Dogs Can Get Dementia?
It's a well-known fact that humans can suffer from dementia, but new data shows that dog dementia is a real thing, too.
We all know that dementia can affect humans, but can cases of neurological disease appear in our beloved pets, too? A new study regarding dog dementia by the Dog Aging Project shows that this disease may be far more common in animals than people suspect.
The Dog Aging Project is a group consistently working towards solutions for canine diseases and aging issues. One of their main focuses is a canine cognitive dysfunction, colloquially known as dog dementia. It’s suspected that 14% to 35% of dogs experience dementia in their old age, but it’s still unknown how frequently this occurs and for what reasons. The organization enrolled 15,019 dogs to study this type of neurological illness and found some surprising factors about what animals are at risk.
Like humans, the Dog Aging Project found that regular exercise can ward off significant effects of dog dementia. Dogs that didn’t get regular play or exercise were 6.47 times higher of getting the disease than their active counterparts. Unfortunately, dog dementia could also increase a pet’s unwillingness to play or run around, affecting the severity of the neurological issue. Dogs that already have problems with sight or hearing have a greater chance of being diagnosed with dog dementia. Experts believe removing stimulation from seeing, or hearing-impaired dogs could lead to a neurological disorder. When a dog’s brain is stalled or not as active, it could make them more susceptible to brain functionality issues.
Old age is a significant factor in a dog’s risk for dementia. The study found that the risk for the disease increased drastically every year for older canines. The potential for a pet to get dog dementia would only ramp up in a dog’s projected lifespan’s later years. The study provided substantial evidence that humans and dogs have similar correlations with Alzheimer’s or dementia; factors like age and limited stimuli affect the human brain similarly to a canine one. As people or dogs begin to age, their risk level for neurological problems inevitably increases.
It’s not a coincidence that the study from the Dog Aging Project finds patterns of neurological issues that mirror the human experience. The organization is directly funded by the National Institute of Aging, a group that seeks to find the answers to human cognitive dysfunction over time. The National Institute of Aging funded the project not only to find out dog dementia risks for animals but to gather more insight on factors that increase the probability of dementia in humans, too. Investing in dog research also helps human studies since companion animals are in the same environment and household as their owner. Second-hand cigarette smoke, air quality, and lawn pesticides are all components that affect both dogs and humans, which gives the study a well-rounded picture of a living situation and its possible risks.
The Dog Aging Project is opening up new ways of thinking regarding dog dementia. As more correlations between dogs and humans are revealed, a better understanding of enigmatic diseases like cognitive dysfunction is beginning to unfold.
