Senior Pets Face Same Obstacles As Senior Citizens

At Mandarin Animal Hospital, our understanding of your pets’ needs have come a long way. The combination of improved nutrition, preventative vaccines and care, and cutting-edge technology to treat chronic diseases and injuries has markedly increased the life expectancy for your pets. Cats and dogs now often reach birthdays marking 16 or more years of life.

However, just as in humans, old age in pets is burdened by an increased risk of arthritis, cancer, heart disease, and even dementia. Known as canine cognitive dysfunction, “doggie dementia” can cause senior pets to exhibit symptoms similar to those documented in human Alzheimer’s patients.

Hard To Diagnose

Your pet can’t tell you when something is wrong. His or her actions are what you rely on to get a sense of whether they feel well or if something has changed. If your older dog is experiencing doggie dementia, among other symptoms, he may begin to have bathroom accidents indoors, become lost or disoriented in familiar places and stare blankly at walls. Unfortunately, the symptoms of canine cognitive dysfunction can be confused with or mistaken for other conditions.

According to Melissa Bain, a UC Davis veterinarian who specializes in animal behavior, pets who stand still and stare blankly may be suffering from a minor seizure rather than dementia; those that seem detached may be in pain; and changes in bathroom habits could be a sign of kidney disease. The diagnosis, therefore, tends to be a process of elimination.

Not An Isolated Occurrence

Research suggests that nearly 70% of dogs and 50% of cats 15 and older exhibit signs of cognitive dysfunction or decline. Brain autopsies of older cats and dogs have shown internal changes similar to those found in seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. This includes loss of neurons, plaquing or calcification, and atrophy. These conditions are linked with memory loss, confusion, and detachment.

There are no good ways to predict, prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease or canine cognitive dysfunction. Instead, the condition is most often managed through diet, supplements, and mental stimulation.

If you have noticed odd behavioral or bathroom changes in your pet, please contact Mandarin Animal Hospital and make an appointment with a veterinarian. The earlier the condition is caught, the better it can be treated and managed.