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Preventing Dog Dementia FIVE STRATEGIES TO PRESERVE COGNITIVE HEALTH
A
mong the many traits that dogs and humans share is the potential with aging for progressive cognitive decline, which canines can experience as early as 7 years of age. Clinical signs of cognitive decline appear in 50 percent of dogs over 11 and by the time they are 15, 68 percent display at least one sign. The five classic and easily observable indicators of cognitive decline in dogs are decreased attention to surroundings, disinterest and apathy; decreased purposeful activity; increased sleep during a 24-hour 30
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by Karen Shaw Becker
period; intermittent anxiety expressed through apprehension, panting, moaning or shivering; and loss of formerly acquired knowledge, including house training. Other symptoms include failure to respond to commands, difficulty hearing, inability to recognize familiar people and difficulty navigating their environment. Physical manifestations may show up as excessive licking, lack of grooming, fecal and urinary incontinence and loss of appetite.
Gum Disease Linked to Canine Cognitive Dysfunction A connection has been established between Alzheimer’s disease and periodontal disease in humans, and a recent study has revealed a similar association between gum disease and canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). By comparing dogs with CCD and a control group of healthy dogs, New York integrative veterinarian Curtis Dewey, of Elemental Pet Vets, and Mark Rishniw, of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, found
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