How to care for a dog with dementia
My dog Maggie started showing some unusual symptoms a about 4 months ago. I took her in to get her annual vaccinations and mentioned to the Vet that she had been lethargic and no longer wanted to go on her walks. He found arthritis in her right knee and lumbosacral spine. He felt she was in enough pain to cause her symptoms. Then a couple of weeks later she stopped eating her usual dogfood. I tried some other dog foods and she still refused them. I did find she would et chicken or ground biff if I tooled it for her. Since I didn't think that could be a balanced diet I went back to the Vet to ask about other suggestions or food supplements. She sold me some canned food she said most dogs liked but still no luck getting her to eat it. They had started her on monthly shots for the arteritis and when I returned for her second one I told the Vet that she was still going meals without eating and was sleeping most of the day and all night. She would go out only for short walks, get her business done and return home. She did bloodwork and x-rays of her abdomen, found nothing unusual. A few days ago she suddenly started pacing around the apartment walking up to solid objects and standing and staring vacantly for a minute or so and a start pacing again. She would walk into corners or other tight spots and not be able to figure out how to get out. I am a retired and recognized this behavior as what I had expertinked with people with dementia or Alzheimer's. She had also stated peeing on the floor without letting me know she needed to go out. That was very unusual. I took her back to the Vet and he agreed that she probably had dementia. He repeated the blood work and did a urine test to be sure she didn't have an infection. That can cause confusion in older people and dogs. She will be 10 next month.
I am taking her outside every time she wakes up from one of her long naps but I don't always notice right away. She is still peeing on the rug but not very often.
How have you taken care of your dementia dog? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
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Exhibited some dementia before she went way down hill; she also became incontinent. She was still enjoying eating and affection and seemed pretty alert overall. I put some washable doggie pads down in the areas she would always pee and that worked pretty well. We lived that way for about a year. I refused to let her accidents determine her end because she wasn't ready and neither was I. By the time she was ready to go, I felt I had done everything possible. I am sorry you're going through this. It's hard towards the end.
As someone who has had dogs for 25 years I have not yet encountered this problem, but with my present dog may encounter, I see how difficult a situation this is, and one requiring mountains of patience and compassion.
One thing I've turned to when my dogs were terminally ill is to darken the house and play music (New Age, symphony, something like that) and follow their lead. If they wanted to sleep, I let them sleep. I tried to keep them comfortable. Sometimes I would introduce new toys or treats.
There are things to help dog owners, like pee pads, although I've had trouble teaching dogs at that stage of life to use them.
One miracle drug for dogs that aren't eating is called Entyce. You could ask your veterinarian about that. Or the other way of looking at a dog that is near the end of their life is to allow them not to eat. My sister and brother in law had to do that with one of their dogs who died from kidney failure.
This is a super important question you've raised, and I will be closely reading all the responses.
I'm so sorry. It can be incredibly stressful to have a dog that is in ill health, especially because they cannot communicate precisely what they are feeling, what they want, what they don't want. It's very hard. Sending you heartfelt positive feelings.
Just wanted to send you a cyber hug along with some positive vibes.
