Is your pet suffering from cognitive dysfunction? How to recognize and manage it

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Rose was restless and agitated around dinnertime. The 11-year-old fawn pug paced, couldn’t settle down, and growled, snarled and snapped at her companion pug. Rose was normally a sweet dog, so the behavior was uncharacteristic. Her actions were specific to that time of day and faded as the evening wore on.

Owner Linda Lombardi took Rose to the veterinarian to see if a health problem or pain might be causing the unusual behavior. Nothing stood out, and Lombardi and her veterinarian wondered if Rose’s actions might be signs of cognitive dysfunction.

With age, some dogs and cats show signs of deteriorating mental ability, much like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease in humans. There’s not a specific diagnostic test for it, but it may be a possibility if other health problems are ruled out and the pet exhibits common signs such as disorientation, changes in interactions with owners or other pets, disturbances in sleep-wake times, breaking housetraining, or changes in activity. (The acronym DISHA is a handy way to remember the signs.) Rose’s actions were a classic indication of cognitive dysfunction, or CD.

“A number of studies have examined the prevalence of spontaneously reported behavioral signs in senior pets referred to behavioral specialists,” says veterinary neurologist Richard A. LeCouteur, DVM. “In two canine studies, behavioral complaints related to aggression or fear and anxiety were most prevalent.”

There’s no cure for CD, but it can be managed in several ways. Rose’s veterinarian prescribed a drug called selegiline (Anipryl). It’s thought to work by enhancing dopamine and other catecholamines (hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine) in the cortex, causing an increase in cognitive functioning, says veterinary behaviorist Pamela J. Perry, DVM, Ph.D. It may also aid nervous system structure or function by reducing free radical production or increasing free radical-scavenging enzymes.

“The only way to confirm if it was CD was to try the meds, and if they helped, that was the right diagnosis,” Lombardi says. “It was a huge help. I felt like it gave me my dog back.”

The drug, which is sometimes used off-label in cats, has mixed results. It’s estimated that one-third of animals respond well, one-third have some response and one-third experience no change. It can take two to six weeks to see a benefit, and if no improvement occurs by two months, the medication probably isn’t going to help. Animals taking drugs such as tramadol, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants or tick preventives containing Amitraz should not take selegiline.

Medication isn’t the only way to help a pet with CD. Mental enrichment can help to maintain cognitive function, Dr. Perry says. That includes play, gentle exercise, food toys, short reward-based training sessions (practicing tricks or obedience skills) and fun social interactions.

Keep your pet’s routine consistent. Schedule meals, walks and other activities at the same time every day, as much as possible. If your pet is sleeping at odd hours and waking you in the middle of the night, try to provide more activity during the day and immediately before bedtime to help him sleep through the night.

Housetraining accidents may mean your dog needs extra outdoor potty trips or an indoor canine litter box. Cats may need additional litter boxes throughout the house in easily accessible areas. Choose litter boxes with low sides that are easy for the animal to get in and out of.

Any time you see changes in your pet’s behavior, bring it to your veterinarian’s attention.

“Yearly questionnaires are helpful for monitoring and assessing changes in a senior pet’s behavior,” Dr. Perry says. “Because CD is a progressive disease, it is best to instigate treatment early.”

Q&A

Pet queasy in cars?

Ways to help

Q: We’re going on a road trip next month. We’d like to bring our dog, but she gets carsick. Do you have any tips to help her be more comfortable?

A: Motion sickness is no fun for anyone, including pets. It occurs when the semicircular canals and other parts of the inner ear that control balance become overstimulated. Pets with severe motion sickness can start to experience nausea just at the sight of a car.

Luckily, there are several things you can try to help ease your pet’s queasy feeling. For mild signs, offer a couple of gingersnap cookies beforehand (check the ingredient list to make sure they aren’t sweetened with xylitol). Transport the pet on an empty stomach, especially if you’ll be driving all day.

Natural supplements such as Anxitane can help relieve signs of anxiety and in turn help to relieve physical signs of motion sickness. Pets with severe motion sickness can benefit from prescription medications such as Cerenia, for nausea, and Xanax, for anxiety. Spritz the car and the carrier with canine calming pheromones, such as Adaptil.

For long-term improvement, try desensitization techniques to help her enjoy car rides. Start by doing something she likes near the car, such as playing catch or practicing tricks and getting rewarded. When she’s comfortable being near the car, put treats inside to encourage her to stick her head in or get in on her own. Give more treats and praise. Have your dog be in the car for a couple of minutes while it sits in the driveway. Repeat. When she’s OK with that, start the car, back up and then pull back into the driveway. Then go for a short ride down the street. During each step, give lots of great treats to help her associate the car with good things. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Dream on, kitty.

