Eileen Anderson - Remember Me?: Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Remember Me?

Loving and Caring for a dog with
Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Eileen Anderson

Bright Friends Productions

LITTLE ROCK, AR

Copyright 2015, 2016 by Eileen Anderson.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews, other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law, and as explicitly noted herein.

Remember Me? Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction/ Eileen Anderson. 1st ed.

ISBN 978-1-943634-03-3

In Praise of Remember Me? Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Meticulously researched, accurate information presented with real empathy. I hope owners and trainers read this and get their dogs help sooner rather than later should they be afflicted.Jean Donaldson, author of The Culture Clash, founder of the Academy for Dog Trainers

Many families and all small animal veterinarians will face the clinical signs of cognitive dysfunction eventually. And with the help of this book, they no longer have to deny its existence or pretend the clinical signs are the resort of normal aging. Eileen approaches this complex disease with a combination of scientific rigor and deep empathy for the animals and people who suffer from it. Her approach is clear, practical, open, and empathetic. Thank you, Eileen, for providing yet another excellent resource for animal lovers everywhere.ELise Christensen, DVM DACVB (board certified veterinary behaviorist)

What a marvelous book this is! I have been fortunate to have shared my life with a rather large number of beloved dogs. Having so far outlived all of them, I can only look back and wish I had had the common sense and wisdom available in this book to help me through the hardest timesthe times when it was left to me to figure out how best to help my friends as they started to fade away, and, eventually, to decide if and when their need to go on superseded my desire to hold on tight.

With ample references, case studies, and personal stories, Eileen has fleshed out the many problems and joys of caring for an old dog. This book is an invaluable tool which will be in my toolbox for many years to come!Sue Ailsby, author of Training Levels: Steps to Success and instructor at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy

While always conveying deep compassion and sensitivity for dogs with CCD, Eileen also recognizes the difficulties and stress that this disorder can place upon owners.In finishing this book, I realized that while Eileen had written it specifically to help senior dogs with CCD, the information found in its pages will also be of interest and help to all who live with senior dogs, as we strive to keep their lives happy, healthy, and enriched.Linda P. Case, author of several dog books, most recently Beware the Straw Man, and owner of AutumnGold Consulting & Dog Training Center

Personal, easy to read, and full of useful information, Remember Me? Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction is a must-have for everyone living with a dog. Once you have read this book, and I recommend you read it now, you'll want to keep it accessible as a reference for when you need it most.Lori Stevens, CPDT-KA, SAMP, and owner of Seattle TTouch

Table of Contents

For Cricket, of course

Introduction

Is your older dog starting to get stuck in corners, stare at walls, or act a little distant? Is he pacing in circles, barking for no apparent reason, or forgetting his housetraining? These or other behavioral changes may indicate that he has canine cognitive dysfunction, a disease akin to Alzheimers. Its referred to informally as dog dementia.

My rat terrier, Cricket, had canine cognitive dysfunction for the last two years of her life. I had never heard of CCD before, nor seen a dog with the disease. I learned about it, and how best to help Cricket, as I went along. Watching a dog decline is heartbreaking, but thats not the focus of this book. Instead, I hope youll find both comfort and practical help here, including ways to continue to provide your dog a rich and happy life for longer than you thought you could.

If the disease is in an early stage, there are drugs, supplements, dietary changes, and other measures that may help. CCD cant be cured, but its progression can be slowed in some dogs. If your dog has a fairly advanced case, I hope the tips about products and methods for keeping your dog safe will be helpful. Finally, if your dog is failing and you are struggling with the question of euthanasia, I hope the writings and resources here can help you make the best decision for you and your beloved companion.

I know the main audience for this book will be people with dogs already in cognitive decline, but I hope it will reach those with middle-aged and even young dogs as well. Some of the interventions that have been shown to slow cognitive decline work best if started early. In many cases, thats before the dog is showing any signs of CCD. No matter what decisions we make about how to treat it, I believe familiarity with CCD can help us keep our dogs happier and more comfortable from the time of their earliest symptoms.

Thank you for reading my book. May it help you have many more happy days with your dog.

Disclaimer

The suggestions in this book are common-sense ideas born of living with a dog with special needs. I have made every reasonable effort to present current and accurate information, but make no guarantees of any kind and cannot be held liable for incorrect or outdated information. The health-related information in this book should not be substituted for advice from a veterinarian. I am not liable for any damages or negative consequences from any treatment, action, application or preparation performed by any person reading or following the information in this book. I am not responsible for any decisions other people make about their dogs.

I mention the names of products, businesses, and organizations that I have found helpful, but I do not assume responsibility or liability for them.

All service marks, product names, and trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

[1]

Loving a Dog with Dementia: Crickets Story

I first learned about canine cognitive dysfunction from my brave rat terrier, Cricket. This is our story.

Finding Cricket

Cricket was the first dog I ever chose myself.

My previous dogs and cats had all been off-the-street rescues. I hadnt gone looking for them, but theyd found me. At one time, I'd had four cats and three dogs. But in 2002, I was down to my senior rat terrier mix, Gabriel, and two cats, Andrew and Arabella. My house was nicely split in two with some French doors Id installed when I moved in. I think my original idea was that I could have an area that was animal-free. Instead, the doors quickly became the divide between the cat area and the dog area. I did maintain one of my original goals of having a cat-free kitchen, but the dogs charmed their way in.

I had never trained any of my dogs, nor thought much about it. I had been fortunate that my animals had all been easygoing and gotten along with one another.

I wanted another dog. Specifically, I wanted another rat terrier, having fallen in love with Gabriel and two others I was acquainted with. Rat terriers seem to be my breed. Even to look at one makes me feel warm and happy. Their sharp lines and short coats, their bouncy movements, their musculaturethey just look right to me. Im sure anyone who loves a particular breed knows that feeling. I am partial to terriers in general, but rat terriers are the ones for me. I love that combination of tough and sweet.