[Dailydrool] Canine cognitive dysfunction (doggie dementia)

[Val lbrewerzwick via Dailydrool]

I know I've posted all this before, so will be brief.  The Late Commander Bo suffered from doggie dementia in his later years. He had the up on and off all night pacing, getting lost in the yard, incontinence.  He also had very poor eyesight.  Here is what did:

1. Medication. Bo's vet had him on Prozac and Valium both, and this worked well and Bo slept through the night. I do not remember the dosages.
  I would add that my healthy dogs pace and pant if they have an upset tummy or gas (usually after eating something gross in  yard).  A Gas X solves this problem and that is always my first go to remedy for panting/pacing in an otherwise healthy dog as it can't hurt and may help--though it does not have any relevance to treating dementia or to Bo.


2. Environment.  total darkness made things worse for BO, so we left lights on 24/7 in the living room and a nightlight at his level in the bedroom.  We also put in solar garden lights along a path in the yard for him.

  Bo wore diapers for the incontinence. (Human disposable pads in doggie jumpsuits that I made for him).

We had ambient noise--wind chimes, a fish tank running, and talked out loud to   Bo if we moved around the house, sometimes music and/or TV.  since we have. Multiple dogs, he was never alone.  On the occasions we were out of town, we hired an in home dogsitter rather than moving him to a new locale.  

Bo was a pretty happy dog right to the end with these accommodations.
  
Val of Hawaii