Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs and Cats
What is cognitive dysfunction and how is it diagnosed?
It is generally believed that a dog or cat’s cognitive function tends to decline with age, much as it does in people. If your dog or cat has one or more of the signs below and all potential physical or medical causes have been ruled out, it may be due to cognitive dysfunction. Of course, it is also possible that cognitive dysfunction can arise concurrently with other medical problems, so that it might be difficult to determine the exact cause of each sign.
“The acronym DISHA has been used to describe the signs associated with cognitive dysfunction.”
Traditionally the acronym DISHA has been used to describe the signs associated with cognitive dysfunction. DISHA refers to Disorientation, Interactions that have been altered between pets and their family members or other pets, Sleep-wake cycle changes, Housesoiling and Activity Level changes. With further research into brain aging in dogs and cats, behaviorists have recognized additional signs associated with cognitive dysfunction. An updated list of signs associated with cognitive dysfunction includes:
Disorientation – such as getting lost in familiar areas, not recognizing familiar people, going to the wrong side of the door.
Interactions – Social interactions might be altered between the pet and owner or pet and other pets – some pets may appear to be more clingy while others might be disinterested or even irritable when petted or approached.
Sleep-wake cycle changes – Your pet may be sleep more during the day, wake at nights or have irregular sleep-wake cycles.
Housesoiling – Pets begin to soil in areas where they were previously unlikely to soil including indoors or unusual places outdoors – dogs may stop signaling when they need to eliminate.
Activity levels – Initially there may be an overall decrease in activity levels, or a decreased interest in play. However, with increasing age some pets become more active in that they are restless, cannot settle, wander aimlessly or develop repetitive behaviors such as licking.
Anxiety – An increase in anxiety and agitation, which might be expressed as vocalization, newly emerging fears or phobias or becoming more clingy and overly dependent on owners.
Learning and memory – Recent research has shown that there is indeed a decline in memory and learning as dogs age, and that in controlled neuropsychological tests that determine the pet’s ability to find hidden food, a loss of memory or learning ability may begin several years before clinical signs are obvious. While there are not yet any standardized memory and learning tests in pets, you should be aware of any change in behaviors that might indicate that your pet is unable to do the tasks that it has been previously taught. Also, realize that when things change in the household or the pet’s schedule, your aging pet cannot adapt or learn as quickly as in the past. Although these may be signs of brain aging, they may also be signs of other medical problems and should therefore be reported to your veterinarian as soon as they are noticed.
At what age might cognitive decline begin to arise?
In one study of dogs that were 11-16 years of age, 28% of owners of 11 to 12 year old dogs and 68% of owners of 15 to 16 year old dogs reported that their dog exhibited at least one of the signs above. However, it’s important to note that these are signs noticed by pet owners in comparison to when their dog was younger. Research has shown that if you were to try and train your dog on some new learning tasks, that after about 7 years of age many dogs begin to show a decline in memory and learning ability.
“Treatment options tend to be most effective at slowing or reversing decline when they are instituted early in the course of disease.”
Similarly 35% of owners of older cats between 11 and 15 years of age reported at least one sign of cognitive decline and that this rose to 50% in cats over 15. Treatment options tend to be most effective at slowing or reversing decline when they are instituted early in the course of disease. Therefore, be certain to report any of these signs to your veterinarian immediately.