How, why cats nap

-- Cats sleep up to 18 hours a day. We don’t know exactly why, but it’s likely that they need to rest frequently for bursts of hunting. Among mammals, predators such as cats spend the most time in REM sleep, characterized by rapid eye movements, dreaming, rapid pulse and breathing, and body movements such as paws twitching or tail swishing. If your cat is in this phase of sleep, you may notice that it’s difficult to awaken him, but while his body may be limp, his brain is highly active. Kittens and senior cats sleep the most, but any cat enjoys a nap after play or a meal.

-- Headed to the beach? You might want to look for one with a canine “poop patrol.” A study published last month in the Journal of Environmental Quality found fewer beach closings in areas with specially trained dogs to chase away seagulls -- whose droppings are the main source of E. coli bacteria levels leading to beach closings. During the study, dogs and their handlers patrolled Lake Michigan beaches in Indiana daily for one month in 2015 and from June through September in 2016. The presence of gulls dropped by nearly 100 percent, resulting in fewer beach closings.

-- Summer is upon us, and with it comes one of the big health threats to dogs: overheating. Dogs don’t sweat the same way people do, and it’s much more difficult for them to regulate their temperature when it’s hot and humid outside. You may already know that short-snouted breeds such as bulldogs, French bulldogs, Pekingese and pugs are at high risk of heatstroke, but other dogs who can have problems from high temperatures include those with dark coats and those with coats more suited to extreme cold -- think Siberian huskies or Alaskan malamutes. Get your dog to the veterinarian if you notice frantic panting, glassy eyes, drooling and confusion. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

What can you do if your pet is fearful of storms? Five ways to help him stay calm

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Loud wind and hail attacked the house. Branches crashed onto the roof and deck. The power flashed on and off. Tim became hyperalert, trembling and glassy-eyed. Nothing Christie said got through to him. He bolted off the bed, tore through the house and ran outside. Christie found him huddled in a corner of the yard, behind some trees, as far away from the house as he could get. She had to crawl on the ground to reach him and then wrapped him in her coat and carried him back to the house.

“I dried him off with a towel, put him in my bed, wrapped him in blankets and gave him some alprazolam and trazodone that I had. He huddled against me while I waited for the drugs to kick in. It was hours. It was awful.”

Tim, a silken windhound who was 7 years old when his fear began, belongs to Christie Keith of Davisburg, Michigan. He had come to live with her from eastern Washington, where thunderstorms are uncommon.

Storm Fear Facts

Storm phobias like Tim’s are common in dogs and can occur in cats as well. Dogs, however, are more likely to exhibit fear in a destructive or dangerous way, such as Tim’s escape from the house through a dog door.

Not every animal who lives in thunderstorm-prone areas becomes fearful of them, but those who do may have heredity to blame. Some have a genetic predisposition to anxiety, fear or phobia, says Lisa Radosta, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist in West Palm Beach, Florida, and one of the co-authors of the book “From Fearful to Fear Free,” released in April. Based on some studies, sporting and herding dogs are at higher risk of developing storm phobias.

There’s not a single quick fix or cure, but a combination of environmental management and medication can help most animals ride out a storm safely and comfortably. Work with your veterinarian to try different techniques, supplements and medications to see what works best. Individual pets may need a customized regimen depending on lifestyle, owner schedule, and mildness or severity of their fear.

What to Try

-- Ask about medication sooner rather than later.

“I think we tend, as owners, to wait until the dog's really bad to try to actually intervene,” says Lore Haug, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist in Sugar Land, Texas. “Then it makes it harder to get the dog under control.”

A drug called Sileo, introduced in 2016, is FDA-approved for dogs with noise-related fears. Keith calls it a “game-changer” for Tim. Other medications and supplements that may help include alprazolam (Xanax), gabapentin and diazepam (Valium), as well as natural products such as Zylkene and Anxitane.

-- Provide a safe space. This can be as simple as a crate with a blanket thrown over it or a dark closet or bathroom without windows. Don’t close your pet inside it; you don’t want him to feel trapped.

-- Try calming clothing. Gear such as Thundershirts, Calming Caps and Mutt Muffs can help to relieve a pet’s anxiety or reduce exposure to visual and sound stimulation.

-- Drown out storm sounds with white noise machines or calming music for pets.

-- Try aromatherapy or calming pheromones. Scents such as lavender and chamomile can have a relaxing effect. Canine or feline pheromones may help if the pet gets a strong whiff of them from a saturated paper towel or bandana.

“Most people think there's going to be a thing that's going to turn your dog’s thunderstorm phobia around,” Keith says. “And what I've learned is that for Tim, it’s everything in combination -- and it has to be the right combination.”

