Cats and dogs with dementia: disease underdiagnosed
Created: 10/10/2022, 8:00 p.m
By: Anna Katharina Kusters
Not only humans, animals can also develop dementia.
But many owners don't notice this and can't really help their pets.
Dementia is a disease that can also increasingly occur in animals as they get older.
The symptoms of animals and people with this disease are even similar: dogs and cats suffering from cognitive dysfunction syndrome, for example, are disoriented, are no longer housebroken and refuse to eat.
In animals, however, this disease often goes undetected.
So doctors can't treat them properly.
Cats and dogs with dementia: disease underdiagnosed
Playful challenges train the dog's brain.
(Iconic image) © SandraFotodesign/Imago
Even in cats and dogs, there is no cure for dementia.
However, the symptoms can be alleviated somewhat with different therapeutic approaches.
For example, the following treatment options are possible:
Change of diet: There is now special diet for older cats and dogs.
This feed is tailored to the nutritional needs of older animals and also supports brain performance.
Behavior therapy: Anyone who regularly challenges their animal with new tasks and games also stimulates the animal's brain again and again.
This should delay the death of nerve cells.
Medications: If dementia is diagnosed, certain medications that promote blood circulation can also be used.
The problem, however, is that doctors rarely diagnose dementia in cats and dogs.
Typical symptoms in animals with dementia are, for example, their refusal to eat, disorientation, but also restlessness and sleep problems.
Aggressive or uninterested behavior is also not uncommon.
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Owners who notice such changes in their animal should urgently consult the veterinarian.
With a clear diagnosis of the disease, owners can make the cat or dog as comfortable as possible.
This means, for example, defining certain areas for the animal in the apartment or house where it cannot injure itself and is not alone.
Cats and dogs with dementia: Many animals are affected
The extreme underdiagnosis of dementia in cats and dogs is devastating, because according to various studies, 68 percent of dogs between the ages of 15 and 16 suffer from this disease.
In cats, it is said to affect every second person over the age of 15.
The University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover has therefore set up a special consultation hour for demented dog and cat patients.
