Dementia help

[aljeana]

Hoping for some advice on possible medication for Rosie our 14+ cocker who has some arthitis & is on medication for that plus goes to hydro, has little hearing or sight but generally manages really well.  I have 3 other cockers that really look after her waking her up to go out & feed times but she is getting episodes of confusion sometimes just minor where she just wont settle, following you about and wanting food but other times much worse.

Poor Rosie has been so distressed last night I know she is getting old & so sad but to see her in one of her so confused modes is so upsetting. Last night she just could not settle all evening she paced & whimpered she thought it was tea time gave the impression she was starving constantly wanting food I had been cooking liver & I think that is what triggered it all.

Very difficult to know how to help her tried sitting with her but hard to keep her calm tried her thundershirt but did not really help.

I could hear her pacing throughout the night, this morning she is calmer & seems to have come through this latest episode have people tried medication to any good result ?

Mollie our other oldie went through dementia in a totally different way was like a naughty child but so funny never got distressed just had mad moments but poor Rosie gets so distressed.
We could go days weeks without another episode as bad as this so difficult to know how to help her any advice

[elaine.e]

When Josh was very old he started to become mildly confused at times and the vet put him on Vivitonin. I think it increases blood flow to the brain, but whatever it was doing it helped Josh and made him more alert and less inclined to get lost in the shrubs at the far end of the garden, bless him

I think Vivitonin is still in use and there's another similar medication now called Aktivait. I'm sure it would be worth asking the vet if he thinks either of them will help Rosie.

I hope something does. I know how distressing it is to see a much loved oldie confused and bewildered

[aljeana]

Thanks Elaine I will have to speak to my vet I know Vivtonin is used & works well on some dogs its just so distressing but so odd how dementia effects some differently with Mollie who died at 16yrs she was so funny as she went back to being a silly playing puppy I would cry in fits of laughter but with Rosie its so sad

[Redked]

Our old collie x had dementia. It was heartbreaking to watch her pace around. She got very scared at times too and in the end she didn't answer to her name so couldn't be let off lead for walks. She became incontinent too. Sorry if I'm painting a depressing picture but that is how she was in the end. We were given 2 different types of medication ( sorry I can't remember the names) but nothing helped for Callie. I think possibly they were given too late as when we first took her to the vet to diagnose dementia, nothing was offered at that time; we were told it was dementia and that there was obviously no cure! Not very helpful and no offer of medication. It was only months later the vet offered to try treatment.

If you can get Rosie on something sooner rather than later it might well help her. I'd take her now and talk to your vet about it as I've no doubt the earlier treatment is given the more chance it can work xxx

[Ben's mum]

I don't have any experience but just wanted to send you  Its hard watching our lovely cockers get older. I hope you find something to help Rosie 

[cindere528]

I have no advice to offer, but just wanted to say I know what it's like, having a dog with dementia. My Pansy, who is somewhere between 12 & 14 also has it. I wouldn't say she gets distressed, but she does get lost in the house and garden, both of which are very small. I often say it would be very difficult if we lived in a big house with a big garden. Pansy is also blind & deaf. She has Glaucoma and the vet has said she can't have Vivitonin because of the Glaucoma.

Sometimes I think she's coming to the end of her life, but then she rallies & seems to enjoy life again. She does have some quality of life, so as long as she enjoys her walks & her food, she will carry on.

[aljeana]

Thank you everyone

Rosie woke up this morning her "normal" self    a little wobbly but in full control of her brain

Which makes me wonder if she had a little stroke yesterday as when Mollie had little strokes at 15yrs she would be odd for a few days then bounce back.

It could explain why she was so distressed

What I also noticed my other cockers were quite concerned over Rosie yesterday kept checking her, licking & cuddling up to her so sweet. Today when Rosie got out of bed with her wobbly sea legs they went to her & they took her out side & she had a little play came running back in as to say what's all the fuss about 

I am going to still take her to my vets & see if we can help her a little

[Fluff]

I've got Belle on Aktivait and seen a real difference in the pacing and barking. She's 14.

[PennyB]

Melatonin is useful for this as well as it helps calm them

I tried it on Ruby last night after being kept awake the other night - her night-time distress is most likely down to her facial tumour with a bit of old age thrown in - and she was quite settled really so will try again tonight (its something that works quite quickly - doesn't make them dopey just settled IYSWIM)

[aljeana]

Hi Penny

Is Melatonin vet supplied googled seems an off the self product for humans is there a difference in dog dosage ?

[LurcherGirl]

I've got Belle on Aktivait and seen a real difference in the pacing and barking. She's 14.

I have also had very good experiences with two of my dogs on Aktivait. Definitely worth a shot.

[PennyB]

Hi Penny

Is Melatonin vet supplied googled seems an off the self product for humans is there a difference in dog dosage ?

you can only get online (I followed what various knowledgeable friends told me who have been using it for years and both have cockers Daunting & Jacobs mum on here) but there is more info on various US sites

http://www.vetblog.net/2013/01/dog-melatonin-uses-dose-rate.html

Problem is you can't speak to your vet as such its a product you can't buy here but I did mention to my vets I was doing this and they didn't say no but then I guess my vet trusts me to do my won research too  - I originally bought it as Stella was attacking Ruby (she was getting fearful over Ruby's failing health particularly when her tumour became infected and smelt) and it seemed to work + now am using for Roobs overnight (3mg capsule even though she's quite a small cocker) and Stella for her anxiety of Roob's ill health but I have increased Stella's dose when there are fireworks/thunder around.

It doesn't seem to sedate them as such even though it says it has sedative properties

I got mine here
http://bit.ly/1rEJq3X but I know some have bought good quality product cheaper