Canine Cognitive Disease (CCD)

[orezok]

My dog Kali is a rescue and is 12 to 14 years old. Large dog, 80#. She recent began showing symptoms of CCD, aka dementia. My vet prescribed Anipryl. I have not administered it yet. Does anyone have experience with this drug?

 

[Rockbadchild]

no but why you ask ?

This might be unsensitive but the Vet is the professional if you have question you should've ask him not folks on a tractor forum.... Its hard and I fell your pain. Good luck with her.

 

[LouNY]

Sorry can't help you, luckily I haven't had the issue.

 

[cqaigy2]

Sorry to hear, i haven't heard of anybody using that drug.

 

[alexpops]

Sorry to hear Orezok. No experience with the drug, but it was suggested to me by vet (after it wasn't needed). A question. How recently did the symptoms begin, and related to that, how soon after her last Heartguard? The reason I ask, I had an older Basset Hound that took Heartguard his whole life, then started exhibiting inconsistent dementia symptoms after Heartguard once he hit 13 or so. First time it happened, I thought he might have had a stroke due to the symptoms, (weakness, difficulty walking, confusion, loss of appetite, hypersalivation, & fear of stepping over the threshold) and vet suggested Dog Alzheimer meds (I'm pretty sure it was Anipryl), but the way she said it, it seemed she was offering it more for my benefit than for Dusty's. Given that by the time I got an appointment for him to be seen (5 days) the symptoms were gone, his blood Chems were all good, & he was his happy self again, I declined. Symptoms would last 2-4 days accompanied by loss of appetite, excess drinking, agitation, panting, excess salivation, confusion & weakness. Not sure if it was a QC problem on Heartguard, or if he simply couldn't metabolize it the way he normally did. Didn't happen each month either, maybe 3 times in the last year or so. Confusion is one of the symptoms of Heartguard sensitivity, but that usually affects only herding dogs with a genetic sensitivity. Vet told me I was imagining things & there was no way a non-genetically sensitive dog could develop a sensitivity heartguard. But after everything we were told about human meds during covid, I now take all medical advice with a grain of salt. Hope Kali gets better & that the drug works for her.

 

[orezok]

Thanks all for your input. I’ve used the same vet for over 15 years and I have absolute trust in his recommendations. The reason I asked is that he told me that it is ineffective with some dogs and some have significant side issues. This site has many members with dogs so real world is valuable

 

[orezok]

Alex pops I live in the desert and mosquitos and heart worm are virtually non existent here due to the dryness. Thanks for your concern

 

[Dftodd]

We've had experience with doggy dementia but not that medication.

Our jack Russell started showing weird symptoms. Would randomly forget where he was, and just stop and stare.

Had some other random issues when discussed with the vet that led him to believe it was the dementia.

It would come and go, and seemed to be similar to an adult with sun downers (confused in the evenings, but fine after a good night's rest).

He ended up getting into the neighbors compost pile and had to be taken to the vets. This dog was tripping his balls off for 2 days straight. Eyes rolling, dizzy as all get out, pupils dilated, ect.......

Vet informed us that the black fuzzies you see on rotten meat produces a neurotoxin when ingested.

We ended up having to put him down about 6 months after that. The toxin ended up effecting his organs and they began to shut down. He was 16 at the time.

The sundowner was fairly easy to manage with him. He roamed the house during the day, and then kennel him when we went to bed. We had a fenced in yard, so if he got lost, I would just walk out and scoop him up and bring him inside.

 

[Torvy]

I feel you, orezok. Big dogs rarely make it more than 10-12 years. Enjoy the time you have left. Our last was taken well before her time.

 

[orezok]

I feel you, orezok. Big dogs rarely make it more than 10-12 years. Enjoy the time you have left. Our last was taken well before her time.

I took Kali for her annual senior check up a couple of weeks ago. We did blood tests as we do every year (not inexpensive). My vet called me and said that every parameter, dozens of them, were ALL in the normal range. He said that it is rare for even young dogs to have a perfect result.

He said her organs are working well, but her body (rear leg muscles are atrophying) and her brain… well, we’ll see.

 

[alexpops]

How's she doing? Tolerating the meds? Any improvement or still too soon?

 

[orezok]

How's she doing? Tolerating the meds? Any improvement or still too soon?

still too soon

 

[alexpops]

Best of luck to you both.

 

[orezok]

OP here. So far no significant change in Kali’s behavior. One of the symptoms of CCDis day/night reversal. She is pretty much normal during the day, but becomes restless and lost during the night. She paces and remains awake. She now comes to our bed usually at 2 to 3 in the morning and stares at me for 10 minutes or more. She will lick an exposed arm and sometimes gently paws the bed. She knows something is wrong and wants me to help her.

Unfortunately we have had to lock her out of the bedroom in order to get a full nights sleep.

I’ve scheduled an appointment with the vet after the first month on the Anipryl. I’m told it can take 1 to 2 months to be effective. We will see what he recommends.

We will give it the time she needs, but if I feel her quality of life has deteriorated too much, I will do the necessary thing.

She can join her predecessors up on the hill.

Yes, I’m crying as I write this.

 

[ponytug]

Much as possum fur (both US, and Australian, which is a totally different animal) is soft and gorgeous, US possums are disease vectors. That shouldn't be surprising as they are opportunistic omnivores that eat carrion, exposing them to many diseases, including rabies.

Possums do get rabies. Do Possums Have Rabies?

Personally, I try not to leave food, food scraps, or compost accessible to wild animals to not entice them close to house/domestic animals.

They also carry equine protozoal myoencephalalitis (EPM), a debilitating and often fatal disease for horses. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM)

All the best,

Peter