19/11/2024
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome in dogs
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a common age-related disease in dogs that affects the brain, causing deterioration similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans.
Dogs may start to develop CDS around nine years of age, or older. The condition may be underdiagnosed since the behavioral changes progress slowly, and owners may assume that some changes are a normal part of aging.
Early intervention with environmental enrichment, diet and medical management can improve the quality of life for dogs affected by CDS.
Cause
CDS is caused by gradual and degenerative age-related changes in the brain.
Cells called neurons play a key role in the brain by transmitting essential information throughout the body, helping regulate mental and physical interactions. But when dogs start to age, the cells in their brain, including neurons, start to waste away.
One of the degenerative changes that occurs is the build-up of a protein called beta-amyloid, which creates toxic conditions for neurons. As the neurons stop functioning properly or die off, the brain loses its capacity for processing information, and this breakdown of internal communication leads to the physical and behavioral changes that owners observe.
Clinical signs
CDS may start as one clinical sign and progress over time, or have several apparent signs. The most common may include:
Disorientation — Getting lost in familiar places, stuck in corners, staring into space
Interaction changes — Suddenly clingy or avoidant, not recognising familiar people
Sleep pattern changes — Wandering the house at night, sleeping more during the day
House-soiling — Urinating or defecating indoors when they were previously house-trained
Activity level changes — Decreased interest in playing or doing other activities, restlessness, pacing
Anxiety — Increased anxiety, new phobias, irritability, aggression
Learning changes — No longer responding to previously known commands or struggling to learn new ones
Diagnosis
CDS is diagnosed based on the demonstration of clinical signs.
We will perform a thorough physical exam and recommend checking blood and urine tests to rule out other conditions with similar signs, such as pain, arthritis, seizure disorders, systemic illnesses, and vision or hearing loss.
Treatment
There is no one treatment or cure for CDS, and research is ongoing in this area. Any concurrent health conditions, such as arthritis and obesity, must also be addressed.
Treatment may include a combination of the following:
Diet — Certain prescription diets (Hill’s B/D, Purina Proplan Neurocare) are rich in antioxidants, fatty acids and other important nutrients that help support the brain.
Enrichment — Interacting with your dog regularly through play, varied or interactive toys, regular exercise and more can help stimulate their brain.
Medications — We may prescribe medications to address specific issues, such as anxiety, pain.
Supplements — A myriad of supplements may help with CDS when combined with the tactics above, such as Aktivait. Talk to us before starting any supplements.
Outcome
CDS is a slowly progressive disease that many elderly dogs experience.
Early intervention with diet, enrichment and medications can help slow the progression of CDS and improve their quality of life.
Dogs who are severely affected with CDS or who have other compounding medical problems often have a worse prognosis and may not respond well to therapies.
Ref - Clinicians' Brief, Margaret E. Gruen, DVM, MVPH, PhD, DACVB, North Carolina State University
