Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Doggie Alzheimer’s happens in middle-aged and older dogs, and it creeps in slowly before you notice a huge change in your dog’s behavior. While I’m not a veterinarian, I’m a pet owner and dog trainer who works with dog behavior every day. Plus, I’ve shared my own home with dogs that have displayed canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) as well.

Hopefully, this article will help other pet owners recognize canine cognitive dysfunction symptoms, so they can jump-start their research. I’ll admit: this was a very difficult article to write, but I’m grateful I can share my experience with you.

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Symptoms

Withdrawal

Fifteen years ago, my older Shepherd-mixed dog started acting peculiar. Magenta, named after the character in “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” started withdrawing from us around 13 years of age. When we’d settle down in the living room at night and watched TV, she’d slink off and sleep in the back spare bedroom. We assumed the TV was too loud, so we ignored her behavior. However, we noticed her hiding in the spare bedroom more and more.

We scheduled a vet visit immediately because I thought she may have been in pain. Our veterinarian thoroughly examined her, completed blood work profiles, took several X-rays to rule out arthritis, and thankfully all results were normal. Our vet suspected our dog was suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction, and told us there was nothing we can do.

Disengagement

Magenta slowly slipped away mentally. She still ate and drank normally, but she’d immediately retreat back to “her” bedroom after each meal. She completely disengaged herself from us and our other dogs. She was in another world.

Wandering

Magenta would get lost in our home. We set up her bedroom with several orthopedic beds, non-skid rugs, a water bowl, toys and chewies, but she still had full run of our home. A couple of times we’d find Magenta wedged between the toilet and bathtub, which caused her to scream and thrash around. We placed a baby gate in her bedroom’s doorway to keep her safely contained at night. I felt horrible containing her, so for the next couple of years, my husband and I would take turns sleeping in the spare bedroom.

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It Got Worse

At 17 years old, Magenta was still healthy and pain free, but her mental health continued to decline. She lost control of her bladder and bowels, and became confused by simple things, such as which way a door opened. She stared at the wall; and if we tried to pet her, she became confused and screamed. We finally made the decision—it was time for her to cross the Rainbow Bridge. It was no longer fair to her and she passed peacefully.

Prevention and Possible Treatment

Research on canine cognitive dysfunction 15 years ago was limited, so prevention and treatment options weren’t available. Fortunately, researchers have recently discovered ways to reduce and even reverse Alzheimer’s in dogs, and I’ve witnessed these options work. For example, my middle-aged Bull Terrier was starting to act a bit odd too, so our vet suggested adding Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil and hemp oil and choline to Stella’s diet. The results were fascinating.

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Beware of False Promises

While Stella’s symptoms have improved, they don’t completely subside. Now, she acts oddly at night once every two weeks rather than every night. She aggressively becomes startled one to two times a month instead of several times a night. Improvement is key, but be wary of miracle promises.

I’m sure we’ll learn more about canine cognitive dysfunction as science continues to uncover causes, but until then I recommend spending lots of quality time with your dogs. Their only fault is not living long enough. 🙂