Veterinary professionals now have a standardized method for diagnosing and monitoring canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CCDS), thanks to new guidelines developed by an international working group of canine cognition experts and published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
CCDS is a chronic, progressive, age-associated neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by behavioral and cognitive changes. The syndrome shares similarities with Alzheimer’s disease in people, including progressive brain changes and cognitive decline that impact a dog’s quality of life. These changes may include altered activity levels, sleep disruption, anxiety, house soiling, and learning or memory impairment.
The guidelines provide a formal definition of CCDS and practical diagnostic criteria intended to assist primary care veterinarians, veterinary specialists, and researchers.
“The good news here is that there is increased interest in finding treatments for CCDS,” said Dr. Natasha Olby, working group leader and a professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “But in order to develop those treatments, we must first be sure there’s an agreed-upon definition of the condition.”
In addition to Dr. Olby, the working group included experts in behavior, neurology, aging, and pharmacology from institutions in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
The group’s recommendations include:
- Using a diagnostic flowchart with two levels of diagnostic certainty and a three-tiered system for grading severity.
- Screening all dogs for cognitive changes beginning at age 7.
- Evaluating all dogs 10 years or older biannually.
- Using CCDS-specific questionnaires to monitor dogs with emerging signs.
The new guidelines recommend using validated caregiver questionnaires, such as the Canine Dementia Scale (CADES), the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) scale, or the DISHAA questionnaire, which evaluates disorientation, impaired social interactions, sleep disturbances, house soiling, learning and memory deficits, activity changes, and anxiety.
If initial screening indicates cognitive decline, the guidelines recommend physical and neurologic examinations to rule out other conditions and, in some cases, brain imaging.
“We are seeing CCDS diagnoses with increasing frequency, but there isn’t a standardized method for the diagnosis,” said Dr. Olby. “We wanted to propose that standardized method as a starting point that can be built upon over time.”
Dr. Olby emphasized that the document is a collaborative effort by leaders in the field and should be treated as a living resource that will evolve as our understanding of CCDS improves.
The complete guidelines and supplemental materials are available at go.navc.com/4pyY9kH.