Senility is prevalent amongst older animals. As Kim Campbell Thornton from MSNBC notes, recent research has shown that nearly a third of 11- and 12-year-old dogs and two-thirds of 15- and 16-year-old dogs have significant cognitive impairment, which is commonly termed "cognitive dysfunction syndrome" (CDS). Thornton suggests helpful tips for pet owners, including how to spot signs of dementia (disorientation, altered sleep habits, etc) and how to cope (feeding pets a better diet, maintaining a routine, keeping pets stimulated through play and trick teaching, etc).
As is the case with so-called "Alzheimer's disease" in humans, it is impossible for clinicians to make a definitive diagnosis of CDS in animals. As April Shattuck has written, CDS, like Alzheimer's, is considered a "diagnosis of exclusion," meaning that multiple other diagnoses -- such as pain, hearing loss, thyroid dysfunction, liver and kidney dysfunction, and incontinence, all of which can mimic cognitive dysfunction -- must first be ruled out. Therefore, it is advisable, Shattuck says, for aging pets to undergo a thorough veterinary exam to assess the various other diagnoses that may be treatable.
