What kind of animal to get an elderly person. Cats and the elderly. Results of scientific work

It has long been proven by scientists that pets have a good effect on human health when they communicate: anxiety decreases, depression disappears, blood pressure decreases.

The positive impact of pets on health

Owners - men have an even pulse and pressure levels out. People who keep their pets at home are less exposed to all sorts of stresses and diseases, and can restore their strength much faster.

Therefore, our pets are both true friends and the best way to improve your well-being. Pets bring their owners a lot of pleasant emotions even during normal communication with them.

The elderly also benefit a lot from pets. They need to constantly take care of their pets, go to the store more often in order to buy food for them or go for a walk with them.

All this has a very positive effect on our health. Permissible activity of the physical plane in old age is necessary to maintain one's state in a normal and good state of health.

Our four-legged pets are great at helping us get rid of loneliness and depression. Also, the meaning of the life of lonely elderly people comes down to caring for and caring for a friend, as well as to the responsibility that has appeared for him.

There is a certain connection between the owner and his pet. With the help of pets, many diseases can be prevented. Reduces the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and lowers cholesterol in the blood.

Often, people who keep animals in their homes say that they give much more love than the people around them give them. Of course, this seems like an exaggeration, but it happens in real life.

Our pets help make our life brighter and longer. They affect our health, in general, throughout our lives.

When you play with your pet, it can serve as a good warm-up for you because it benefits both your mind and body.

Pets - healers

Everyone is well aware that cats have an excellent sense of pain, they tend to lie down on a place that hurts, thereby, as it were, taking away negative energy from a sore spot. They deal with stressful situations quite well. Tiredness at the end of a hard day disappears if you take the cat on your knees and start stroking it.

Dogs can also be good healers. This applies to dog hair, which is used to make all kinds of products that make it possible to soothe pain and save from sciatica. In addition, the owner of the dog will always have little physical activity on a daily basis.

Breeding fish in an aquarium and daily observation is also a great pleasure:

Firstly, the aquarium itself gives an increase in air humidity in your apartment;

Secondly, the very process of examining the life of fish can reduce your pressure, make it possible to get away from sleepless nights, put your nerves in order.

There is a belief in the East: if a fish died in an aquarium, then it took on the misfortune that was intended for the owner of this aquarium and having secured him, she herself parted with her life.

Positive emotions that you can get when communicating with a dog, a cat or with any of your pets, the need to constantly take care of your pet does not allow an elderly person to relax. They can generously give you positive emotions and positively affect your health.

The benefits of pets for the elderly are undeniable!

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Guide to Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats British Small Animal Veterinary Association

Behavioral problems of pets in old age

S. Heath (Sarah Heath)

Introduction

Advances in veterinary medicine and nutrition have led to great demographic changes in the pet population, with both dogs and cats now living much longer. Often among our patients there are animals whose age is approaching the second ten or has already exceeded this line. Since companion animals age faster than their owners, most of them inevitably face the process of aging pets and are increasingly forced to turn to veterinarians with complaints of physical and mental disorders that occur in pets due to aging.

The term “old” or “aged” usually refers to a dog or cat older than 8 years, but the rate of aging is related to a number of factors: species, breed, size, diet, lifestyle (Davies, 1996). Giant breeds like the Irish Wolfhound or Great Dane age much earlier than smaller breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier.

Comparison of the dog populations of 1960 and 1994 showed that the proportion of “old” dogs increased from 24% to 34% over the indicated period of time (Watson, 1996). Accordingly, the percentage of old dogs presented to veterinary clinics for treatment has increased. Thus, an analysis of the age composition of the patients of the clinic at the Veterinary College of the University of Edinburgh in 1991 showed that 34.9% of the 20,786 dogs presented were over 7 years old (Davies, 1996).

