While pets don’t actually develop Alzheimer’s, both dogs and cats do develop a condition called cognitive disorder. While the condition appears new, it is not and has been recognized by veterinarians for many years. There are a number of clinical signs in pets with cognitive impairment. These signs are often accepted by owners as normal signs of aging, when in fact they are signs of a (usually) treatable condition. Owners should be taught that any of these signs warrant a full evaluation. Education should begin before the first geriatric visit. Regular geriatric examination, ideally every 6 to 12 months, will facilitate communication and allow early diagnosis of cognitive disorders and other conditions often seen in geriatric dogs.

Common signs in dogs and cats with cognitive impairment include wandering aimlessly, vocalizing for no reason, getting stuck in a corner, sleeping more during the day, seeking less attention, missing housetraining, and seeking less attention. Because these signs can mimic other conditions (cancer, hypothyroidism), these pets should receive a complete exam before a diagnosis of a cognitive disorder.

The drug AniprylR is approved for the treatment of cognitive disorders in dogs. It should be administered daily for the life of the dog once the diagnosis has been made. Side effects are rare in dogs and include restlessness, disorientation, vomiting, anorexia, weakness, anemia, rigidity, and polydipsia. The biggest concern among owners is cost: A month’s supply for a 30-pound dog costs around $125.

There are other more natural alternatives, including herbal preparations (gingko, lycopodium, salvia), thyroid supplements (when the cause is hypothyroidism), nutritional supplements with whole food preparations of vitamins such as inositol and lecithin, and a specific product called Cholodin that combines choline and several other nutrients (choline, phosphatidylcholine, methionine, inositol, and various B vitamins and antioxidants). Nutritional supplements are used to increase acetylcholine levels in the body (acetylcholine is a widely distributed nerve transmitter in the body). Seniors and pets begin to lose nerve receptors for choline. Since oral administration of choline increases plasma choline levels, and since brain acetylcholine levels increase as plasma choline levels increase, the use of choline supplementation has the ability to improve neurological disorders resulting from decreased acetylcholine.

In my practice, natural therapies have been shown to be extremely effective in most pets, without the expense and side effects of drug therapy. The therapy is given for 2 months to assess efficacy (as with any nutritional therapy), although results may occur more quickly. To learn more about the protocol I recommend, email me at [email protected] and ask for the cognitive impairment protocol.