cells more pliable and preventing them from clumping together. Pro- pentofylline is sold as the veterinary medicine Vivitonin. 6 A vet can recommend other medica- tions that will make senior dogs less anxious and sleep better. Therapeutic dog foods that support cognitive func- tions may be utilized. It is best to give senior dogs exercise, keeping him/her as active as possible. Finally, a vet can prescribe medications that help mini- mize the other symptoms of CCD. CARING FOR DOGS DIAG- NOSED WITH CCD Dogs with CCD need special precau- tions taken with them. Always make sure they have proper identification on them. The changes in their sleep and awake cycles can result in them wandering away and getting lost. Avoid leaving a dog with CCD alone. Remember, the aging process is just as scary for the dog as it is for the owner. If soiling inside the house be- comes an issue, a dog’s access to areas
live normal life spans, and indeed, the referenced study showed the group with CCD had slightly longer lifes- pans. Researchers speculate that this could be a result of the higher quality of medical care that these dogs got due to their underlying condition. 13 As indicated, several drugs are avail- able which potentially reduce the progression of the disease and can also address some of the symptoms. Unfortunately, there are no biologi- cal markers that would allow accu- rate and early diagnosis of CCD in dogs. In most cases, the assessment of cognitive functions through neu- ropsychological tests and by exclu- sion of other physiological condi- tions with overlapping symptoms is sufficient to confirm the diagnosis when the disease has progressed, but markers for detecting CCD in its early stages would be very useful in veterinary medicine. 14 This article has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Havanese Club of America, Inc.
can be limited inside by using gates and potty pads, or by utilizing doggy diapers or belly bands. Senior dogs should be taken outside more often and not scolded for having accidents. SUMMARY AND PROGNOSIS As dogs are living longer nowadays, there are many more cases of CCD being seen. Indeed, by the time a dog reaches ~14 years of age, he/she has a 40% chance of developing CCD. Overall, the disease affects up to 60% of dogs older than ~11 years. 8 As noted earlier, the prevalence of CCD does not differ between breeds 9 and there are no breed-specific differ - ences in clinical signs or pathology of the disease. However, as larger breeds typically have shorter lifespans than smaller ones, 10 clinical signs of CCD aremore often observed and reported in smaller dogs. 11, 12 Interestingly, the life expectancy of senior dogs is not impacted by the presence of CCD. 10 Dogs with CCD
1 American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition, published by HoughtonMifflin Company. (1982) 2 Eileen Anderson, Remember Me? Loving and caring for a dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, 1st Edition, ISBN 978-1-943634-00-2. Published by Bright Friends Productions (2015). 3 Overview of Hyperadrenocorticism, by Cindy Cohan, VMD, published by VetFolio/Veterinary Technician. 4 Cummings BJ, Head E, Afagh AJ, MilgramNW, Cotman CW. Beta-amyloid accumulation correlates with cognitive dysfunction in the aged canine. Neurobiol. Learn Mem. 1996 Jul;66(1):11-23. doi: 10.1006/nlme.1996.0039. PMID: 8661247. 5 Sonja Prpar Mihevc and Gregor Majdič, Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and Alzheimer’s Disease - Two Facets of the Same Disease? Front Neurosci. 2019 Jun 12;13:604. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00604. PMID: 31249505; PMCID: PMC6582309. 6 Siwak CT, Gruet P, Woehrlé F, Muggenburg BA, Murphey HL, MilgramNW. Comparison of the effects of adrafinil, propentofylline, and nicergoline on behavior in aged dogs. Am J Vet Res. 2000 Nov;61(11):1410-4. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.1410. PMID: 11108188. 7 Doggie dementia is becoming more common now our best friends are living longer. Published in ABC Science by Nadyat El Gaveley, September 11, 2019. 8 Fast, R., Schutt, T., Toft, N., Moller, A., and Berendt, M. (2013). An observational study with long-term follow-up of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. Clinic characteristics, survival, and risk factors. J. Vet IM, 27(4), 822-829. 9 Salvin H. E., McGreevy P. D., Sachdev P. S., ValenzuelaM. J. (2010). Under diagnosis of canine cognitive dysfunction: a cross-sectional survey of older companion dogs. Vet. J. 184 277–281. 10.1016/j.tvjl.2009.11.007. 10 Greer K. A., Canterberry S. C., Murphy K. E. (2007). Statistical analysis regarding the effects of height and weight on life span of the domestic dog. Res. Vet. Sci. 82 208–214. 10.1016/j.rvsc.2006.06.005. 11 Vite C. H., Head E. (2014). Aging in the canine and feline brain. Vet. Clin. North Am. Small Anim. Pract. 44 1113–1129. 10.1016/j.cvsm.2014.07.008. 12 Schmidt F., Boltze J., Jäger C., Hofmann S., Willems N., Seeger J., et al. (2015). Detection and Quantification of ß-Amyloid, Pyroglutamyl Aß, and Tau in Aged Canines. J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 74 912–923. 10.1097/NEN.0000000000000230
13 See Reference 2. 14 See Reference 5.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Kim Gillette, Esq. is a recently retired Assistant County Prosecutor having served the citizens of Lorain County, Ohio, for 33 years. She has been involved in the Havanese breed since 1998, showing in obedience, rally, and conformation. She has been a member of the Havanese Club of America for over 20 years and active in the club’s Health Committee for 10 years. Dr. Rafe H. Schindler is a professor of Particle and Particle Astrophysics at Stanford University. He has chaired the club’s Health Committee since 2015. Having bred and shown Havanese for more than 15 years, Rafe is a Havanese Club of America Breeder of Distinction and an American Kennel Club Breeder of Merit .
34 • T op N otch T oys , N ovember 2021
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