Is your older dog walking more slowly?
It could be a sign of dog dementia
As we age, we slow down. Dogs are no different. A new study found that in dogs – just as in humans – a slower walking speed was related to cognitive decline and dementia.
Before talking about the details of the study, let’s discuss aging in our pets. Dogs and cats experience similar signs of aging to humans, including both physical and cognitive decline. Dogs and cats even experience dementia. In dogs, the official label is canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome – better known as “dog dementia”. Behavioral signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in cats and dogs include:
- Disorientation
- Changes in interactions with owners, other pets, and the environment
- Sleep-wake cycle disturbances
- Urination or defecation in the house
- Changes in activity
According to surveys, dog dementia may also be accompanied by physical signs such as vision impairment, smell disturbance, tremor, swaying or falling, and the head dropping forward.
As you can imagine, each pet is different and may express various signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome in their older years.
For example, a beagle mix named Jacob lived a long and happy life but as he aged, his behavior changed. Jacob was slowing down a bit but was generally physically healthy. He had good days when he seemed fine, and bad days when he was not himself – staring into space or wandering aimlessly with a blank expression. Jacob suffered from dog dementia.
The changes that come with an aging pet may be hard to diagnose. That’s because there are many factors – physical and psychological – that can affect the behavior, personality, and mobility of any pet. This makes it hard for pet parents and their veterinarians to pinpoint issues and determine if there are any treatments.
Slower gait related to cognitive decline
In humans, slower walking speed or “gait” is an indicator of cognitive decline. This is a simple measure that can assist physicians in diagnosing age-related problems. Is walking speed an indicator of dementia in dogs?
Researchers from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary College Medicine recently asked exactly this question. They studied adult and older dogs and measured their walking speed on- and off-leash. They also measured the cognitive performance of the dogs in various standardized tests. The scientists found that enticing the dog to come to a food reward while off-leash was related to cognitive performance. The slower the dog, the higher the level of cognitive decline. The off-leash test was better than the on-leash test. That’s because dogs on a leash walk at the same rate as their handler so individual differences are not as apparent.
Recording the gait of dogs is a very simple measurement that can be done at home or in the veterinary office. Want to measure your older dog’s walking speed at home? The researchers in the study used a stopwatch to gauge how long it took for a dog to walk 5 meters when offered a treat. Check out this video of the procedure for more details.
Don’t forget that many older dogs also have sleep disturbances and may suffer from joint pain. Blue Toby Sustainable Pet Beds are especially soft and comforting for aging pets.
More details:
Frontiers in Veterinary Medicine publication
NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine Longitudinal Study of Neuro-Aging in Dogs