Do Dogs Get Dementia?

At My Pet Nutritionist, we work with a holistic approach – as part of this, we look at the links between behaviour and nutrition. We have a multitude of fantastic professionals on our team, including those specialising in behaviour. One of the most common behavioural questions we get asked is ‘could my dog have dementia?’ – so, do dogs get dementia? Read on to find out about ageing dogs, and changes to cognitive abilities!

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Many pet owners may refer to their dogs having ‘dementia’ – these dogs will be displaying some unusual behaviours typical of those you may notice in humans with the condition. In dogs, these neurological changes are diagnosed as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD).

CCD is mostly found in older individuals, however there are some cases in slightly younger dogs. The risk of CCD increases with age as it is an age-related disease. It is a progressive disease which means as time goes on, symptoms appear to worsen. This disease is sadly incurable, but can be managed to slow progression down in most individuals.

There are also other diseases with similar symptoms that your veterinarian may wish to rule out before diagnosing CCD. Younger dogs with symptoms of CCD may have a metabolic disorder. Tumours and infections may also present with the same, or very similar clinical symptoms in dogs of any age.

It is thought that around 14% of elderly dogs suffer from CCD, however potentially only 2% of those with the disease are formally diagnosed!

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Symptoms, Causes and Diagnosis

There are a variety of unusual symptoms you may see in your dog including:

• Memory loss: dogs displaying memory loss may struggle to recognise people they know, places they frequent regularly, or even forget how to carry out learnt behaviours such as basic trick training, boundary/place training etc.
• Disorientation: many dogs displaying signs of CCD will become disorientated in places they know well, including their own home. The dog may stand in unusual places like in a corner, facing the wall.
• Confusion: those with CCD can often become confused. They may respond slowly to cues, pace and aimlessly wander.
• Unusual social behaviours: dogs who were previously friendly may begin to show a different dynamic in the presence of other dogs. They may become reactive, or just disinterested in dogs they previously played with. Increased irritability in dogs with CCD is very common!
• Anxiety: even previously confident dogs can show signs of stress and anxiety both in their familiar environments, and elsewhere.
• Difficulty learning new skills: many with CCD struggle to learn new tricks or cues.
• Reversal of house-training: urinating and defecating inside the house may occur, much like most puppies! You will need to take your dog outside for bathroom breaks more frequently once diagnosed with CCD.
• Circadian Rhythm Disturbances: your dog’s circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) may become disturbed. Owners of dogs with CCD can expect their dogs to become more vocal at night, and sleep more during the day.

Age is the biggest cause of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. As previously mentioned, it is an age-related disease, which means it progresses as the dog ages; it is as a result of typical cognitive decline in ageing dogs. The natural changes to a dog’s brain which can be attributed to the onset and progression of CCD include:

• Beta-amyloid protein accumulation: as the brain ages, a build up of the beta-amyloid protein occurs. This build up toxifies the brain, which makes it a poor environment for neurons to live healthily, contributing to their decline.
• Loss/damage of neurons: partly due to the above accumulation of beta-amyloids, neurons can become damaged, or lose function completely. Neurons are the cells in the brain responsible for transmitting information across the body, so naturally, if these are damaged, information isn’t able to reach the intended destination within the body!
• Reduced blood flow: as dogs age, blood flow to the brain can decrease, which means the oxygen and nutrient rich blood is unable to benefit the neurons, causing further damage.
• Oxidative stress: free radicals are unstable molecules (in this case, of oxygen), which cause damage to various parts of the body, including the brain. Free radicals are known to damage brain cell membranes, which reduces cognitive function.

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There is no specific diagnosis techniques for CCD, however other conditions like tumours, infection and metabolic disorders are ruled out, and behavioural symptoms are taken into consideration, and a diagnosis is made based on these.

Promoting Healthy Brain Ageing

As there is no cure for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, it is important to correctly and effectively manage the condition of the brain, and in those without CCD, it is important to encourage healthy brain ageing as best we can! So how do we promote health in the ageing brain? Here’s our top tricks and tips, from an holistic perspective!

• Cut out flea and tick treatments: flea and tick treatments have an enormous impact on brain health due to the neurotoxins they contain. It is essential to cut these out of your dog’s regime if they are given them!
• Don’t over-vaccinate: toxins in the adjuvants of vaccines can reduce brain function due to their content of heavy metals. You may wish to titre test instead of vaccinating!
• Eliminate environmental toxins in the home: many household laundry, fragrance and cleaning products are a threat to the brain health of our dogs. Try to eliminate these, and switch to natural methods/products where able. Bicarbonate of Soda and White Vinegar makes for an excellent non-toxic cleaning substance, and popping your favourite herbs and fruit peels in a pan of water on the stove is an excellent way to safely add fragrance to your home!
• Control exposure to environmental toxins outside: as the world around us is so toxic outside, it can be tricky to completely avoid toxins, however you can wash your dog’s paws after a walk, try to stick to forested areas (where councils won’t kill weeds with weed killer!), and avoid the use of any weed killers or artificial fertilisers in the garden.
• Work on gut health: the gut-brain axis is a direct pathway between the brain and gut. Poor gut health can heavily affect brain health. Using a supplement for gut health can work wonders across the board! Our Gut Guardian supplement is an excellent choice for this.

• Feed fresh: feeding a fresh, high moisture food, whether raw or cooked, is a great way to aid brain health. Nutrients will be in their natural state, and not damaged through processing. The moisture content is also great for gut health, which in turn aids brain health.
• Increase Omega 3 consumption: Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory. We need to keep brain inflammation as low as possible, and with our carnivore’s meat based diet being naturally high in Omega 6 (which is inflammatory), balancing this out with Omega 3 is essential! you can find some excellent sources of Omega 3 in our blog here!

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• Include antioxidants: antioxidants are the handy nutrients which combat those nasty free radicals causing oxidative stress! We want to include plenty of antioxidants to keep oxidative stress at a minimum. Blueberries , Vitamin E, leafy greens, liver, fish and nuts (avoiding peanuts and macadamia nuts) are all excellent sources of antioxidants!

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• Focus on Vitamin B and E rich foods: these vitamins are excellent to support an ageing brain! Vitamin B aids neurotransmitter synthesis, specifically Dopamine and Noradrenaline. More recent studies show a link between vitamin B efficacy and the presence of Omega 3, too; a winning combination! Sources include red meats, fish, eggs and leafy greens. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E can be found in nuts, seeds, spinach, red peppers and avocado flesh (avoid the pit and skin!).

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• Select a good anti-inflammatory herb: Turmeric, Lemon Balm, Green Tea and Ginkgo biloba are known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties.

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• Ensure plenty of stimulation: keeping the brain active through means of stimulation and enrichment is essential! Dog puzzle games, treat hiding, treat scatters, or even a walk in a new location can all offer great cognitive enrichment to your dog.
• Add an anxiety aid if needed: in some cases, an anti-anxiety supplement may be required. Our fantastic supplement ‘calm complex’ is the perfect choice for most when it comes to anxiety driven behaviour control.

• Consider a prescription medication for blood circulation: in severe cases of CCD, dogs may require a prescription medication aimed at increasing blood circulation to the brain. If you feel this may benefit your pet, talk to your veterinarian about the possibility of having such a prescription provided.

Could your ageing dog be showing signs of ‘doggie dementia’? Many do, but as we have discussed in this blog post, there is support we can offer our ageing dogs, to improve their cognitive capabilities and in turn improve their quality of life! If you feel you could benefit from speaking to our fantastic behaviour specialist, you can book our Personalise package on our website here, where you will receive 1 to 1 help with Katie.



Team MPN x