As a result of these changes, there has been a marked increase in the number of age-related behavioral problems in dogs and cats that are brought to veterinary clinics. According to the literature (Landsberg et al., 1997), the percentage of behavioral disorders in cats due to age (9 years or older) is higher than in dogs. It is assumed that the concern of the owners of senile changes in the behavior of the pet is due to a decrease in control over it. Cat owners tend to attribute changes in behavior to changes in their pet's health, while dog owners are more likely to attribute them to behavioral factors or training deficiencies (Mills, 2000).

Although the number of aging pets is constantly increasing, the overall level of coverage in the literature of age-related behavioral disorders in both dogs and cats remains relatively low. This may explain the lack of awareness among owners about the potential impact of aging on their pets' behavior and possible treatment options.

Aging itself is not a pathology, but the inevitable changes in the activity of biological processes occurring in the animal's body lead to a progressive decrease in the ability to cope with stresses - internal, or physiological, and external, caused by the environment. The result is a deterioration in physical and mental health, a decrease in reactivity. In a study of 26 aged dogs, the most common behavioral changes were disruptive behavior, uncleanliness, and excessive vocal activity (Chapman and Voith, 1990).

Cognitive dysfunction is caused by age-related neurodegenerative processes and is a decrease in the functions of the cerebral cortex, including memory and learning. It is believed that in its symptoms and pathophysiological features, it is similar to dementia of the Alzheimer's type that occurs in humans.

In the case of behavioral problems in an aged animal, it is very important to determine whether its age is the main factor that caused or maintains this behavior, or whether the association of behavioral changes with age is essentially random. Even

changes in the behavior of the pet began to disturb the owner only shortly before going to the doctor, this does not mean that they have arisen recently. Therefore, when taking a history, it is important to ask the owner at what age his pet's behavioral symptoms appeared. For example, an animal showed a tendency to behave inappropriately every time it was left unattended. But only recently they began to leave him alone for a long time, as the owner's work schedule has changed. In this case, the problematic behavior cannot be classified as a condition due to old age. And another example: a pet that had never shown any problematic behavior suddenly, at the age of 11, became aggressive towards the owners. This case should be considered as an age-related behavioral deviation, and it is necessary to identify possible factors that exacerbate senile changes.

As with many other aspects of behavioral medicine, the situation is rarely clear at first glance. Behavioral changes that were mild at an early age can become a problem in old age. For example, due to inadequate socialization and insufficient exposure to stimuli during a period of increased susceptibility, the dog became fearful. With aging, changes in the functioning of the brain occurred that led to an increase in fears and the emergence of a variety of phobic symptoms. Such a case should be classified as an age-related behavioral problem, despite the fact that mild behavioral signs existed at a young age.

When taking an anamnesis, it is necessary to find out what environmental factors may have contributed to the occurrence or maintenance of these behavioral signs. The pedigree of the pet, the nature of the daily activities of the animal and the owner, the circumstances associated with the occurrence of changes in behavior - all these data are equally important both in examining an elderly patient and in any other case of a behavioral disorder. Taking a history of a behavioral disorder in an old animal involves obtaining additional information. In old age, the possible development of many behavioral problems is directly affected by physical age-related changes in the body. Therefore, it is important to ask the owner about the moment of onset of somatic and behavioral symptoms. If behavioral changes coincide with a decrease in mobility, appetite or sensory functions, a detailed examination is carried out, keeping in mind that old animals often suffer from various somatic diseases (Fig. 12.1). They also have an increased frequency of side effects of drug therapy that can affect behavior.

If behavioral signs are not associated with age-related somatic changes, the frequency, time of manifestation and intensity of behavioral reactions are determined, as well as the dependence of these indicators on the presence of the owner. One of the characteristics of cognitive dysfunction in older animals is an increase in inappropriate behavior and its more frequent manifestation. Cognitive dysfunction is often defined as dementia or dementia. Routine clinical examination of an animal rarely reveals signs of cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, a thorough history taking is essential for early diagnosis of behavioral changes. Questions should address the four main categories of behavioral changes associated with age-related cognitive dysfunction: disorientation; changes in reactions to environmental factors and social interaction; changes in the sleep/wake cycle; violations of the rules of behavior in the house.

