One of us is losing our mind!

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

As you know, Miko is 12 y/o, deaf and mostly blind. He's got loads of stuff wrong with him, but he's hanging in there like a little trooper.

However, I seriously think he's got doggy Alzheimer's or something. We feed him in his crate. He eats it all up. Ten minutes later, he's crying and looking up at the countertop whining for his food just like he did 20 minutes earlier right before it was served to him. It's like he can't remember he just ate. He can't really be hungry again so soon.

We try to distract him, take him out, pet him, play with him and he'll be o.k. for a bit, but then starts it all over again. Sometimes, I'll give him a few dry kibbles which he's glad for. But then, in ten minutes it starts again.

I know I need to be patient with him given his age and health, but he is driving us nuts - especially my husband.

Any advice? Maybe that's why I'm so overweight - I forget I ate and I just eat again...hmmmm.....

[weezyNollie]

Have you ever heard of this?

What is Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome?
Researchers believe Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) is caused by physical and chemical changes that affect the brain function in older dogs. Dogs with CDS may show signs of confusion and/or various other behavioral changes that are not a normal part of aging.
This confusion can lead to a life of lonely isolation, separated from family members who have come to cherish their older dog's companionship. This can be as hard on family members as it is on the dog. Pet owners often describe their dogs as less responsive, forgetful or confused.
In one study at the University of California-Davis, 62% of 11- to 16-year-old dogs showed signs in at least one category of CDS.1,2 In a pet owner survey, nearly half of dogs age 8 and older showed at least one sign associated with CDS.

You can take a quiz that helps you decide if your dog has it :

http://www.cdsindogs.com/cds_checklist.asp

There is a treatment as well! And, you'll like this, it's technically OTC. The generic name is selegiline hydrochloride, L-deprenyl hydrochloride, the brand name is Anipryl.

[weezyNollie]

OOH OOH! Found another site:
http://www.holisticvetpetcare.net/co...n-syndrome.htm

"In addition to getting lost in their own yards, dogs with CDS may cower in the corners of familiar rooms unable to remember how to get past the sofa and chair. They forget the distinction between indoors and outdoors and soil the carpets and floors. Other signs:

• They forget how to navigate the stairs
• They stop greeting their master/mistress
• Spend much time sleeping during the day
• Forget they ate and want to eat again and again
• Keep their owners awake at night pacing
• Press their heads into corners of walls, or stare blankly at the wall
• Become aggressive or develop separation anxiety
• Cats howl at night for no reason, go into closets and can't find their way out
• At the end, these animals fail to recognize their owners and friends"

And it's holistic!!

EDIT:

After going through this link... they are a little weird. But, I know you are into that sort of thing. But this person is recommending a harness that holds the dog close to you to help with their chi? I don't know if that really works or not.

[squirt07]

my grandpa has alzheimers...he just doesnt have any idea wats going on any of the time. with him being that age i would be happy that hes eating. it sounds like hes well taken care of. my sister had a dog who went blind so they took it to the pound and said they found it my mom wouldnt let me keep it its awesome that u still love him.

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

Originally Posted by weezyNollie

OOH OOH! Found another site:
http://www.holisticvetpetcare.net/co...n-syndrome.htm

"In addition to getting lost in their own yards, dogs with CDS may cower in the corners of familiar rooms unable to remember how to get past the sofa and chair. They forget the distinction between indoors and outdoors and soil the carpets and floors. Other signs:

• They forget how to navigate the stairs
• They stop greeting their master/mistress
• Spend much time sleeping during the day
• Forget they ate and want to eat again and again
• Keep their owners awake at night pacing
• Press their heads into corners of walls, or stare blankly at the wall
• Become aggressive or develop separation anxiety
• Cats howl at night for no reason, go into closets and can't find their way out
• At the end, these animals fail to recognize their owners and friends"

And it's holistic!!

EDIT:

After going through this link... they are a little weird. But, I know you are into that sort of thing. But this person is recommending a harness that holds the dog close to you to help with their chi? I don't know if that really works or not.

Oh yeah, this stuff is right up my alley!! Fascinating! I'm going to print this and show it to our holistic vet and get her thoughts. It sounds like a tremendous amount of work to pull it off though. I thought the link between Alzheimer's and aluminum was disproved, but it sounds like it's back again.

I've long thought electro-magnetic fields would be the undoing of us all. Thanks so much for this!!

[weezyNollie]

I do know that we carry the Anipryl made by Pfizer, and it does work or seem to help. The first ingredient in it you can get at a local vitamin store, so it can't be too harmful.

Let me know what your holistic vets opinions are. But it sounds like this is what is going on.

[RoughCollies]

Poor Miko... he's a tough little guy.

Maybe that's what Charlie has? LOL, oh wait... he's only 5. Okay, so he just likes food then.