Dementia is a real thing in older animals. Perhaps one day you notice that your dog seems lost in his own house, staring into a corner; or, worse, waking up in the middle of the night confused, barking or whining to let you know. It may even seem he doesn’t recognize you for a while.
We vets call it Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, and it is something akin to Alzheimers in people. Often it comes on rather slowly, with small changes that may go unnoticed for a while, changes that owners will often dismiss as just the pet getting older. These changes may be a loss of interest in things the pet used to like to do, behavior changes, changes in sleeping patterns, bathroom accidents in the house, and forgetfulness about things the pet used to notice. It is usually when the symptoms get worse that owners begin to notice.
The more striking symptoms of course are the behavioral changes, and the confusion at nighttime. Some owners report their pet developing unexpected behaviors, such as snapping at people and failure to recognize family members. This is of course scary and difficult to manage, and a big reason these pets end up at the vet to figure out what’s going on.
What can you do?
I recommend a night light where the pet spends the night, and perhaps those marquee lights (the very dim ones meant to delineate walkways) in hallways. A white noise machine may help if the pet thinks he is hearing things outside.
There are some supplements, such as Sam-e and omega fatty acids which can help combat the oxidative damages that can lead to dementia. There is a veterinary drug called Anipryl which sometimes helps. Melatonin can help with sleep cycles, and of course anti-anxiety medications prescribed by your veterinarian can help your pet to relax and get some sleep.
Keeping your elderly pet on a regular schedule is always helpful, though the pet in the extremes of dementia may not remember the schedules they always adhered to before.
As always, have your veterinarian do a full exam and make sure pain isn’t playing a part in the behavior change, or an infection in the case of going to the bathroom in the house. It’s always best to address whatever medical issues you can!