Alzheimer’s in dogs

This disease affects people, but if you are wondering if dogs also suffer from it, the answer is yes. In today’s post, we will tell you what it is, how to detect it, what ages it affects, what its symptoms are, what its evolution is, how it is treated and what to do to prevent and alleviate it. Remember it!

Alzhe imer or cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS)

Either of the two names is synonymous with the same pathology. So many things we have in common with our dogs, until we share a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive p é loss of memory that slowly erases the lived and learned over a lifetime and, most painful, even the faces and voices of loved ones.

It is even natural that over time, dogs lose their faculties, but this aging process is very different from Alzheimer’s disease, which we are dealing with today.

As with the elderly, the síndrome of cognitive dysfunction often affect, mainly, the elderly dogs, especially from 8 years old, but also cases of Alzheimers are given Imer in young dogs , whose origin is associated with gene factors é ticos.

Regarding the causes , the researchers point to a relationship with the increase in the amyloid beta protein, which is attributed neurotoxic properties and which is capable of causing progressive neuronal death.

Symptoms of alzhe imer in dogs

When in doubt or fear that your dog may suffer from this syndrome, pay attention to the following signs:

• Memory and concentration failures: if your dog, at times, does not attend or obey, it may be a sign that it is difficult for him to remember some of the previously familiar commands; Forgets words and expressions that previously caused him joy, such as “let’s go to the park” or “take a prize”.
• Change of behavior: the dog with this pathology can do unusual things in its habitual behavior, such as, suddenly, urinate or defecate inside the house.
• Apathy: it is another of the incipient symptoms; the animal is seen as distant, stops playing and getting involved in the proposals of family life.
• Sleep disturbances: at the beginning of the syndrome, a change in sleep habits can be observed; It is possible that the dog sleeps at the wrong time and does not sleep when it was usual, so it can roam at night, from one side of the house to the other.
• Disorientation: faced with memory loss, the dog can get lost even in its own family habitat; He is seen to be indecisive, he walks without knowing whether to stay still, keep moving forward or what direction to take.
• Anxiety: since the effects of this pathology begin to take their toll on the dog, the level of anxiety tends to rise significantly. If before it was a gentle dog, the various disorders it experiences in its central nervous system, cause its stress to increase to abnormal levels.
• Irritability: a dog with Alzheimer’s disease tends to change its way of being, sometimes showing signs of aggressiveness and susceptibility.

Some of these symptoms, alone or associated, can also hide another type of disorder, so you always have to go to the vet to examine the dog, determine the extent of the signs and study the most appropriate treatment.

Treatments that improve the quality of life

Unfortunately, Alzheimer’ is a disease, which to date has no cure. But it is in our power to do everything possible to delay its appearance.

It is also important to be able to detect it as soon as possible so that, under medical supervision, our dog can have the best possible quality of life. Let’s see some of the treatments that will alleviate the effects of Alzheimer:

• Palliative drugs: intended to slow the progression of the syndrome, including drugs to promote blood circulation.
• Diet and nutritional supplements: to guarantee the correct supply of nutrients that help the dog to cope with the disease; the vitamins and antioxidants can not miss in your diet, especially those elements that help strengthen the nervous system ; specifically, vitamin E, or tocopherol, is essential to delay the loss of cognitive functions in dogs with Alzheimer’s.
• Behavior modification: in collaboration with expert ethologists, this therapy is aimed at reinforcing the behaviors that the dog has learned throughout its life, until the beginning of the disease.

The balm of daily routine and music

Given the progressive deterioration of our dog, it is essential to establish daily routines that give him security and make him feel comfortable and relaxed. The objective is to reduce the anxiety typical of dogs with CDS.

Routine and music are key pieces …

• Try to always feed him at the same time.
• Continue with the routine also at the time of the walk.
• If there is no contraindication, consult your veterinarian to establish regular guidelines for physical exercise.
• Set up simple games for her that she likes and can understand.
• Select pieces of appropriate music to induce relaxation and reduce restlessness.

With these guidelines, patience and a lot of love, you will be able to comfort your furry and improve its general state of health. Do not forget!