Biases with cognitive dysfunction can be a barrier to an underlying diagnosis in pets
One of the most common topics that comes up with the families I'm connected to these days is cognition—especially dementia—in pets. It’s no surprise, really, with the focus of my practice being on seniors, geriatrics, hospice and end-of-life care support. With pets living longer and better, yes—more dogs and cats are developing noticeable cognitive changes. There is a lot more available to us in the way of understanding cognition, and how that can and does decline with age and is more palpable in advanced age. We also know how it can be supported medically, non-medically with environmental safety, with enrichment and so much more. And as with other hot topics, canine and feline cognition can get us a little too far into the weeds which doesn’t serve pets, their families nor their vet teams in a way that makes best sense. In fact, I often observe that the line gets so blurry, that good common sense often goes by the way side and what begins is, well, pardon the expression, a...