Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome is the name given to senile dementia problems in dogs. The process of central nervous system attrition in older dogs causes clinical signs similar to those of senile dementia or Alzheimer's disease in people. These are:
Confusion and Disorientation: The dog is in a room in the house and does not seem to know how to get out of it, or is stuck in a corner or behind a door.
Ambulation and Wakefulness During the Night: The dog spends the whole night walking around the house, and during the day he only sleeps.
Loss of Hygiene Habits: The dog begins to urinate or defecate in unusual places, and has never done so before.
Decreased Activity Level: The dog pays no attention to anything that is happening around him.
Loss of Recognition: The dog stops identifying other animals or people.
As expected, all these signs have a negative impact that interferes with the dog's behavior, and in its relationship with the owners.
As in people, when the problem is diagnosed early, measures can be established to stop its evolution. Using simple games, regular exercise, mental stimulation activities, and sometimes medication can help slow the progression of dementia.
Diet plays an important role in preventing this deterioration. Specific senior dog foods include elevated levels of antioxidants, such as vitamins E and C, which help combat changes in your central nervous system, as well as medium-chain fatty acids, which are a very good source of energy for your brain, especially when they begin to lose their ability to use glucose as the main fuel.
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Idiopathic Vestibular Syndrome
The vestibular system is located in the inner ear, and is responsible for providing information to the brain about the position and movements of the head. In this way, it facilitates the coordination of the muscles to maintain balance, eye movement, and head position. The vestibular system can be affected in case of severe and / or internal otitis, or if there is alteration of the nerves that collect and process all the information created in it.
However, in older dogs, a syndrome of unknown cause may appear suddenly, manifested by tilting of the head, loss of balance, and abnormal eye movement, which is not associated with other typical signs of vestibular syndrome. of neurological origin or otitis. It appears suddenly and gradually, and most dogs recover normally within 3 to 6 days, although in some cases some head tilt may persist.
The vet will explore your dog and do the appropriate tests to determine that it is idiopathic vestibular syndrome. Sometimes, if there are other signs of suspicion, you may have a blood test to rule out a thyroid hormone-related problem.
The treatment consists solely of your dog resting, and having easy access to its water and food.
Vertebral Clamps And Shakers
Nerve problems that originate in the spinal cord, and provide sensitivity and control of the limb muscles, are more common in older dogs due to wear and tear on the joints between vertebrae. The nerves in the extremities exit the spinal canal through holes left between each vertebra, and osteoarthritis and other age-related problems can cause these holes to alter and compress the nerves. Many times we may think that the movement problems of our senior pet are normal for an animal of its age, but the presence of a problem in the nerve roots can aggravate the consequences of osteoarthritis typical of advanced age.
Some breeds are more predisposed to suffer problems in the nerves of the hind limbs. Sometimes the first symptoms are associated with tremors in the limbs when the dog is standing. Thorough examination of the animal, and testing and checking of spinal reflexes, can facilitate diagnosis and locate the point where they originate.
Sometimes, the animal must undergo diagnostic imaging techniques such as plain radiographs, or even an MRI or CT scan to locate the source of the injury and its severity. It can also happen that the problem is not due to a wear of the bone structures, but to the presence of other diseases.
Several pathologies of Metabolism, such as diabetes or hypothyroidism, can affect the peripheral nerves. In this case, the veterinarian must perform blood tests on your dog to determine if the observed changes are the consequence of any other disease that has gone unnoticed.
Tumors And Epileptic Crises
The presence of tumors in the central nervous system can also cause signs similar to vestibular syndrome, or to 'pinching' of the nerves. Sometimes the severity of the clinical signs or the presence of alterations in the animal's level of consciousness or movement will make them suspicious, but in other cases it will be necessary to rule them out.
Thus, for example, it is unusual for a dog to have its first epileptic seizure after it is 7 years old. Typically, you have already had seizures at younger ages.
In this case, your veterinarian will recommend diagnostic imaging tests for epileptic attacks in older dogs, to rule out the presence of tumors in the central nervous system, which are more frequent from 7 years of age, well because they were generated there in the first instance, or as a consequence of metastasis from tumors originating elsewhere.
Other Neurological Problems In Older dogs
There are many other neurological problems in older dogs that can appear, but they are much less frequent. Old dog encephalitis can result from a distemper virus infection at an early age, although there are many other causes of encephalitis that can appear at any age, such as secondary to other infections, or due to an adverse reaction to a vaccine. It is true that they are very rare, but they always require emergency treatment.
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