Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome

What Is It: CCDS is a disease that affects older dogs, causing chemical changes in the brain. It is the equivalent of Alzheimer’s disease or senility in people. Symptoms are usually detected by owners, who notice strange behavior for no apparent reason. Dogs affected by CCDS show no physical signs of disease and continue to eat normally.

Symptoms: Change in activity level or sleeping patterns, confusion and disorientation, increased whining, isolation, anxiety attacks, decreased interaction with family members, forgetfulness. Dogs sometimes get "stuck" in corners or wander aimlessly. Housetrained pets have frequent "accidents." These and other changes in behavior are not normal and are not part of getting older. They should be reported to your veterinarian.

Treatment: A drug called selegiline (Anipryl) is commonly used to treat CCDS.

Cushing’s Disease

What Is It: An endocrine disorder caused by excessive levels of the hormone cortisol. A tumor in an adrenal gland can be the cause of the overproduction of cortisone, but normally it is simply due to a malfunction or lesion of the glands. It is more common in certain breeds, such as Beagles, Boston Terriers, and Dachshunds.

Symptoms: Excessive drinking and appetite, increased urination, weakness in the back legs, lethargy, thinning hair, skin hyper pigmentation, panting, frequent urinary tract infections, distended abdomen, obesity.

Treatment: The drug Lysodren is commonly prescribed to treat Cushing’s Disease. After several large daily doses for a period of a week, a maintenance dosage is established, which should be kept for the duration of the animal's life.