The characteristic features of these categories are shown in Fig. 12.2.

Disorientation

Dogs with dementia do not immediately recognize people, places, and objects, or they do not recognize them at all. The inability of a pet to recognize its owner is usually noticed quickly, but for quite a long time they do not pay attention to ignoring familiar people. Information about how the animal greets people at home and on a walk helps to detect these changes.

Older dogs often wander aimlessly around the house, disoriented and confused. In other cases, signs of dementia are changes in the dog's reaction to previously familiar objects (for example, furniture in the house or trees and bushes in the garden). Often dogs bark at objects, as if they had never seen them before, they are frightened of them.

Factors that cause the owner to pay attention to symptoms of disorientation include changes in the environment or in the behavior of the animal. When the owners move to another house or when furniture is rearranged, the pet needs to adapt in order to move unmistakably in a new environment. Environmental changes reveal stress-induced or existing cognitive dysfunction.

If, returning from a walk, the dog does not recognize the road leading to the house, or sits down

at the inner doors, asking for the street - these manifestations, along with an inexplicable gaze, qualify as symptoms of disorientation.

Changing responses to environmental factors and social interactions

The most obvious signs of an older dog's misbehavior are in its interactions with people and other dogs. Owners are most upset by the change in the relationship with the pet, in the greeting of which there is no longer the former joy and zeal. These signs, along with a reduction in time spent in games and socializing, serve as a signal for the development of dementia. In many cases, these dogs start out slower and less stable in response to commands, which owners usually mistake for stubbornness.

Fig. 12.2. Characteristic diagnostic features of the main behavioral changes associated with cognitive dysfunction

Often there is defensive aggression on the part of an elderly animal in relation to dogs living with him in the same house. It is very possible that a young dog will be called the aggressor in such a situation, although in fact it was the senile behavior that caused tension and confrontation. In case of aggression between dogs living under the same roof, it is necessary to take into account their age and pay attention to signs of cognitive dysfunction so as not to

lose sight of the age problem (see Chapter 20). Dogs with dementia become more irritable. Owners often note an increase in their aggressiveness, along with a decrease in the desire to communicate and play with other dogs on a walk.

Changing the sleep/wake cycle

Impaired sleep/wake cycles are common in dogs with cognitive dysfunction, but this symptom may go unnoticed if the dog does not interrupt the owner's sleep. When a dog whines or barks at night, most owners take the dog outside, believing it needs to recover. However, nocturnal restlessness in demented dogs is rarely due to a need for natural remedies. Sometimes they still do them, being on the street, but upon returning home they calm down for a long time, and soon they begin to bark and whine again.

Another common feature is locomotor behavior. Owners complain that their pets show signs of anxiety and anxiety at night, walk from corner to corner, give voice signals.

Waking up in the middle of the night is another classic symptom of dementia, and because dogs are disoriented and confused, they wake up looking for their owners. If the dog is isolated for the night, he scratches at the door, and this sign is often confused with anxiety caused by loneliness (see chapter 16).

The daily sleep/wake cycle changes. During the day, dogs with dementia sleep a lot. As a rule, owners do not pay attention to this symptom, considering it a normal change in the behavior of an aging dog.

Violations of the rules of conduct in the house

Household rules are violated by a demented dog for two reasons.

First, the disorientation associated with dementia leads, for example, to the fact that the dog sits near the interior door, waiting to be released into the garden, and the owner pays attention too late. Some owners also note that the animal does not look at the doorknob, but at the hinges that fasten the door to the jamb. In such cases, they perceive the behavior of the pet as wonderful, and not as a signal to let him out.

Secondly, the connection between the act of natural administration and the substrate suitable for this may be broken in the animal. The gradual destruction of such associations leads to the administration of natural needs in a variety of inappropriate places. Often the dog will start by not always walking on the grass, as he has done in the past, but by mistake, perching in the patio, in the flower beds, and eventually on the carpets in the house. In many cases, this problematic behavior develops gradually, and it is only when the dog makes several natural deeds in prohibited areas that the owner realizes that he has developed a stable pattern of unscrupulous behavior in the house.

