Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Today my sweet Ben was diagnosed with cognitive dysfunction, essentially doggy Alzheimer's. There is a drug for it (unlike in people), but it's not always effective. So now I'm on pins and needles to see whether I'll ever see my heart dog back to normal again. Has anyone here had any experience with the Anipryl? I'd really love to hear happy endings but any information is welcome. Here is Ben as he was about a year ago: And recently: If you see a change like this in your older dog, run directly to your vet - do not pass "go"! Other things he's been doing: Personality change, grouchiness, arbitrary aggression (that's what sent us to the vet today), housetraining problems, getting sort of lost on sheep, standing staring at the wrong side of the door - the hinge side. That was kind of weird, but didn't ring a bell until he attacked Random today for absolutely no reason (not that he really attacks dogs for good reason - he's a lover not a fighter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miztiki Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 What sad news. I'm sorry to hear of this. Mickey lost some brain cells there at the end. She'd lift her hind leg to scratch behind her ear and forget, and her leg would be up there in the air for a while. She would go outside to go potty and be lost when she was only 10 feet from the door. It broke my heart. How old is Ben now? His clear thinking may come and go, so you will hopefully see your old Ben now and then. I'm sorry Rebecca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Very sorry to hear this, Becca. My vet says that about 40% of his clients who use Anipryl report improvement. It didn't seem to do anything for my Floss, but I have a good friend whose dog had a remarkable improvement on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Ben is nine, just turned in February. Seems rather young to be this senile - but again he's been through an awful lot, as my vet reminded me. He started doing the staring into space thing recently. SURELY this will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Anne Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Oh what a beautiful boy! and those eyes..... what words can describe the feeling of emotion that surfaces when looking into the eyes of our precious fur babies! I am soooo sorry, I feel your pain, and I pray the meds will help Ben feel better. I love him and I don't even know him!!!! Get better Ben JoeAnne, Mirra,Sitka,Phoenix and crew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrayburn Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Rebecca, I'm sorry to hear that Ben is getting senile. My Rocket got quite senile the last 6 months or year of his life (he was put to sleep at 15). He had been blind for many years but he began to "get lost" in the house. He'd sit in the middle of the room and bark until I came and found him then he'd settle down and go back to sleep. Sometimes he'd walk into a room and seem to forget why he'd gone there in the first place. All in all though he was a happy dog. I hope the medication works for Ben, nine is too young to be ready to let him go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rave Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 So sorry to hear about Ben....keep us updated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Rebecca - So very sorry to hear this! I remember once when Rocket mistook the pantry door for a person. It was sadly funny to see him trying to interact with the door when he thought it was one of us. Of course, his lack of vision didn't help. Rocket was a happy dog until we could see the joy of life go out of his eyes in his last days. Then Lisa did the merciful thing and relieved him from his ill, frail body. He was always a great example of an animal with a handicap (blindness) that made the most of life and didn't worry about it. God bless you and Ben, as you work through this together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Becca, I'm so sorry to read about Ben - especially because he's your heart dog and so young. I keep wondering if something else could be going on, but what? I'm sure you've already gone through that. I hope the Anipryl works and Ben is himself again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Originally posted by lrayburn:My Rocket got quite senile the last 6 months or year of his life (he was put to sleep at 15). He had been blind for many years but he began to "get lost" in the house. He'd sit in the middle of the room and bark until I came and found him then he'd settle down and go back to sleep. Sometimes he'd walk into a room and seem to forget why he'd gone there in the first place. All in all though he was a happy dog. Rip is doing that now. He gets "stuck" and just stays there and barks until I go rescue him. I haven't really thought about this as senility, but I know his vision and hearing aren't great. I think he's still happy, especially when can mouth a rawhide and get a tummy rub. He's 14. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheri McDonald Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Rebecca, we have our fingers crossed for you and that the meds work great for Ben. Give him a pat for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kajarrel Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 My Cindy went through this in the last year of her life. Funny thing was it got worse at night, almost like sundowner's syndrome in humans (and I treated it the same). This was pre-Anipryl times, though. Wish I could help . . . Kim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bounce Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 I'm sorry to read this about Ben. He looks like a lovely boy and 9 is so young. I just got a letter today from an old friend who mentioned she is battling doggie dementia in her dogs, ages 11 and 14. She's a vet tech, I'll ask her how she's treating it. Take care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Rebecca, I hope the medication works for Ben. He looks so full of life in the first pic, it would be wonderful to have that back again. We'll be sending good