Senility in Dogs
By Barbara Lombardi
There's hope for our older companions who seem to have lost their way. Last year, I noticed that one of my customer's dogs seemed to be confused all the time. After I would take her out, she would come in and sit by the back door as if she had forgotten she had just gone. She did the same with food.
Her owner took her to the veterinarian and ran a series of tests, all negative. She was in perfect health, except for her mental faculties. The dog's memory loss and confusion were symptoms of her aging brain.
Desperate not to put her to sleep, the owners did some research and found a new drug called l-deprenyl, normally used to treat dogs with Cushing's disease, a hormone imbalance.
After a couple of months on the medication, Bailey was improving. Her symptoms were all but gone, and she had a new life about her.
Bailey suffered from canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, also known as canine cognitive disorder or "old dog syndrome."
Some dogs remain sharp throughout their golden years, but dogs affected by CDS may experience disorientation, decreased interaction with owners, sleep disturbances and house-training problems. Dogs as young as 8 years old may show signs of CDS, too.
The drug l-deprenyl (also called selegiline) is now offered to veterinarians under the trade name Anipryl, manufactured and marketed by Pfizer Inc. The FDA approved use of l-deprenyl for treating CDS in the United States in December 1998; it has been used in Canada since 1996. L-deprenyl was first approved in the United States in 1997 but only for treating a form of Cushing's disease in dogs.
Until the discovery of this drug, owners could do little more than live with the problem, often being forced to put their dogs to sleep because their behavior was so erratic and was becoming harmful to the animal.
This is not an easily diagnosed problem; in fact, there is no specific test for it. For example, loss of appetite may be a sign of a dental or metabolic disease or of cancer. To diagnose the problem you need to:
- Have a geriatric checkup.
- Rule out medical causes through blood and urine analysis.
- Have a behavioral history to rule out purely behavioral causes.
L-deprenyl isn't a cure-all and won't help every patient, but experienced veterinarians agree it's worth trying for a month. If no improvement is seen, a second month of increased dosage is recommended. If it helps, the medication continues once a day for the remainder of the dog's life. Free of serious side effects, the medication's only drawback is its expense, which can be more than $2 per day, depending on the dog's size.
One more tip: Play with your pet daily and challenge her/his mind. It's good for their mental health and can be a great deal of fun for you.
About the Author:
After moving to Florida I decided to combine my love for writing with my knowledge of pets. For ten years I owned and operated a local pet sitting service and gained a wealth of information regarding pet care. In addition I have been an English teacher for several years as well as an aspiring writer. I recently completed a Masters Degree in Educational technology and I am looking forward to teaching college classes online. I am freelance writing and living happily in Florida with my husband and our Nikki, the most lovable golden retriever I know.
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
