-
Step 1
If your pet is suffering from dementia, you may notice a change in his sleep habits. Your pet may reverse his waking and sleeping hours and may sleep much more than usual.
-
Step 2
There may be litter box and house-training problems. Your dog or cat may have been perfectly trained before, but is now having accidents in the house or seems to forget where the litter box is, even though its location hasn’t changed.
-
Step 3
Changes in relationships with people may occur. Your once affectionate dog or cat may become aloof, preferring to spend time alone than with you. She may no longer tolerate any petting and may no longer greet family members upon their return home.
-
Step 4
You may notice that your pet is disoriented. He might stare into space, howling or meowing for no apparent reason, lose his balance, or wander aimlessly through your house. Your dog may stand by the wrong door to go outside or may not seem to remember the reason for going outside. He may no longer recognize family members.
-
Step 5
While there is no cure for CDS, some veterinarians recommend a diet rich in omega-three fatty acids. Some veterinarians use medications to treat CDS with varying results.
-
Step 6
Discuss with your veterinarian changing your pet’s diet to one containing high levels of antioxidants.
-
Step 7
If your cat shows signs of dementia, add more litter boxes throughout your house. If arthritis is a problem in addition to CDS, make sure that the litter boxes are low enough for your cat to climb into. If she seems to be forgetting to use the litter box, you may want to place her in the litter box several times each day.
-
Step 8
Arthritis can also make house-training hard on your dog. If there are steps to your yard, it may now be difficult for your dog to manage them and you may want to install a ramp. If you have a pet flap in your door, the flapping of the door against arthritic hips may be painful for your dog and he may have accidents in the house rather than endure the pain of walking outside.
-
Step 9
Urinary tract infections can contribute to loss of house-training and litter box use and should be ruled out. Urinary tract infections are easily treated with antibiotics.
-
Step 10
Most importantly, don’t stop playing with your cat or dog. Playing and training help keep the mind sharper and may slow the progression of the disease.
