2017 Volume 26 Issue 3 Pages 119-125
With increasing age, dogs exhibit many signs similar to those seen in age-related cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and dementia in humans. Clinical signs reported by owners likely relate to their specific observations such as house-soiling, changes in sleep–wake cycles, and disorientation. When we reviewed these reported CDS signs in physically healthy dogs aged 6 years and older, signs were noted to increase with age, exceeding 70% at the age of 13 years. Further differences were noted between subgroups. In the 6- to 9-year-old age group, the issues were more common in males than in females. In the 10- to 13-year-old age group, Western type breeds had more issues than Japanese type dogs. And finally, in the 14- to 18-year-old age group, spayed females had more issues than intact females. Degradation of cognitive function was also shown to be related to walks and exercise with the owner. Many owners have noticed behavioral changes affecting their elderly dogs, but few have consulted with a professional. Most of the owners who did not seek care for these changes thought that they were due to aging and would not be a problem.
