drug may not be useful in that particular
pet.
Dietary Changes
Some therapeutic diets contain antioxidants (mixed tocopherols,
vitamin C, beta-carotene, carotenoids, and flavenoids), mitochondrial
cofactors, and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA). These diets have been shown
to improve the performance of a number of cognitive tasks, when compared
to older dogs on a non-supplemented diet. Improvements have been seen
as early as to 2 to 8 weeks after the onset of therapy.
Environmental Enrichment
Just because they’re old doesn’t mean your dogs can’t learn new
things. Use their intelligence to improve the quality of their lives.
If your old dog’s vision is
still good, teach signals. This will serve as a back-up if hearing fails,
which it often does. Signals are fun for dogs and are a more natural language
for them than words.
Grooming (touch) will help your
dog cope with vision and hearing loss. Your touch will help guide your
dog.
In a laboratory study of older
dogs over a 2-year period, environmental enrichment (e.g., housing
with another dog, playing daily with toys) was shown to be effective
tool for task learning. In fact, the combined effect of a special diet
and enriched environment provided the greatest improvement in learning
ability when compared to the dogs who did not have either dietary or environmental
enrichment.
With proper care, older dogs
can be helped to manage the cognitive changes they will encounter.
Old age is not a disease.
Copyright
2007 - 2008 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights
reserved
This work was originally published by Veterinary
Information
Network, Inc. (VIN) and is republished with VIN's permission
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Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome
Visit the Pfizer Animal Health website for much
more about Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.
This information is from Pfizer Animal Health, a world leader
in animal health care development, and was printed in the September, 1998
Issue of DVM Newsmagazine.
A
New Look at "Old Dog Syndrome"
Does any of this
sound familiar...?
The senile miniature poodle that wanders the house and gets "lost"
in corners...
The terrier that ignores his owner when his name is called--
but isn't deaf...
The previously well-trained schnauzer who has started having
accidents in the house--right after he comes inside...
The cocker spaniel who gets "stuck" in corners or behind furniture...
The old collie who wanders aimlessly through the neighborhood...
These dogs are showing typical behaviors associated with a disorder
called canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, or CDS. The following
questions and answers will give you a brief introduction to the incidence,
pathogenesis and diagnosis of CDS.
What Is CDS ? How Common Is CDS ?
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction is the age related deterioration
of cognitive abilities characterized by behavioral changes in dogs that
cannot be wholly attributed to general medical conditions such as neoplasia
(cancer), infection or organ failure. CDS is often referred to
ads "old dog syndrome" or "senility", and is manifested by one or more
of the signs listed in Table #1.
CDS is not "normal aging". A number of pathophysiological
changes are suspected to play a role in its development.
These include:
* deposition of amyloid plaques in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal
part of the brain
* alterations in neurotransmitters, including dopamine
* increased levels of monoamine oxidase B (MAOB) in the brain
* increased levels of free radicals
The progressive, degenerative course of canine CDS involves a
gradual decline of cognitive abilities sufficient to produce functional
disability in the home and/or as a family member.
A 1998 market research study indicated that 48% of dogs
8 years of age and older exhibited at least one clinical sign associated
with CDS. Meanwhile, in an ongoing prevalence study being conducted
at the University of California at Davis, 62% of 11 to 16 year old dogs
scored positively for one or more behavioral categories indicative of CDS.
How is CDS Diagnosed ?
The first step in diagnosing CDS is recognition of signs, frequently
observed first by the pet owner. Next the veterinarian should
conduct a thorough behavioral and medical history, followed by a complete
physical and neurological examination. These can be supplemented,
as appropriate, with diagnostic laboratory tests to identify other unrelated
medical conditions that may be contributing to clinical signs.
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome is a common, recognizable condition
in senior dogs. Understanding the syndrome and the behavioral
changes associated with it can help veterinarians diagnose cases of
CDS and better educate pet owners to look for the signs.
Signs of CDS
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Disorientation
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Wanders aimlessly
Appears lost of confused in the yard or house
Gets "stuck" in corners or behind furniture
Stares into space or at walls
Has difficulty find the door
Does not recognize familiar people
Does not respond to verbal cues or name
Appears to forget reason for going outdoors
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Decreased or Altered Response
to Family Members
Solicits attention less
No longer stands for petting (walks away)
Less enthusiastic greeting
No longer greets owners
Abnormal Sleep/Wake Patterns
Sleeps more in a 24 hour day
Sleeps less during the night
Decrease in activity
Increase in wandering or pacing
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Loss of Housetraining
Uninates/defecates indoors
Signals less to go outdoors
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back to top
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CANINE
COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION
In dogs as in people,
the medical implications of true aging are progressive and irreversible.