thoughts. Ruth n the BC3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Ben brought me a ball this morning. First time in a couple weeks, I realized. I don't know whether it was a blip on the radar or a sign of progress, but I'm crossing my fingers. The vet said we MIGHT see improvement after three days and today is the third day. Wishful thinking? He still brought it to my foot instead of my hand. Oops. I'll take that, though. I'm doing some basic obedience work with him as well as running him through his tricks, using the clicker. I know that using the brain cells is important to human patients with dementia and the clicker activates the long-term memory center directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, by the way. It really does help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisK Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 I'm so glad to hear it's working My BC mix Brandy lived to be 16 1/2. For the last 3 years of her life, she suffered from cognitive dysfunction. I was lucky, though. Her major problem was being in unfamiliar surroundings. So long as I had a dogsitter for her and didn't change her routine, she coped fairly well. Had I known there was a treatment I would have gladly used it but that was in 1996 and I'm not sure this illness was very well known then. I work in a seniors complex, so I see the human form all the time....it does help to keep a routine and stimulate the mind so I'm with you on running him through his tricks ..Best of luck to you and Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Crazies Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Becca, I just wanted to add my support and warm thoughts for you and Ben. I surely do hope he falls into that 40%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Becca, just wanted to add my best wishes for your lovely Ben. I wonder if his younger age might make it more likely that the meds will work - let's hope so. And heck, what's wrong with a bit of wishful thinking anyway. I do think you're on the right track with maintaining the ob. training, especially with the clicker. I would think it's likely to be directly beneficial in terms of brain stimulation - but in any case, it's a lovely way for you and Ben to send special time together. (BTW, just when do you find the time to do all that you do??? ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 My day is spent in five to fifteen minute chunks, and I don't do much housework! Laura in GSO can verify that! Multitasking is useful too. I work on the computer (I'm trying to research and write a book ATM and also doing another pickup writing job) and train dogs at the same time, for instance. Most of the time I've got a dog leashed to me lately - Random's NILIF time consists mostly of this. Ben's ball time and clicker training happens then too. From about 8:30 am until 11:00 am, you'll find me a) helping PJ with his schoolwork, cleaning the kitchen, c) writing (and sneaking in internet time too of course and d) working with one of the dogs on trick or unstructured playing. After lunch, the kids go down for a nap and I get to play! This is when Random's most heavy duty training happens - sometimes I'll spend a couple hours out there (not really intentionally - I always mean to go out really quick and come back and do laundy or something). Then I'll work on Jen's flyball or ducks/sheep and work Ben on ducks or sheep. Ben only works a few times a week for fifteen minutes MAX because too much pressure brings on Lyme relapses. I sneak back to the computer too during this time. Gotta chekc on the boys, you knwo. I've got an alarm on my phone that goes off at 4:00 to remind me to wrap up what I'm doing and start dinner and help the kids clean upthe house before Patrick gets home. More work on the computer while I'm fixing dinner. More ball playing with Mr. Throw the Ball. I have a wireless laptop by the way, so I can sit outside on the porch and watch the kids and dogs (and lambs) play while I play and work, too. Today there was a thunderstorm with rain, hail, sleet AND snow to watch from the comofrt of my porch. North Carolina weather is so interesting! Interspersed in all this are basic chores like kennel cleaning, feeding the bucket lamb crew, moving the lambs from night to day pen and back again, feeding and watering the ducks, and of course the pasture/barn chores. Hmmm. I never really listed it all out like that before. I feel kind of tired now. But I always feel so lazy when I read about historic women and how they got up before sunrise and had SO much to do, and their houses were perfectly clean all the time (some of them anyway), they cooked everything from scratch, if they needed water they had to go get it and bring it back in buckets, etc, etc. And Steve makes me feel really lazy. The guy started a second round of chemo in six months, in January. He lays around for a day or so and then gets up and - what do you think? mow the lawn? wash the car maybe? I'd be glad to do that much after a chemo treatment. How about building a frickin' PORCH on his house? Roof, railing, and all. I feel about three inches tall when I remember all the whining I did after my car wreck last year (and still do). So Ben's seperate training time works right in with no problem. Working stock only confuses and frustrates him at the moment, so I'll only expose him long enough to check his mental state, then focus on the obedience/tricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babineaus102 Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 I am exhausted after reading your post. lol Best of luck with Ben. Will keep my fingers crossed that the medication will do it's job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Stein Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 Becca, do you think the cognitive dysfunction could be related to Lyme disease? "Lyme fog" is a well-known phenomenon. Did your vet consider that at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 The vet actually alluded to the Lyme when she was de-briefing me. But she wants to try this first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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