Dementia in pets
Also known as cognitive dysfunction syndrome, dementia has much in common with Alzheimer's disease in humans
Did you know that the behavioural changes we see in many of our senior pets aren’t just an inevitable feature of getting old – they could be a sign of dementia?
Many cases of pet dementia go unnoticed because owners often mistake the symptoms for normal signs of ageing.
The good news is that the sooner dementia is diagnosed, the better you can improve your pet’s symptoms and slow the disease progression down.
By recognising the signs early on, your vet can support you in managing the condition to ensure that your pet remains as happy and healthy as possible.
Dementia in dogs
Dog dementia, or canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, becomes more common as dogs age, with the risk increasing by about 50% for each additional year.1 A study of over 1,000 dog owners found that about one in five dogs aged 11 to 13 years and more than two-thirds of dogs 15 years and older showed signs of this condition.2”
Reference
1. Yarborough S, Fitzpatrick A, Schwartz SM; Dog Aging Project Consortium. Evaluation of cognitive function in the Dog Aging Project: associations with baseline canine characteristics [published correction appears in Sci Rep. 2023 May 30;13(1):8753.
2.MacQuiddy B, Moreno JA, Kusick B, McGrath S. Assessment of risk factors in dogs with presumptive advanced canine cognitive dysfunction. Front Vet Sci. 2022;9:958488
Know the score about pet dementia!
Dementia symptom checker for dogs
Have you noticed your older dog acting differently? This could be down to a number of reasons, one of which could be dementia.
Up to 85% of dementia cases go undiagnosed, so to help you rule this out, take our questionnaire now.
Dementia in cats
Cats are living longer than ever. As a result, more cats are developing diseases associated with old age, one of which is dementia. Dementia is thought to affect almost a third of 11 to 14-year-old cats.
Know the score about pet dementia!
Dementia symptom checker for cats
Individual behavioural changes in cats could be due to one of several medical conditions but there are a number of behavioural changes which might indicate cognitive decline.
Complete our simple cat dementia questionnaire to identify whether your cat may be showing signs of dementia.
Gemma, a veterinary student with Vets4Pets, tells the story of her chocolate Labrador named Coco.
Coco's story illustrates the importance of visiting your veterinarian and having symptoms examined in order for your pet to be properly diagnosed, so that you can begin to improve your pet's wellbeing and slow the progression of dementia.
Dog Dementia - Gemma's Story
