Pete the Vet: The seven ways to spot dementia in elderly cats and dogs

There are seven key areas where elderly pets are known to demonstrate changes when they are suffering from cognitive decline.

70% of dogs over the age of 15 are affected.

Just as dementia is common in people, so it is in pets. Over 50% of cats and almost 70% of dogs over the age of 15 are affected, with signs starting from 10 years of age onwards. Vets tend to use the term “cognitive dysfunction syndrome” to describe what’s happening, but the bottom line is that the brain just isn’t working as well as it used to.

It’s easy to put dementia down to simple wear and tear: just as joints, skin, teeth and hair suffer from ageing changes, so does the brain. However, a number of specific changes in brain structure have been identified that are not necessarily directly linked to advancing age.