Q&A

Various foods make up

healthy parakeet diet

Q: We are thinking of adding a parakeet to our home. What diet would you recommend we feed her?

A: First of all, congratulations on being a thoughtful pet owner and considering your bird's needs before it joins your home. Although wild parakeets are primarily seed-eaters, pet parakeets will benefit from a diet made up of about 75 percent formulated diet, such as pellets, and 25 percent healthy table foods.

Healthy parakeet table foods include carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, broccoli, dried red peppers, dandelion greens and spinach. All these foods are high in vitamin A, which can help boost your bird's immune system and keep it healthy.

Other healthful options include unsweetened breakfast cereal, whole-wheat bread, cooked beans, cooked rice, pasta, tofu, water-packed tuna, scrambled eggs (no, that doesn’t make your bird a cannibal), cottage cheese, plain yogurt or low-fat cheese.

These should be offered in parakeet-size portions -- a few carrot shreds or a single piece of cereal -- so that your bird's digestive system doesn't become upset by overconsumption.

While sharing healthy food with your parakeet is ideal, sharing food from your own mouth is not. Human saliva has bacteria in it that can be harmful to pet birds, so it's best for your bird to have its own portion instead of sharing yours.

Now that you know which foods are healthy for your parakeet, let's review those that are not. Unhealthy parakeet foods include chocolate, alcohol, rhubarb, avocado, and any snack foods that are highly salted, sweetened or fatty.

If you are acquiring your bird from a breeder, find out what the breeder has been feeding it, and continue that diet. If you are purchasing your bird from a pet store or adopting it from a shelter, find out what its diet has been and continue it. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Paw pads aid

balance, stability

-- Have you ever looked closely at your dog’s paws? The specialized pads, made up of thin, hairless skin over a layer of fatty connective tissue on the bottom of the feet, provide protection, traction, cushioning and shock absorption when dogs walk, run or jump. The metacarpal pads are on the forepaws, and the metatarsal pads are on the hind paws. The rough texture of the pads provides traction when the dog needs to stop, turn or is going downhill. Dogs who spend most of their time on smooth or soft surfaces typically have smoother pads. Common paw pad injuries include abrasions, burns and lacerations. Paw pads can also develop yeast infections. Don’t worry if they smell like corn chips, though -- that’s normal.

-- We love our backyard chickens -- and the eggs they produce -- but careless contact with them can leave humans with nasty vomiting, diarrhea and fever from salmonella infection. To protect your health and that of your children, remember the simple rules your mom taught you: Wash your hands before you eat and after touching your chickens (or dogs, cats, reptiles and other pets), and don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth after handling animals until you wash your hands.

-- A cat’s sense of smell is 15 times stronger than that of a human. Cats may even have a better sense of smell than dogs, with better ability to discriminate among more scents, although they probably won’t be doing search and rescue or bomb detection anytime soon. It’s no wonder, then, that cats dislike strong-scented litter, potpourri and other things that people think smell good. One of the scents that cats especially dislike is citrus, so avoid using air fresheners, detergents (especially for cat bedding), shampoos and other products that have lemon, orange, lime or grapefruit scents. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Medical therapy plus behavior modification may help dogs and cats with anxieties, phobias and compulsive behaviors

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Primrose, a 3-year-old Pyrenean shepherd, has always had a lot of nervous energy -- to the point that her behavior could be annoying, says owner Deb Rabuck of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

After Rabuck had Prim spayed last August, the dog’s behavior changed, and not for the better. Already aggressive toward unknown dogs and people, she began urine-marking in the house and developed signs of anxiety such as panting and pacing. Prim’s behavior kept Rabuck from sleeping at night and disturbed her other dogs.

“I had to separate her from my other two dogs,” she says. “I was afraid they would kill her. She drives them crazy with all that energy.”

Rabuck took Prim to veterinary behaviorist Jacqueline Wilhelmy, VMD. After running lab tests to rule out possible health problems, Dr. Wilhelmy prescribed Prozac and gabapentin and offered behavior modification advice. It has been 11 days, and while Prim is still urine-marking, Rabuck is now able to sleep through the night.

Pet behavior problems such as separation anxiety; thunderstorm or other noise-related fears; compulsive disorders such as excessive chewing, licking, tail chasing or other repetitive behaviors; or aggression toward other animals or humans can all respond to many of the same psychoactive medications that help humans. They include fluoxetine (Prozac), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; gabapentin, an antiseizure medication sometimes used off-label for pain and anxiety; tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline; and benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium.

“Not in every case do we use a medication, but when it is indicated, it can really facilitate the progress of the case quite dramatically,” says Patrick Melese, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist in San Diego, California.

