Increasing age is one of the main risk factors for developing dementia in humans. The same is thought to be true for dogs, who can develop a condition called “Canine Cognitive Dysfunction” (or CCD) which has symptoms such as memory problems, loss of spatial awareness and disrupted sleep. In their new study, published in Scientific Reports on 25 August, a team of researchers from the Dog Aging Project have conducted the largest analysis of CCD in companion dogs to date.
The US-based Dog Aging Project cohort study was launched in 2018 and is currently composed of over 27,000 companion dogs, enrolled by their owners. Owners complete multiple surveys at different timepoints in the study, and it is this data that was analysed by the research team, aiming to understand the prevalence and other factors linked to CCD. In total, 15,019 dogs were included in the study of CCD. Of these, 19.5% were classified as being in the last quarter of their anticipated lifespan. 1.4% of all dogs were classified as having CCD based on survey responses from their owners. Statistical analyses revealed that over the age of 10, dogs have a 52% increased risk of developing CCD for each additional year of life – even when correcting for factors such as breed, gender and geographic location.
Interestingly, dogs who had a history of neurological, ear or eye disorders had higher odds of CCD. Also, among dogs of the same age, health status and breed, those who were not physically active were more likely to have CCD compared to their more active counterparts. However, researchers cautioned that this association may be due to cognitive decline leading to reduced activity, rather than the other way around. More research is now needed to see whether screening programmes or measures that increase physical activity can help the diagnosis and prevention of CCD.