Aging cats

Although owner anecdotal evidence suggests that aging cats exhibit the same behavioral changes as dogs and humans, there are very few publications on the subject. This is mainly due to the lack of funding for such research: cats, unlike dogs, are not used as a model in the study of dementia in humans, which is why work on their senile dementia has not received much support.

American scientists investigated the clinical signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) in cats - patients of one of the private veterinary clinics (Moffat, 2001). Information was obtained through owner questionnaires, clinical examination and laboratory blood tests. Questionnaires, similar to those used in the study of dementia in humans and dogs, included changes in spatial and social relationships, recognition and activity, the sleep/wake cycle, memory and learning, anxiety and irritability. The survey involved owners of cats older than 11 years old, presented to the veterinary clinic for routine examination. Of the 152 animals studied, 43% showed signs of CDS. When animals suffering from internal diseases were excluded from the statistics, it turned out that signs of cognitive dysfunction syndrome were observed in 33% of cats aged 11 years and older.

Then the animals 11-14 years old and 15 years old and older were divided into separate groups. It turned out that in the group of cats aged 15 years and older, clinical signs of CDS were present in 38% of cases, while in the group of 11-14 year olds - in 28%. In addition, in the older age group, a greater number of clinical signs per animal (2.4) were detected than in the group of cats.

11-14 years old (1.8).

According to the preliminary results of this study, cognitive dysfunction occurs at a later age in cats than in dogs. Perhaps this is due to the longer life expectancy of cats. Typically, cats show one or two of the following symptoms: altered sleep/wake cycle; changing social interaction; giving voice signals; disorientation. The latter symptom is less common than in dogs. This study involved long-term data collection, including 12-month follow-up questionnaires and post-mortem histopathological examination (where required), but the results have not yet been published.

In old animals, some behavioral disorders are noted that are not associated exclusively with old age; their diagnosis and treatment are discussed in the relevant chapters. Examples of such disorders are: fear of being alone when parting with the owner (see Chapter 16), which may be motivated by an age-related state of anxiety or aggravated by a systemic disease; uncleanliness (Ch. 10 and 11), which develops as a result of age-related somatic disorders; excessive vocal activity (barking, howling, whining), irritability and aggressiveness, the cause of which is painful sensations during pathological changes that occur during the aging process (chapter 19). Fears, phobias (chs. 15 and 18), and compulsive behaviors (ch. 22) are common in older pets because they progress if left untreated and become a serious problem with age; however, they are not age-specific disorders.

To diagnose a behavioral problem in an elderly animal, it is necessary to obtain a detailed behavioral and clinical history and conduct an examination. Common causes of senile behavioral changes not due to degenerative diseases of the central nervous system are systemic diseases, pain, sensory impairment, and disruption of social relationships between pets living in the same family (Houpt and Beaver, 1981).

Systemic disease

In terms of differential diagnosis, systemic disease is primarily excluded. In most cases of senile behavioral disorders, a complete clinical examination with a hematological and biochemical profile, urinalysis, and thyroid function testing is necessary. Additional tests, such as determination of serum bile acids or insulin levels, are indicated for specific organic diseases. Radiography, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging may be required in cases where a tumor of the central nervous system needs to be excluded, in particular in acute behavioral disorders. The diagnosis of sensory impairment requires a thorough clinical examination.

Differential Diagnosis

The diagnosis of age-specific behavioral disorders is based on the exclusion of other behavioral and somatic diseases, history data and observation of behavior. If symptoms of dementia are present in dogs, it should be differentiated from the following conditions:

sensory deficiency;

Cardiovascular diseases;

neurological disorders;

Compulsive disorders;

Endocrine disorders;

Metabolic disorders;

gastrointestinal diseases;

Diseases of the urinary tract.