Medications used in humans have the same or similar effects in dogs and cats because the nervous systems of animals and humans operate in a similar manner. The goal is to normalize brain chemistry and improve the way the animal processes information.

Shannon Gillespie’s border collie Fizz has taken Prozac for more than five years because she would “explode” when frustrated or excited and was unable to calm down quickly. About four years ago, when Fizz’s veterinarian prescribed gabapentin for torn bicep and supraspinatus muscles, Gillespie noticed a further positive change in her behavior. Now Fizz takes both medications to help her maintain a calm demeanor.

“Medications can help decrease the animal’s overall level of anxiety, aggressive behavior, and reactivity and help with impulse control, says Wailani Sung, DVM, a veterinary behaviorist at San Francisco SPCA Behavior Specialty Service and co-author of the book “From Fearful to Fear Free.” “They are typically prescribed when the animal has a high level of anxiety, aggressive behavior and reactivity, (and) when the inappropriate behavior occurs daily or multiple times a week or is very intense.”

It can take several weeks on medication before pets become calm or relaxed enough to start learning new ways of coping or adjust to changes in the household or interactions with family members or other animals. How long medical therapy continues depends on the individual animal and situation. It can range from a few months to a year to a lifetime. Animals may stay on the same dose or have it gradually reduced as the situation improves.

Medication by itself won’t solve a pet’s behavior problems. Behavior modification and environmental changes, if needed, are a necessary part of treatment. (The exception, Dr. Melese says, is urine-marking in cats, which typically responds well to medication alone.) A veterinary behaviorist or certified applied animal behaviorist can develop a plan to help the animal respond more appropriately to the circumstances that trigger the behavior.

Q&A

How much grooming

do rabbits need?

Q: We recently adopted a rabbit from the animal shelter. What do we need to know about grooming him?

A: Although you may notice that your pet rabbit grooms daily like a cat, he will still need help from you to maintain his coat.

Short-coated breeds such as the Dutch or the Netherland dwarf need at least weekly brushing. Long-coated breeds such angoras or lionheads require daily brushing to maintain their coats. Whether your rabbit has short or long hair, brushing removes loose hair that might otherwise end up in the digestive tract and cause a blockage.

You can assess your rabbit’s overall health during grooming. As you brush, check for fleas, because rabbits can be susceptible to them. Check with your veterinarian before using any flea-control product on your rabbit, and avoid flea powders and shampoos. Be on the alert for lumps, bumps or crusty patches that could indicate health problems. After brushing, check your rabbit's eyes and ears for any discharge, and make sure his paws are free from any sores.

Examine your rabbit’s nails weekly, and trim them when they become long. Your veterinarian can show you how to safely trim the nails. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself, make an appointment for a bunny pedicure at the clinic.

During spring and fall, you may notice more bunny hairs in the brush than usual. This is because your rabbit is losing his winter coat (in the spring) or building it up (in the fall). You may want to increase the frequency of brushing during these transitions.

Rabbits don't normally require baths, and bathing can be stressful for them, but spot cleaning of problem areas -- such as their rears -- can be accomplished with a washcloth and warm water. Dry the fur with a towel after it has been cleaned. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Guess breed mixes,

help dog science

-- Think you’re good at guessing a mixed-breed dog’s ancestry? Test your skills with the MuttMix Project, a joint “citizen science” survey conducted by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and Darwin’s Dogs (a dog genome research venture at Broad Institute of Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School). Take the video quiz, which asks you to guess which three breeds contribute the largest percentage of DNA for each dog pictured, and submit your answers. In 60 days, you’ll find out the answers and receive a certificate of participation. For more information, visit iaabcprojects.org.

-- June is Adopt-A-Cat Month, and American Humane offers tips on acquiring a cat from a shelter if you’re ready to bring one into your life. Here are the top three: 1. Choose one who suits your own personality. Adoption counselors can point out which cats are laid-back and which are active. 2. Consider getting either two kittens or a bonded adult pair so your cat will have a friend when you’re not at home. 3. Find a cat-friendly veterinarian, and schedule an exam for your new feline friend within a few days of bringing him home. For more tips, see americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/cat-adoption-checklist.

-- Are sunglasses for dogs a fashion statement or a necessity? A little bit of both, it turns out. Dogs who spend a lot of time on boats, running through brushy areas or hanging their heads out the car window need protection from flying debris, sand, prickly foliage and sun glare. Other dogs who can benefit from pet eyewear are those with large, protruding eyeballs such as Boston terriers, cavalier King Charles spaniels, French bulldogs and pugs, as well as search-and-rescue or military working dogs in dry, sandy environments. They can be prone to corneal ulcerations and recurrent conjunctivitis. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.