It may be a truism that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, though there will be exceptions. But can you at least help an old dog remember old tricks? Dr Evan MacLean and his team at the Arizona Cognition Center, part of the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, have been working on ways to address this aspect of old age in dogs. In a major advance for canine cognitive research, they have developed a new assessment to monitor cognitive health in ageing dogs.
Funded by the Dogtopia Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, the study offers critical insights into cognitive ageing in dogs. The research was conducted as a part of the Dog Ageing Project, a USA-wide effort to understand the genetic and environmental determinants of healthy ageing in dogs.
To learn more about recognizing signs of ageing in dogs, click here.
The study developed a novel set of pet-friendly tasks to measure spatial memory, executive function, and social cognition with during the research experiments. Cognitive decline and dementia are increasingly recognized as important problems in ageing dogs, but have been difficult to study due to the lack of pet-friendly, objective measures of cognitive function. The newly developed tests will play an important role in studies testing interventions to prolong cognitive health and prevent dementia in dogs.
Key Takeaways
- The association between age and test performance were similar for small and large dogs, though small dogs tend to live longer. This surprising finding raises questions about whether cognitive ageing follows a different trajectory than other age-related diseases.
- Memory and mental flexibility were strongly associated with age, with older dogs scoring substantially lower than their younger counterparts.
- Some degree of cognitive impairment was observed in mid-life, well before the age at which dogs typically develop dementia. Identifying these early impairments may be critical for interventions to prolonged cognitive health.
“Understanding cognitive ageing in dogs has the potential to advance veterinary medicine and support discoveries that translate to human health,” said Dr MacLean. “Unlike other diseases, we cannot simply perform a blood test or use medical imaging to measure cognitive impairments. Our research produced problem-solving games to measure specific aspects of cognitive function, providing a vital tool for monitoring cognitive health and measuring the effectiveness of interventions to promote healthy ageing.”
Methodology
The research was broken down into two different experiments:
- Experiment 1: Testing a cross-sectional sample of dogs and estimated associations between age and tasks performance. The group of dogs participated in five tasks, administered across two sessions on separate days, with each session lasting 30-60 minutes.
- Experiment 2: Researchers demonstrated the feasibility of the tests done in Experiment 1 in clinical settings with 35 dogs participating to measure canine cognitive dysfunction. The cognitive tests were administered in an exam room during research visits, when clients and their dogs visited the veterinary hospital for medical evaluations.
For more information about the study, click here.
“We are always seeking opportunities for the Dogtopia Foundation to contribute to the well-being of dogs and to advance knowledge about them,” said Liz Meyers, executive director of the foundation. “Dr MacLean’s research has uncovered valuable insights into an area that isn’t widely understood, and we are proud to have played a role in supporting this important work.” In partnership with Dogtopia’s franchise network of more than 270 dog day-cares, the foundation has raised more than $3.5 million and helped support the training of over 575 service dogs since the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization was established in 2017.
Dogtopia, founded in 2002, is an early pioneer and innovator in the dog day-care industry, offering an experience focused on wellness, quality of care, safety, and transparency. Pet owners have the assurance of leaving their beloved furry family members in the hands of trained professionals in an environment created with the safety of dogs in mind, including spacious playrooms assigned by size and play style, comfortable rubber flooring to reduce the impact on joints and paws, and webcams for pet parents to check in on their wards. To learn more, visit https://dogtopia.com/.
The Dogtopia Foundation enables dogs to positively change our world through funding programmes focused on service dogs for military veterans, therapy dogs for students, and employment initiatives for adults with autism. Its aim is to identify needs, fill gaps, and integrate knowledge for continuous improvement in these three areas of focus. By connecting dogs with organizations the foundation supports, it helps returning military veterans, at-risk students, and adults with autism achieve their potential. For more information and ways to support the foundation’s work, visit https://dogtopiafoundation.org/.