Dogs reaching the final one-third of their life span undergo a variety
of physical and metabolic changes that may cause them discomfort and/or
change their behavior. For example, the acuity of the senses-sight,
hearing, taste and smell-are reduced. Metabolism slows, immunocompetence
decreases and tissues become dehydrated. Muscle and bone mass decline,
and arthritis may affect the joints. There is an increased risk of
cardiovascular disease, cancer and endocrine, renal and hepatic disorders.
And the brain undergoes a series of changes that result in cognitive
decline. It is generally believed-and studies have shown-that a
dog’s cognitive ability tends to decline with age.
Cognitive dysfunction in dogs includes spatial orientation, housetraining,
and recognizing and reacting to human family members. Cognitive
Dysfunction Syndrome is the age-related deterioration of cognitive abilities
characterized by behavioral changes in dogs that cannot wholly attributed
to general medical conditions such as neoplasia, infection or organ failure.
More simply put, CDS is caused by physical and chemical changes that affect
the brain function in older dogs. CDS often is referred to simply
as “old dog syndrome” or “senility” and is manifested by one or more
of the following four signs in the absence of any physical cause:
Disorientation—wanders aimlessly; appears lost or
confused in house or yard; get’s “stuck” in corners or under/behind furniture;
stares into space or walls; has difficulty finding the door; stands
at hinge side of door; does not recognize familiar people;
does not respond to verbal cues or names; appears to forget reason
for going outdoors
Interaction with family members—seeks attention less often;
less likely to stand for petting; walks away while being petted;
less enthusiasm upon greeting; no longer greets family members
Activity and sleep—sleeps more during the day; sleeps
less during the night; decrease in purposeful activity; increase
in wandering or pacing; barks at night for no reason
Housetraining—Urinates indoors; has accidents indoors
soon after being outside; does not ask to go outside
In a pet owner study, nearly half of all dogs aged 8 years and
older showed at least one sign of Cognitive Dysfuntion Syndrome.
Because older dogs may also develop other multiple health problems, diagnosis
of CDS can only be reached after other medical conditions that have behavioral
components have been ruled out. A thorough history, physical and
neurological exam, and laboratory tests are necessary to make a diagnosis
of CDS.
Recapturing the good times between you and your senior dog is
now an exciting possibility thanks to Anipryl, the first and only drug
cleared by the FDA to control clinical signs associated with canine
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. Anipryl comes in a convenient tablet
form for easy dosing. Most dogs are prescribed one tablet per day.
In clinical studies, owners reported that 69-75% of dogs improved in at
least one clinical sign after one month of Anipryl therapy. Some
dogs continued to show improvement for up to 3 months.
The most common side effects of this medication were vomiting,
diarrhea, or changes in behavior (such as hyperactivity or restlessness).
Do not use this drug in combination with phenylpropanolamine, ephedrine,
other tricyclic antidepressants (Clomicalm), amitraz (Mitaban dips or Preventic
Collars), or fluoxetine. This drug is not recommended for treatment
of behavior problems such as aggression.
Anipryl works by increasing the amount of dopamine (a neurotransmitter)
available in the brain and decreasing toxic free radical production.
This, in turn, helps with cognitive abilities. The confusion that
dogs with CDS experience can lead to a life of lonely isolation;
separation from family members who have come to cherish their older dog’s
companionship. Anipryl can give you the chance to brighten your
dog’s “golden years”. With a little extra care and attention, you
and your veterinarian can help your dog live a fuller, happier life.
Your dog has found a place in your family and a place in your heart.
Anipryl can help return your dog to that special place.
Note: This article is provided by Claws & Paws Veterinary
Hospital® for informational purposes only.
reprinted with kind permission from William J. Wickel
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The above information is simply informational.
It's intent is not to replace the advice of a veterinarian nor to assist
you in making a diagnosis of your pet. Please consult with your own veterinarian
for confirmation of any diagnosis. Your pets life may depend on it.
