I have a 15-year-old Siberian that has seizures from
a fractured skull due to abuse. She has mammary
cancer and lately has been demanding attention
which isn’t her norm. Also, she has been whining
at night for no apparent reason.

Deborah
Joshua Tree, CA

When dogs or cats exhibit unusual behaviors it can be very difficult to determine the cause. Vocalization (whining, meowing, or barking), agitation, attention seeking, evident anxiety and changes in eating patterns are reported commonly by my clients.

When they ask why such behaviors are occurring, I often must admit that I don’t know.

Pain, fear, stress in the house, major life changes (marriage, divorce or the birth of a child) and a number of other issues can cause the types of behavior patterns that you describe.

However, in the case of your dog I am suspicious of cognitive dysfunction, or dementia. Elderly pets, like older people, may suffer from confusion, personality changes, fear, and other manifestations of senility.

Diagnosing dementia in humans is notoriously difficult. In pets, it is almost impossible. Cognitive function tests are available for humans (although people with dementia have a knack for beating the tests). No such diagnostic tools exist for cats or dogs.

I realize that your vet has moved out of state. But I recommend that you find a new one, and have him or her assess your dog for signs of pain or other medical problems that could be contributing to the behavior changes.

It sounds like the seizures have been happening for years (I am assuming that your dog was abused before you adopted her). Mammary tumors generally aren’t painful, unless they are infected or have spread to other parts of the body.

Therefore, I’m guessing that your new vet will probably conclude that the behavior changes are caused by cognitive decline. In that case, there is some good news. Cognitive decline in pets rarely leads to serious problems with quality of life.

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It is my ongoing passion to document the health benefits that people derive from their pets. In a recent post, I surmised that in the future it will be shown that pets help to prevent cognitive decline (memory loss and dementia) in the people they live with. The post was based upon two studies that showed social networks help to prevent cognitive decline. My thesis was that pets are part of social networks. Therefore, pets help to prevent memory impairment and dementia.

As I was browsing the internet the other day, I came upon another article. From the article:

The good news is that moderate exercise over most of your life can not only assist in the prevention of onset cognitive deterioration, but may actually be able to reverse existing damage, at least to a certain extent.

I was immediately reminded of one of my other previous posts: people with dogs get more exercise than people who don’t have dogs.

Having a dog leads to more exercise. More exercise leads to improved cognitive function. Connect the dots.

All that remains is for a study to show a direct link between pet ownership and improved cognitive function (rather than the indirect links that I keep making). I believe it is only a matter of time.

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• Pets May Help Prevent Cognitive Decline in Elderly People