{"id":3406,"date":"2024-10-20T23:27:10","date_gmt":"2024-10-20T23:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fastpic.online\/?p=3406"},"modified":"2024-10-21T12:03:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T12:03:00","slug":"sundowners-in-dogs-signs-diagnosis-treatment-care-vet-answer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/fastpic.online\/index.php\/2024\/10\/20\/sundowners-in-dogs-signs-diagnosis-treatment-care-vet-answer\/","title":{"rendered":"Sundowners in Dogs: Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment & Care (Vet Answer)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Click to Skip Ahead <\/p>\n

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What Is Sundowners?<\/a>
\nSundowners vs. Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a>
\nSigns<\/a>
\nDiagnosis<\/a>
\nTreatment<\/a>
\nCare Guide<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Every positive has a negative, and sadly, the privilege of living a long life comes with the downsides of getting old, and as age increases, so too do the chances of suffering some form of degenerative disease like dementia. Sometimes referred to as \u201cSundowners\u201d, this sad and often debilitating condition affects 1 in 15 humans over the age of 75 years, and it is one of the most common reasons for euthanasia in elderly dogs.<\/p>\n

So, what exactly is<\/em> Sundowners? Can it be prevented? And, how do we look after dogs that are affected by it? Keep on reading for the answers and advice you seek.<\/p>\n

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What Is Sundowners?<\/h2>\n

For those unfamiliar with the term, Sundowners is a deceptively cheerful term to describe the deterioration and degeneration of brain function known as dementia. The word comes from the tendency for the clinical signs of this condition to get worse in the evenings, as the sun goes down.<\/p>\n

Senile dementia, more accurately called cognitive dysfunction (CCD), is seen in dogs as well as humans, but diagnosis is not entirely straightforward, as there are a number of health conditions that may mimic the signs. And because our dogs can\u2019t tell us if they are feeling confused, disoriented, or forgetful, it is up to us to monitor their habits and behavior to look for signs that things are not quite right.<\/p>\n

Another factor that makes canine dementia difficult to recognize is that the signs tend to appear quite gradually, and each dog will be affected, cope, and adjust differently. Most of the clinical signs of canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) are behavioral, and people who are not familiar with your dog\u2019s habits or personality may not even be aware that there is a problem, so it\u2019s important to pay attention to any changes in your dog\u2019s behavior and seek veterinary advice if things don\u2019t seem right.<\/p>\n

Is Sundowners the Same As Alzheimer\u2019s?<\/h2>\n

No. Alzheimer\u2019s Disease is fatal in humans, involving the accumulation of certain substances within the brain cells. It is one cause of dementia, but it also has other clinical signs and effects.1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

One way of looking at it is that all Alzheimer\u2019s patients have dementia, but not all dementia patients have Alzheimer\u2019s. At present, there is no evidence that dogs can be affected by Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n

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Image Credit: Renko Aleks, Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What Are Signs of Sundowners?<\/h2>\n

The nature of dementia is very unpredictable, and different dogs will have different experiences. For some, the disease may be severe and progress rapidly, while for others, the signs will barely be noticeable. Most importantly, many of the signs of CCD can coincide with signs of other health conditions, so do not dismiss any changes in your dog\u2019s habits or behavior as just \u2018old age\u2019.<\/p>\n

Some of the more common changes and signs associated with CCD include:<\/p>\n

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