Sensory deficits should be ruled out in the presence of confusion, changes in social interactions, and sleep/wake cycles, as sensory incapacitated behavior in a dog can easily be mistaken for symptoms of dementia. Cardiovascular and neurological disorders should also be ruled out and the effects of pain on activity levels, social interactions, and sleep patterns should be investigated. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract are excluded in the first place, if the main behavioral symptom is uncleanliness. Metabolic disorders and endocrine diseases, accompanied by polyuria and polydipsia, are also included in the list of differential diagnoses.

These clinical considerations highlight the need for a medical approach to these cases. Clinical examination and laboratory tests will allow the veterinarian to determine the physical health of the animal. Only then should the behavioral study be continued and the treatment of the dog with cognitive dysfunction considered.

Degenerative changes in the CNS

It is now generally accepted that in the process of aging the central nervous system undergoes certain degenerative changes: the mass of the brain decreases, the size of the ventricles increases, and the lining of the brain thickens (Perry and Perry, 1982).

The theory of aging explains these changes by the cumulative action of free radicals; loss of neural connections and plaque formation in surviving cells has been documented (Cummings ef a/., 1993, 1996a).

In recent years, reports of clinical and neuropathological similarities between dementia in dogs and Alzheimer's disease in humans have attracted particular interest (Cummings ef a/., 1996a). It is likely that this information will help to understand the essence of this disease in both humans and dogs, but so far it is useless in making a diagnosis. The diagnosis is confirmed only by post-mortem histological examination of brain tissue (Morris, 1996).

Specific age-related behavioral disorders have received several names, namely: cognitive dysfunction (Ruehl et al.,

1994), presenile depression (Pageat, 1990), hyper-aggressive aging dog syndrome, aging dog confusional syndrome, and aging dog dysthymia (Pageat, 1995). Such a scatter in the classification of behavioral traits of older dogs is somewhat discouraging. All authors agree that the main causal factor of these disorders is the aging process of the central nervous system. There is debate as to whether there really are multiple diseases, or whether a more precise definition of diagnostic criteria would confirm the presence of one common condition that manifests itself in a variety of forms (Pageat, 2001).

Diagnostic studies

With the help of diagnostic studies such as, for example, computed or magnetic resonance imaging or electroencephalography, cerebrovascular lesions and brain tumors are excluded. A history of behavioral disorder also helps determine the location and nature of the CNS lesion (Davies, 1996). However, due to the high cost of diagnostic procedures, as well as the variability of individual manifestations of age-related disorders caused by CNS aging, it is not always possible to confirm the diagnosis of dementia.

Learning and memory

As part of laboratory studies in the study of dementia in dogs, signs such as memory and learning impairment have been used. The results obtained indicate the variability of age-related changes in cognitive functions. Spatial and object memory in older dogs generally deteriorates; the ability to perform tasks dependent on the prefrontal area is also reduced.

At the same time, simple associative learning such as visual recognition remains intact in old age, unless recognition presents particular difficulties (Milgram et al., 1994).

Not all dogs lose learning and memory with age. Apparently, there are three categories of old dogs: those who have retained their former abilities (fortunate aging); with age deterioration of abilities; with severe impairment. Age-related changes begin as early as 8 years. These categories appear to be analogous to normal aging, mild cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease in humans (Head, 2001).

Routine behavioral survey

In the general veterinary clinic, where accurate but expensive diagnostic methods are usually not used, the diagnosis of age-related behavioral disorders is made primarily on the basis of anamnesis. Since early detection of the disorder markedly improves prognosis, it is reasonable to conduct a behavioral questionnaire for all elderly pets presented to the clinic for routine examination. If the results of the questionnaire are suspicious, collect additional data (as described earlier) and evaluate the impact of this condition on the quality of life of the animal.

Studies suggest that dogs with behavioral symptoms falling into at least one of the four categories of dementia are more likely to worsen severely after 6-18 months compared to dogs without clinical signs of the disorder (Bain et al., 2001). Thus, surveying owners of older dogs helps to identify the animals most likely to deteriorate rapidly in the coming months, and to start treatment as soon as possible.

