indigirl Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Hi im after opinions. I think my golden retriever Karma may be in the early stages of dementia. She's only just turned 9 yrs old which seems a bit young to me. I've noticed the following changes in her behaviour: - housetraining accidents - panting and pacing at night - appears to have forgotten a number of voice commends she's known most of her life - Karma has always been very barky and in recent months she's gotten very quiet. While this is not an unwelcome change it's still a noticable change in behaviour - when out in the backyard with me (she's an indoor dog) she will go to the back door and barks to go in. I call out to her and she realises I'm still outside and stops barking. It's like she forgets im out there with her even though I'm not far from her. - she will want to go out but then she just stands outside the back door like she's not sure why she is there. she will stand there until I call her back in. - I often find her standing in the bathroom or laundry like she's not quite sure why she is there, or she can't decide what to do Does this sound like the early stages of dementia? Apart from the above changes she's eating well and happy in herself. Still affectionate with me and still loves going for walks. She still likes to shred toys and dig holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harley Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Certainly a worry when you put it all together. Maybe her eyesight is diminishing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Yes it does sound like a bit of Dementia going on unfortunately. My heart dog got it when he was 13. He displayed some of these behaviors as well. He used to get stuck in the corner of rooms for instance until I'd go & turn him around. He had forgotten a lot of his tricks. Had a few accidents. He went right off his food. I had to hand feed him. The thing that I found really heart breaking though was his eye's changed. It was like his beautiful soul had left him I would take Karma to the vet for a check up & see what they have to say. Good luck with her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I'd have to say it sounds like dementia. I'd be off to get a check up, get full bloods done to make sure it isn't anything else. Speak to the vet (or an animal naturopath) about the use of Gingko Biloba - there is anecdotal evidence that suggest it slows the onset of dementia, it won't stop it but it may slow it down. And I'm of the belief, just as with humans, keeping their minds active is important also. Dementia in dogs is apparently not so easy to diagnose officially, but I think you sort of know it yourself if you start seeing it. A full vet check though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 - I often find her standing in the bathroom or laundry like she's not quite sure why she is there, or she can't decide what to do Our elderly little dog used to do this...most times she'd walked into a wall (or garden bush) & didn't know where to go next. She was getting on to 22 years of age. It also meant we didn't know where she was. I used to tell our bossy sheltie, Shelley, 'Find Grandma!' And Shelley would locate her & bark to tell me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) :) Indi when I was researching doggie dementia for Mac some years ago, I came across some research out of the University of Sydney who were doing some really interesting canine dementia work. Dr Sarah O'Toole is the contact and her email is sarah.toole.at.sydney.edu.au. She is happy to talk with people who are concerned about her dogs (and I think she's a DOLer as well). Here's a link to the University of Sydney canine dementia rating scale which might help. http://www.surveygiz...ting-scale-CCDR A further study I read some years ago suggested that 60% of dogs aged ten years or over exhibited some signs of dementia - which is a far bigger proportion I think than most of us realize and suggests its more common than is often reported or diagnosed. Vivitonin is a drug often used to help dementing dogs (and there are others) and I think it helped Mac a lot and slowed his disease for 3 or 4 years before it seemed to stop working. I must say what you are describing sounds suspiciously like early dementia. BUT - and its a big one - be sure the panting and pacing overnight and the going very quiet isn't something else. I mistook Mac's overnight pacing and increased panting for an increase in his dementia behaviour when he actually had laryngeal paralysis. Because both the vet and I missed it (understandably), he went into severe respiratory crisis and had emergency tie-back surgery to clear his airway so he could breathe at 11 pm on a Sunday night in June 2013 - he was a new dog after surgery and some of his apparent dementia behaviours lessened somewhat after surgery although he still has some symptoms (eg occasionally getting stuck in corners and not able to wok out how to get out again and similar to Karma, going into a room and just standing there until I move him on). So I don't want to alarm you - but canine dementia is a diagnosis usually of exclusion - in other words if its not other things then its likely dementia and you need a vet who will work with you to exclude other causes. In Mac's case he has both laryngeal paralysis and dementia signs - but the laryngeal paralysis presented similarly to his dementia and made him look more demented than he actually was/is. Hope that makes sense. And its better to avoid respiratory crisis and emergency surgery if possible. And without wishing to offend any of the terrific DOLer vets on here - my experience suggests that they are not well-tuned into laryngeal paralysis and its possible accompanying generalized neuropathy. Lets just say my vets are now much better informed, including about post-surgery medication protocols (terribly important to these dogs) and we're all still friends! Hope all that helps. Will be very interested to hear how you get on. Edited January 14, 2015 by westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonwoman Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hi im after opinions. I think my golden retriever Karma may be in the early stages of dementia. She's only just turned 9 yrs old which seems a bit young to me. I've noticed the following changes in her behaviour: - housetraining accidents - panting and pacing at night - appears to have forgotten a number of voice commends she's known most of her life - Karma has always been very barky and in recent months she's gotten very quiet. While this is not an unwelcome change it's still a noticable change in behaviour - when out in the backyard with me (she's an indoor dog) she will go to the back door and barks to go in. I call out to her and she realises I'm still outside and stops barking. It's like she forgets im out there with her even though I'm not far from her. - she will want to go out but then she just stands outside the back door like she's not sure why she is there. she will stand there until I call her back in. - I often find her standing in the bathroom or laundry like she's not quite sure why she is there, or she can't decide what to do Does this sound like the early stages of dementia? Apart from the above changes she's eating well and happy in herself. Still affectionate with me and still loves going for walks. She still likes to shred toys and dig holes. She could be losing sight or hearing, very disorienting and makes big out doors scary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Is your girl desexed? I ask this because my sister's husky/shep (almost 12) wasn't and she was pretty much doing all the things you mentioned (but was barking more). She went to the vets a few times for it last year and was prescribed vivitonin but some things didn't really change. Anyway just before Christmas last year I noticed a discharge and told my sister to take her to the vet. She ended up having emergency surgery for pyometra. Until we saw that discharge we had no idea she was having that kind of problem but we were warned by our vet she could be susceptible to it after she had a bladder infection early last year. Lucky find on our part given she has the world's furriest girl bits. She recovered well from the infection and surgery and we no longer have any of the dementia symptoms. Our dogs can't tell us what is wrong so when their behaviours change we have to consider there is a reason behind it rather than automatically put it down to old age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hiya karma was desexed several yrs ago after she developed pyometra. I am grateful for everyone's advice and suggestions. I'm going to get vet to check her eyes and also get her tested for cushins disease as donr if the symptoms fit. I'll then seek further vet advice on what to try next if tests don't show up anything. She's cleared for PRA by parentage so it's not that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 A thorough physical exam and some general blood and urine tests would be the best starting point. What you describe could well be the beginning of canine cognitive dysfunction / senility / dementia but it is important to rule out medical problems and perhaps some simpler explanations like poor vision or hearing loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 She's having full blood screen as well as test for cushings. I dont know whether to hope something shows up or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 How sad & worrying - Thinking of you .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 She's a cow of a dog, I call her my Karma-cow but she has my heart. Can't fathom losing her earlier then about 13 yrs. She is my baby this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beltar Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Hope you can find out what's up - I know how much you love your naughty Karma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 She has quite a few symptoms that fit with cushings so hoping it's not that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 My Grumpy had dementia and Cushings. It was challenging at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indigirl Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 As I understand it cushings can involve a tumour in the pituitary gland. Said tumour can then affect brain function as it grows and applies pressure to the brain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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