Alzheimer's in Dogs

As dogs get older they sometimes get confused. Of course, they used to say the same thing about human beings as it was generally accepted that folks just got a bit slower, both in mind and body, when they aged. Then doctors discovered Alzheimer's disease and all that changed. Now we know for certain that people can retain their wits and a clear mind well into their golden years if they can avoid this deadly disease. Though it not nearly as well known, dogs and other domestic pets can also suffer from a type of Alzheimer's disease, commonly called Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS). But since dogs have a much shorter life span than humans, ordinarily only about fifteen years, most vets didn't pay attention when owners told them their dogs seemed to be suffering from something, or that their faculties had been impaired. The most common complaint was severe confusion that could turn a formerly alert animal into a dull one, seemingly overnight. While it certainly is normal for your dog's body to slow down when he ages, especially when he enters double digits, his mind should not be dramatically affected. Oftentimes, diseases that attack the mind of a pet will also alter the personality of the animal irrevocably. After years of complaints, veterinarians finally started to take these claims seriously and actively investigated them. It was then that they found that dogs do indeed suffer from CDS, which, like Alzheimer's in humans, is a degenerative disease that attacks the brain and nervous system. Though there remains a real dearth of research on CDS, doctors do know that it is caused by changes in the brains of animals, particularly with regard to chemicals and that is not, in fact, a normal part of aging. How many dogs have it? The results of a recent study revealed that nearly two-thirds of dogs over the age of eleven demonstrate one or more of the symptoms of CDS. While tests do take into account the testimonials of pet owners, they pay greater attention and give more weight to actual examinations of animals. When dogs are examined for Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, scientists, researchers and doctors are looking for general cognitive impairments. The easiest way to prove this is to test an animal's general level of alertness when compared with younger dogs. If a dog simply will not respond to outside stimuli, then there's a good chance he is suffering from CDS. If you suspect that your pet has been afflicted with this terrible disease, you should keep an eye out for the following symptoms: paying less attention to the family, sleeping all the time, no longer begging for food, going to the bathroom in the house, showing little or no interest in popular activities, like going for a walk. While there is no known cure for CDS, there is a new drug that is commonly prescribed by veterinarians that has been shown to increase the dog's chances of functioning normally.