Age-Related Cognitive Affective Disorders Rating Scale (ARCAD)

In France, a scoring system for age-related cognitive-affective disorders (ARCAD) has been developed and partially tested (Pageat, 2001). The system is intended for use during a clinical consultation. It is based on taking into account nine specific patterns of behavior and reactions, which are divided into emotional and cognitive parameters (Fig. 12.3). Presumably (Pageat, 2001), the rating scale has a high correlation with the development of age-related changes in the brain of dogs, therefore it is suitable for diagnosing and determining the prognosis of age-related behavioral disorders. Further research is expected to test the validity of this scale and clarify its practical application.

Treatment of behavioral disorders not solely due to age, but occurring in older dogs and cats, is discussed in the appropriate chapters of this manual.

In cases where behavioral symptoms are a direct consequence of a systemic disease or pathological change in an organ, treatment should be directed at eliminating the cause. If there is a suspicion that a behavioral disorder is caused by a pain focus, analgesics are usually prescribed, in some cases therapy with anxiolytic (antiphobic) drugs (ie, tranquilizers and antidepressants) is also indicated. Bus-pyrone, amitriptyline, and diazepam are recommended for this purpose (Dodman,

1998), as pain has been shown to lead to increased anxiety in phobic individuals.

In the treatment of age-related behavioral disorders due to progressive degenerative changes in the CNS, three main therapeutic approaches are used: behavioral therapy (including environmental exposure), nutritional supplementation, and pharmacotherapy. Cognitive deterioration occurs gradually, so it is best to start treatment early.

Treatment options for behavioral changes in older cats follow the same principles as for dogs, but the use of diet or medication in cats has been very limited.

There is oral evidence to support the use of selegiline hydrochloride (1 mg/kg once daily) in cats with signs of disorientation and altered social interactions; as for nicergoline and propentofylline, their therapeutic effect on cats with age-related behavioral disorders has not been studied.

Behavioral Therapy

Although dementia is a disease requiring appropriate pharmacological intervention, it is important to remember that any behavioral trait that persists for some time has some learned component. Therefore, it is necessary to identify any stimuli that can cause or reinforce unacceptable behavior and try to eliminate or control them.

Altering cognition usually requires some modification of the environment in order to reduce the severity of the behavioral disorder; for example, in case of disorientation, clearly marking the front doors helps.

It is necessary to make changes in the environment and with a noticeable decrease in mobility or a deterioration in the general state of health of the animal.

Owners should maintain a strict schedule for their pets to ensure that their daily activities are as predictable as possible. It is advisable to refrain from moving furniture and other structural changes in the home that exacerbate disorientation problems.

For some behavioral changes, certain behavior modification techniques are used, such as desensitization to fear-producing stimuli and response substitution in situational behavior patterns. If the main symptom of the disorder is unscrupulous behavior in the home, behavioral therapy is needed to restore the appropriate spatial associations.

Dogs with dementia often lose the ability to perform simple actions or previously known commands. Therefore, it is important to reward the right responses with effective, unambiguous rewards. It is helpful to include exaggerated hand signals and other conspicuous markers in your behavioral therapy plan.

It is desirable to make the environment more predictable and to use well-defined incentives to distinguish between individual situations and practices.

It is especially important to strongly encourage the successful actions of the pet, and the owner must think carefully about the method of reward. As a reward, use what the pet especially appreciates; for example, for dwarf breeds it is a weasel, while for Labradors it is almost always food. By activating the ratchet before giving a reward, the owner will give the dog a clear and unambiguous signal to help reinforce success (see Chapter 5).

Behavioral therapy should be started as early as possible because, without an appropriate program of exercise and play, a dog with developing dementia can gradually learn a range of unacceptable behaviors. The owner is encouraged to conduct games that provide mental stimulation to the dog and enhance its social interaction with the owner. Ideally, these games should be short, simple, repetitive, and culminate in a positive pet reward. Here are some easy-to-follow recommendations for correcting the behavior of dogs with dementia.

