Dimetia in dogs? Anyone with experience with this?

I have a 9year old greyhound. We adopted him four and a half years ago. He has been showing signs of "doggy dimentia". He gets lost in the backyard and forgets where the door to the house is and trys to walk into walls. He will walk into the glass patio door when it is closed. He will bark to go out at night several times and have an accident anyways(happening more frequently). He will bark to go outside, when we let him out he stands at the door and looks in. He has liver disease but still seems pretty healthy otherwise. He eats well but still is a bit thin. We have seen the vet and there is really nothing that they can do. Last night I was up 6 times with him barking to go outside but still woke up to a mess this morning. Does anyone have any tips on dealing with a dog that has dimentia?

Well ive never had a dog with dementia but my old cat was suffering from it and had simlar behaviours to your dog.If you called him he would look some where else,if he did see you he would look at you as if he didnt know who you were no more,and hed generally have a lost expression on his face,he also used to jump up in the air out of the blue and started to fit.He died aged 14yrs.If theres nothing the vet can do then just reasure your dog with lots of comfort and always make sure someones around to supervise him so he doesn't get lost or hurt him self.It is distressing to see,but keep doing what your doing.Good luck.

I had a dog who was 16 years old when she started to get "alzheimer's". She was a medium sized dog. Anyway, I started off giving her 1/2 a Benadryl tablet in the am & one in the pm. I then moved it up to 1 in am & 1 in pm, when I felt the 1/2 was no longer effective. My vet assured me that it is ok to give dogs Benadryl. This helped to "calm" her down & reduced her walking into walls..Good Luck to you

Dementia (Senility, Cognitive DysfunctionDogs with cognitive dysfunction can disrupt their family's routine with the house soiling, vocalization, wandering, and diminished family interaction. Treatment of dementia may include one or more of the following:Specific treatment of any concurrent illnessBehavior modification exercisesSpecific exercise recommendationDrug therapy, which may require one to two months before improvement is notedFollow your veterinarian's treatment recommendations for the initial treatment period. Keep a log of the abnormal behavior that your pet shows and notify your veterinarian immediately if you notice any deterioration in your pet's condition. If your pet suffers from dementia, you should prevent him from wandering away from the house by keeping him in a fenced-in area, always watching him or using a bell on his collarbasically the only thing u can do is either deal with it reguraly or have the dog euthanized (sadly)

My Pet has Changed: Understanding Aging-Related Behavior Changes in DogsDogs, like people, may experience dementia as they age. Fortunately, explained Dr. Ilana Reisner, assistant professor of behavioral medicine and director of the behavior clinic at VHUP, the behavior changes associated with age-related degeneration – termed “cognitive dysfunction syndrome” (CDS) – can be managed through medication, and environmental and behavioral modification. Dr. Reisner discussed the prevalence, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of CDS.The clinical signs of CDS result from a number of degenerative changes, including the death of brain cells secondary to oxidative damage. This leads to subsequent cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, and ventricular enlargement. The brain tissue is further compromised by decreased local blood flow and deposition of beta-amyloid protein. Mental capacity is physiologically altered by neurotransmitter and receptor dysfunction. “The brain pathology impairs the way affected dogs think and function. This results in behavioral changes,” said Dr. Reisner.The signs of CDS, which was first recognized in dogs about 10 years ago, include anxiety; disorientation (i.e., apparent confusion and memory loss, staring, aimless wandering, getting “stuck” in corners); inappropriate elimination (i.e., “accidents” in housetrained dogs, failure to adequately signal at the door, inappropriate elimination in view of owners, indoor elimination shortly after being outdoors); changes in social behavior (i.e., social detachment, irritability, decreased interest in interaction); changes in sleep-wake patterns (i.e., evening restlessness, decreased nighttime sleep, more frequent and deeper daytime sleep); and changes in activity level (i.e., decreased activity or increased activity with repetitive behaviors).It is important to differentiate behavioral problems associated with CDS from those of other physical causes because, Dr. Reisner explained, “in the elderly dog, we can see behavioral changes that are manifestations of physical problems.”For example, decreased responsiveness, similar to that of CDS, can be caused by the expected sensory impairment of old age. Impaired mobility can result from osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and hormonal disorders. Inappropriate elimination can be a symptom of urinary tract or systemic disease, or of neurological impairment.Nevertheless, CDS is a significant problem, particularly in light of the fact that there are some 18 million pet dogs over seven years of age in the U.S. In a recent prevalence study that surveyed owners of 180 dogs between the ages of 11 and 16, 28 percent of owners of 11-12-year-old dogs, and 68 percent of owners of 15-16-year-old dogs, reported one or more categories of cognitive impairment. In another study, 75 percent of owners of older dogs reported that their pets exhibited at least one sign of CDS, yet only 12 percent of owners said they had spoken to their veterinarian about it.CDS is probably underreported by owners, said Dr. Reisner, because “people sometimes don’t complain about behavioral problems that they view as normal and almost inevitable in old dogs.”Unfortunately, Dr. Reisner pointed out, CDS worsens with age, hence the need for timely diagnosis and treatment. A diagnosis of CDS, which is based on clinical signs, cannot be made until underlying medical causes for the behavioral changes have been ruled out or accounted for.The choices for drug therapy for CDS are varied and diverse. Perhaps the most widely-touted is selegiline (Anipryl®), which enhances dopamine function in the brain. In a recent study of 200 dogs with CDS, selegiline administration significantly improved their activity levels, sleep-wake cycles and elimination habits.Other drug categories used in the treatment of CDS include vasodilators, calcium-channel blockers, antidepressants and sedatives. Antioxidants (vitamins E and C, selenium), which scavenge free radicals and thereby reduce tissue damage, have been used with some success. In several studies, Hill’s Prescription Diet® b/d™ – an antioxidant diet designed to reduce brain tissue damage – was associated with improvements in social interaction, discrimination tests and activity level in cognitively-impaired older dogs.In dogs suffering from CDS, psychopharmacology must be combined with environmental modification. For example, said Dr. Reisner, senescent dogs that are eliminating indoors should be treated like pups: Restrict access to indoor areas, do not rely on signaling behavior, reward outdoor elimination and modify feeding schedules.In conclusion, she added, behavioral problems in elderly dogs rarely exist in isolation, so any concurrent medical problems must be diagnosed and treated. Behavioral changes should be closely monitored, and veterinary visits increased to every three or four months, she stressed, because “our aged pets deserve our full commitment and care.”www.eurobichons.comhttp://www.eurobichons.com/view_topic.php?id=819&forum_id=19&highlight=dementia

Most all dogs over the age of 8 years old suffered to some degree from dementia. I recommend consulting with your veterinarian about your dog's nighttime anxiety. He or she may be able to prescribe a sedative that will calm your dog and help her (and you) get a good night’s sleep.

There are several things that could be going on. You dog could be loosing it's sight for one, have a brain tumor, have had a stroke, or he could be suffering from cognitive dysfunction. You should talk to you veterinarian about his problems and get recommendations as for a supplements and medications to help his mention.

Could he be going blind?If he is uncomfortable and the quality of life has decreased, it may be time to put him down.

he is old.the vision problem,what happens to old people?they lose vision.your dog is most likely going blind.mark areas around ur house with certain scents.all walls should be the same scent.furniture the same scent,etc.etc.if u cant handle the thought of him that way then give him to some1 who can or as a very very very very very very very very very very very very very VERY last resort.......... :,( get him put to sleep