As we all get old, we start to forget things and generally our behaviours can change as our brains age. Dogs and cats are no different. How many times a day do you walk into a room and forget why you went in there?
Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, or CDS, is more common in dogs and cats than people realise. It is estimated that up to 14% of our senior pets suffer from CDS. As owners, we often just put these changes down to 'old age', when actually there are management tools and medications that we can use to help.
Signs of CDS can include:
Disorientation
Unsettled behaviour (often at night)
Reduced interaction with owners
Sleeping changes
House soiling
Staring into space
What can we do to help?
There are lots of things that we can do to help in these cases. Firstly, a visit to the vets is recommended where we will perform a clinical exam. The vet will be able to discuss all options with you.
We also have a new handy app that can help you to decide if your pet could be affected. 'PLASID®' is a new easy-to-use behavioural app that not only helps you identify if your pet has an issue, but also has premium content with information available should you need to treat your pet for CDS.
PLASID® is completely free and available to download via Google Play (for Android devices) or the App Store for (Apple devices).
If this article has raised any concerns about your pet, or you want to find out more about PLASID®, please contact us on 01665 252 250
