Dog dementia: causes, symptoms, and treatment

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 This is an approved Trusted Source for betterpet. Learn more about Trusted Sources 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:

• Involutional depression. Similar to chronic depression, this condition manifests in lethargy, circling the house aimlessly, having indoor accidents, barking, or crying.
• Dysthymia. As your dog forgets their size, their motor skills are impacted. They may not remember how to walk backward or navigate around the house.
• Hyper-aggression. The cognitive decline results in your dog losing the ability to connect with other dogs. As a result, they might attack a friendly dog because they misread social cues.
• Confusional syndrome. This is an extreme type of cognitive decline. It includes most of the symptoms of the other types, but dogs with this syndrome also completely lose their ability to learn. In severe cases, dogs may not even remember their owners.

The symptoms of canine dementia Trusted Source This is an approved Trusted Source for betterpet. Learn more about Trusted Sources 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:

• Disorientation or confusion. Your dog may treat another pet as a stranger or suddenly act like they don’t remember where they are.
• Restlessness or changes in sleep-wake cycles. CCD impairs a good night’s sleep. Dogs with severe cognitive decline may have trouble sleeping and may wake more often than usual.
• House soiling. Your dog may not remember to tell you they need to go potty. They may relieve themselves in your house, even if they’ve been potty-trained for years.
• Sudden behavioral changes or increased anxiety. A welcoming bark from Fido’s best furry friend may be met with a fearsome snarl or unexpected bite. Your dog may suddenly develop a new phobia or become excessively anxious when you leave the house. In extreme cases, they may even forget who you are.
• Forgetting learned skills. As the disease progresses, your dog may lose their way around the house or forget how to get home during their routine walks.

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:

• Diet changes. Your veterinarian may prescribe an amino acid- and antioxidant-rich prescription dog food such as Purina Pro Plan NC NeuroCare for brain health. Carrots, blueberries, and spinach, which also contain amino acids and antioxidants, can be given as treats to your dog. Consult your veterinarian before offering these to your dog, as they should be fed in moderation.
• Establish a routine. As your dog’s cognitive abilities decline, they may become more anxious about their day-to-day life. They’ll find comfort in the familiar, so develop a dependable feeding and walking schedule if you don’t already have one.
• Reduce environmental stress factors. Your pet may struggle to find their way around the house. Help them by keeping furniture in familiar spots, giving them space to move around, and removing known stressors or anxiety inducers.
• Ask your vet about medication or supplements. Unlike dementia in humans, CCD can only be treated with one psychoactive drug right now. There are also a few supplements available that may be helpful for a dog with CCD. Clinical trials regarding dog dementia continue to explore various treatment Trusted Source This is an approved Trusted Source for betterpet. Learn more about Trusted Sources options. Be sure to keep up with research on the subject.
• Diapers may be an option for house soiling. Dogs with dementia tend to lose their ability to eliminate waste properly. Doggie diapers may be an option that can help, but diapers can cause urinary tract infections, urine scalding, and skin infections if they are not changed frequently.
• Teach your dog new tricks. “Use-it-or-lose-it” definitely applies to a dog’s cognitive abilities. Find treat puzzles that mentally stimulate your pet or take them on a different walking path to keep things interesting. Theoretically, the more you can mentally engage them, the longer they’ll be able to process and learn new experiences.

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.

What is my dog’s prognosis?

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.