Cognitive dysfunction in your goldfish

Ok, maybe this is really talking about dogs...a senile goldfish is a bit funnier for some reason though.

One of my closest companions is a brindle boxer dog with big chocolate brown eyes and 13 years behind her. Lately though, her eyes look more cloudy gray than rich brown, and her muzzle has more silver fur than black. Her coat is looking dull and patchy. She walks slowly and carefully, sometimes with a limp, despite the arthritis medication I dutifully give her every day.

Despite all this, her mind continues to be as sharp as a tack. And for this I am grateful, because some of my patients are not as lucky. I see dogs in varying degrees of mental decline leading to altered behaviors. These dogs may wander aimlessly, appearing lost, forgetting to go outside to urinate. Some will bark at night for no reason or pace the bedroom floor for hours while their owners try to sleep.

Geriatric dogs with these types of symptoms are sometimes suffering from a brain disease called cognitive dysfunction syndrome. Similar to Alzheimer’s disease, physical and chemical changes occur in the brain that affect the way this important organ functions. The result is a number of symptoms that are sometimes associated with routine aging in the early stages, but the disease is progressive and altered behavior gradually worsens beyond what is normal.

And what can we do for little fluffy??? Medicate him!!! of course!

There is no cure for old age, but a drug called deprenyl can alleviate the symptoms of cognitive dysfunction by increasing the brain concentrations of a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Many, but not all, canine cognitive dysfunction patients respond very well to treatment and gain a better quality of life for a longer period of time.

If you think your own dog may have cognitive dysfunction syndrome, you first need to have a veterinarian examine your pet for other physical ailments such as cancer, infection or organ failure. Any veterinarian can prescribe deprenyl, but a veterinary behaviorist will also help you to rule out other causes for behavior problems and teach behavior modification techniques that assist in recovery.