From the desk of Sharda Baker.
Hello and welcome everyone!
This is Sharda with another pet health newsletter.
I have been receiving emails about their dogs having accidents in the house and doing some of the things that they don't usually do before.
So today, I dedicated this newsletter for owners who are dealing with older dogs.
I really hope that you continue to read this pet health newsletter update so that you can understand what your dog is and will probably face.
PET HEALTH - SENILITY/CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF SENILITY/CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION?
There are four main areas where symptoms appear. They are disorientation, interaction with people, activity level and sleep, and housetraining. Disorientation may present itself with an animal that wanders aimlessly, gets stuck incorners, stands at the wrong side of a door or appears not to recognize people or familiar commands and words.
Changes in interaction with people may include seeking more or less attention than normal, not wanting to be petted, not responding to his or her name. Activity and sleep changes show in such behaviors as sleeping more during the day and less at night; barking for no reason; forgetting meal times; and wandering aimlessly.
Housetraining changes are obvious - urinating in the house, not asking to go outside or forgetting why they are there when they do go out. This is not the same as incontinence, which is usually a physical problem.
WHAT CAUSES SENILITY/CANINE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION?
Studies have shown that dogs affected by this syndrome show deposition of amyloid (a protein) in their brains in patterns very similar to the amyloid plaques found in the brains of human Alzheimerís patients. Cognitive dysfunction is often associated with the depletion of dopamine, a neurotransmitter.
This is usually associated with aging in dogs.
THE USUAL APPROACH AND PET MEDS FOR SENILITY
L-Deprenyl helps prolong dopamine activity. Dopamine breakdown results free radicals, and L-Deprenyl helps reduce amounts of free radicals in the brain. Often dogs improved during the first three months and it appears that the earlier L-Deprenyl is started, the better the result.
If no improvement is seen after the first month, your veterinarian may double the dose for an additional month before deciding the drug may not be useful in that particular pet. Some therapeutic diets contain antioxidants (mixed tocopherols, vitamin C, beta-carotene, carotenoids, and flavenoids), mitochondrial cofactors, and omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA).
These diets have been shown to improve the performance of a number of cognitive tasks.
HERBAL PET MEDS THAT MAY ASSIST YOUR DOG'S SENILITY
Natural therapies might also be used in the senior pet for calming, reducing anxiety or inducing sleep including melatonin (to help with sleeping), valerian, Bachís flower remedies, the pheromones, Ginkgo Biloba (to improve cognitive function) and Neuro-PS (Phosphatidylserine), Glucosamine Hydrochloride.
PET MEDS AND APPROACHES YOU CAN USE AT HOME
Use their intelligence to improve the quality of their lives. If your old dogís vision is still good, teach signals. This will serve as a back-up if hearing fails, which it often does. Signals are fun for dogs and are a more natural language for them than words. Grooming (touch) will help your dog cope with vision and hearing loss. Your touch will help guide your dog.
Environmental enrichment like living with another dog, playing daily with toys and a leisurely walk some place with exciting smells and sounds, provides the greatest improvement in learning ability. Take more frequent potty breaks. Stick to a routine and don't re-arrange the furniture. If he forgets why he is outside, remind him and praise copiously.
Switch his diet to one that is easy to digest and of a good quality to meet his senior nutritional needs.
Massage can really help a senior with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction plus it relaxes them and is a wonderful time for bonding and sharing your love with your dog.
I really hope that you learned a lot from today's pet health newsletter.
Remember to be patient with your aging dogs and to give them lots of love and understanding during this stage of their lives.
Thanks for listening.
All the best and take care
Warmly,
