and why pet parents don’t know about it?
The reason this is the primary question to ask is my own personal experience. After having had dogs all my life, 9 to date, many who lived into their 20’s, I didn’t know anything about this disease for dogs. My uncle had dementia, but until I was confronted by a veterinary neurologist with the possibility, I never thought of it…but then my Shamrock’s symptoms mimicked my uncle’s and that was the “light bulb moment.”
So I asked hundreds of pet parents, what they knew about doggy dementia. The answers I received from other pet parents were interesting. Most pet parents had no idea their dog could get dementia or what it was. They did know about it for people but never conceived that dogs might get it and what it could be like if they did.
The few pet parents that did know about the disease seemed only to know because their dog was diagnosed by a veterinarian because of symptoms that started as behavioral issues for which there seemed to be no medical diagnosis, or systemic cause.
The other way pet parents would admit their dog had dementia was because they were going to the bathroom in the house, acting out, not eating or sleeping and started having weird behavior patterns:
- staring into space
- getting stuck in corners
- not recognizing family
- going out and not seeming to know why they were there
- pacing endlessly
- walking in tight circles and not stopping
- becoming agressive or too passive
and many many more signs…
This led me to use my writing history as a journalist to learn about the disease and to interview over 50 experts. The result is “SHAMROCK’S STORY.”
So if I didn’t know about doggy dementia, it was no wonder so many pet parents didn’t either.
So here’s what I learned:
- dementia can start in dogs as young as 5
- dementia affects cognitive and social skills, and general thought patterns
- the disease has a slow progression so many early signs are missed
- signs can increase from mild to severe
- mental deterioration continues caused by plaque accumlation in the brain
- currently there is no cure, so Early Prevention, Sign Recognition and Treatments are the best way to deal with this disease
- Prevention is Key and knowledge is power- understanding this disease can help keep it from invading your dog’s brain or limit the damage if it lands at your doggy door!
- Knowing the causes can help protect your dog!
Now that you have the understanding of what this disease is, you need to know what you can do about it …stay tuned for the next post: Early Prevention(future posts will include signs and symptoms and treatments and questions answered from pet parents.) Follow me to learn more and in the meantime for more information visit: https://www.goldenquillpress.com/dogdementia.html
Because you love your dog… follow me and please let me know your questions.