Take a few short pleasant walks with your pet every day, stimulating his interest in the environment and improving his interaction with the owner.

Use simple commands like “Sit!”, “Stand!”, “Lie down!”.

Organize games with the search for treats, hiding it so that the dog can easily find it.

In case of unscrupulous behavior in the house, you should walk the dog more often (required after eating, sleeping and playing). During the walk, the owner must make sure that the pet has actually made natural departures.

Nutritional supplements

It is unlikely that anyone will dispute the fact that nutrition plays a vital role in the treatment of systemic diseases. If behavioral problems in an old animal result from an organic lesion such as kidney failure, the first step is to optimize the diet.

The interest of specialists in the role of nutrition in the treatment of progressive age-related degeneration of the CNS and its clinical consequences is constantly growing. Studies have been conducted on the effect of diet on dogs' short-term memory, particularly learning and retention (Milgram et al., 2000, 2001). Loss of short-term memory is known to be one of the first signs of cognitive dysfunction in humans (Head, 2001). In recent studies (Milgram et al., 2000, 2001), cognitive function improved relatively quickly with a diet that included a wide range of antioxidants. It was also found that the most distinct effect of such a diet affected the solution of the most difficult cognitive tasks.

Experimental nutrition did not affect the cognitive ability of young dogs, which is consistent with the theoretical rationale for the use of antioxidants in diets for older animals. Young animals do not experience as much oxidative stress as older animals because the damaging effects of oxidants are cumulative. Antioxidants are believed to prevent the development of the age-related neuropathology that underlies dementia. Antioxidants appear to help repair damaged neurons, but it remains unclear whether they affect the resulting amyloid plaques. However, prepared dietary foods enriched with antioxidants are being considered as another treatment for behavioral disorders in older dogs.

The role of nutrition in the prevention and treatment of dementia in dogs is currently the subject of extensive research, so more data on this subject can be expected in the near future.

Medical therapy

Three drugs are designed specifically for the treatment of age-related behavioral problems: selegiline, nicergoline and propentofylline (see also Chapter 23). Among the huge number of drugs used in Europe, these drugs usually come first. Other drugs, such as clomipramine, are recommended for the treatment of certain manifestations of age-related behavioral disorders (Bourdin, 1997). The fact that the aging process differently affects different parts of the monoamine neurotransmitter system indicates the advisability of using drugs of different classes.

Due to the potential incompatibility of different drugs, combination therapy is not recommended, and the combination of clomipramine and selegiline in the same therapeutic course is definitely contraindicated. When prescribing an elderly patient, a course of pharmacotherapy must be taken. Precautions: determine the initial hematological and biochemical profile and then repeat blood tests every six months throughout the treatment.

The choice of a drug is made taking into account the nature of the changes that occur

in the central nervous system during aging. Thus, senile behavioral disorders are often due to cerebrovascular disorders, and in such cases, appropriate drug treatment can significantly improve the situation and increase the energy and strength of the dogs when they begin to give up. However, if the manifestations of senile dementia are not limited to the fact that the dog “begins to give up”, then it is important to choose a drug that can correct all the processes responsible for this condition.

Nicergoline and propentofylline

These two drugs, although they belong to different classes of drugs (see Chapter 23), have a similar therapeutic effect. They dilate blood vessels, increase cardiac output and cerebral blood flow, thereby increasing the supply of oxygen to the brain. In addition, propentofyllin appears to increase erythrocyte plasticity, which also improves oxygen delivery to tissues (Sieffge and Katsuyoshi, 1985).

Nicergoline acts as a neuroprotector, restoring damage to neurons and increasing their metabolic activity (Nikolov ef a/., 1987). Clinical trials of nicergoline in cases of senile behavioral changes in dogs gave encouraging results: there was an improvement in perception and reactions to visual and auditory stimuli, and the effectiveness of the drug in terms of correcting unscrupulous behavior in the house, sleep disorders and decreased appetite (Postal ef a / ., 1994; Penalligon, 1997).

