Medicine: My dog is getting senile

We have had numerous questions about where dogs can become senile. The answer is yes, absolutely. Dogs can experience two types of senility. They can get senility due to lifelong free-radical damage, just like humans when they get older. Dogs can also get a pre-senile dementia very similar to Alzheimer’s Disease of humans called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. The signs of both diseases are quite similar, but treated differently.

What signs should you watch for? You should watch for changes in appetite, weight changes, “accidents” in the house, changes to their sleeping patterns, excessive barking, and loss of training. You need to look for wandering, staring into space or the walls, not playing as much, not as responsive to family members, not remembering familiar places or people, and lethargy to name a few signs. These signs generally come on gradually, but can severely strain your relationship.

What should you do if your pet is showing some of these signs? An examination is a first step. We usually will want to examine your pet’s nervous system, checking for vision or hearing loss, and any other changes. We will want to make sure your pet does not have a musculoskeletal disorder. We will want to get a blood and urine sample, as many diseases can mimic these signs. If all of these come back normal, then we presume something is going on in the brain.

What can be done about senility? One of the first steps we can take is a simple diet change. Hill’s has developed a specialized diet to help dogs with senility called B/D. B/D has been developed to help combat free-radical damage by incorporating anti-oxidants, which are now widely used in human geriatrics as well. We generally try this food for a month. If symptoms are severe, or the onset is with a somewhat younger dog, we might try a medication that helps with the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS). It is made by Pfizer and is called Anipryl. It has been used for many years for this specific disorder.

Could my dog have a tumor? Brain tumors are uncommon in dogs, but they do occur. Unfortunately, the only way to diagnose a tumor reliably is to perform a MRI. Generally, we recommend referral to a veterinary neurologist for evaluation and a MRI if the patient does not respond to the B/D and/or Anipryl or the symptoms worsen. The most common brain tumor in dogs is a benign tumor and surgery is often curative. There are many options available.

Could the behavioral change be due to poor training? Yes, but usually dogs that are poorly trained have always exhibited these symptoms. If the behavioral signs worsen, it is commonly due to underlying disease.

Senility is a treatable condition. If your pet is showing signs, bring them in right away.