Senior dogs can get dementia. How do you know if your dog has it? What do you do?

October 16, 2024

Dogs get dementia sometimes too. Understanding what is going on and finding ways to help can make those senior years better.

WHAT IS DOG DEMENTIA?

Dog dementia, also known as senior dementia or CCD (canine cognitive dysfunction), is a collection of symptoms that show up as a dog ages. This condition acts a lot like Alzheimer’s disease in humans.

We have several senior dogs in our household, although I don’t think any of them are suffering from dementia right now. I wanted to know more just in case, So I started researching the issue.  Here’s what I found.

Does your senior dog seem “off” lately? Different behavior or getting lost? Dementia could be starting. But there are some things you can do to help.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR DOG HAS IT?

There doesn’t seem to be a way to know for sure, unfortunately. You can talk to your vet to rule out other causes for the symptoms you’re seeing, but it’s a diagnosis of exclusion. The brain doesn’t work like it used to, so your dog does things that they wouldn’t usually do. According to The Spruce Pet, if your best friend has dog dementia you might see things like

• Pottying in the house
• Getting lost in normally familiar surroundings
• Barking for no apparent reason
• Going to the wrong side of the door or getting stuck in a corner
• Withdrawing from interaction with people or other pets
• Loss of appetite
• Aggressive behavior for minor reasons
• Anxiety
• Changes in sleep
• Random staring
• Repetitive behaviors
• Depression

These are just a few of the many symptoms of dog dementia you could see. You might see a combination of a few different things. For example, your dog potties in the house or does something else they aren’t supposed to do. You get frustrated and they get more anxious or depressed. Read this post for more information.

Canine dementia can be challenging. Your dog is still your dog. They just need some extra help and understanding.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOUR DOG?

There is no way to reverse this condition. But you can learn to recognize what your dog is experiencing and take steps to compensate. For example, if they are going potty in the house, use a diaper. If they get lost, you can patiently redirect them. If they’re anxious, try to decrease the stress. And most importantly, love them through it.

I don’t think our dogs are currently having any symptoms of dog dementia. However, since they’re older, it certainly is a possibility. I’ll have to keep an eye open so I can handle the issues appropriately. I love our dogs with all my heart. They’ve hung through all of my rough times. I’ll most certainly do my best for them.

Do you have a senior dog? Have you had any of these symptoms show up with them? Let’s talk! Tell me about it in the comments below. Another post that might be helpful if you have a senior canine is this one about sight loss in senior dogs.