Selegiline

This drug is prescribed once a day: 0.5 mg / kg for dogs, 1 mg / kg for cats. It has three important effects: it increases the level of neurotransmitters (especially dopamine), enhances catecholaminergic activity and slows down the development of neurodegenerative processes.

Selegiline, being a selective inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type B (MAO B), slows down the breakdown of phenylethylamine, dopamine, tyramine and norepinephrine, but not serotonin. Selegiline also inhibits the reuptake of these neurotransmitters (Ruehl and Hart, 1998). MAO B levels are known to increase with age and are especially high in people suffering from several neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases (Tariot et al., 1987).

In addition to affecting the level of neurotransmitters, selegiline reduces the concentration of free radicals as a result of: a) suppression of the action of MAO B, b) increased activity of superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that inactivates free radicals (Kitani et al. y 1998; Head, 2001). Finally, selegiline acts as a neuroprotective agent. The mechanism of this action has not been definitively established, but there are currently two hypotheses. According to the first, selegiline slows down or disrupts the process of programmed cell death (apoptosis), which is active in damaged neurons (Cummings, 1996a). The second suggests that it promotes the synthesis or release of nerve growth factors (Tatton and Greenwood, 1991, cited in Ruehl and Hart, 1998).

In dogs with dementia, selegiline is usually given daily for a long time. It may take up to 6 weeks to achieve a therapeutic effect, but a certain improvement in the condition is often noted already during the first 3 weeks. Side effects are minimal; sometimes owners report temporary self-limiting bouts of vomiting and diarrhea during the first week of treatment.

Clomipramine

The drug is recommended for the treatment of age-related behavioral problems (Bourdin, 1997), but some authors object to its use in elderly patients due to anticholinergic side effects. Clomipramine is contraindicated in patients with heart and kidney disease. Therefore, it is first necessary to make a complete medical examination, including hematological and biochemical tests.

Clomipramine is especially effective when unscrupulous behavior in the home is the leading clinical sign of cognitive impairment (Bourdin, 1997). This is due, firstly, to the anticholinergic effect of the drug on the bladder and intestines and, secondly, to its general antidepressant effect, apparently due to a slowing down of the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the central nervous system. The effect of clomipramine on the serotonergic system suggests that it is also indicated in cases where the disorder of the sleep/wake cycle predominates.

Medicines of the future

Extensive research is currently underway on a number of therapeutic approaches for Alzheimer's disease in humans. Some of these approaches (particularly the use of antioxidants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors) are already being used to treat dementia in dogs, while others have yet to be introduced into veterinary practice. For example, there is evidence that cholinesterase inhibitors significantly improve the cognitive ability of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease (Grutzendler, Morris, 2001), and that people taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the risk of developing this disease (Stewart ef a/. , 1997). The possibilities of using cholinesterase inhibitors in veterinary medicine are still limited. With regard to NSAIDs, the results of a study of their effect on the accumulation of beta-amyloid in transgenic mice (Lim et al., 2000) suggest that these drugs, in particular carprofen, can reduce the risk of developing dementia in dogs (Head, 2001) .

The prognosis depends on the following factors:

The duration of the presence of clinical signs;

The severity of clinical signs;

The presence of other age-related internal diseases;

The quality of life of an individual.

In most cases, the prognosis of age-related behavioral problems worsens with the age of the animal, as the observed physical changes are progressive and irreversible. Behavioral changes should be identified as early as possible and treatment should be initiated, which, although not eliminated, will slow down their development.

Not only life expectancy after the start of treatment is predicted, but also its quality. The issue of quality of life should be considered in all cases and discussed with the owners. If a treatment can significantly improve the quality of life, even for a short time, it certainly deserves attention.

The assessment of the quality of life is very individual: the same quality of life of a pet may seem quite satisfactory to one owner and not at all to suit another. For this reason, it is impossible to set parameters for assessing age-related behavioral problems, and veterinarians are forced to tailor their prognosis to each patient and owner.