Dogs can also get dementia. A new study shows that it is far more common for quadrupeds that do not move around to get it compared to dogs that live an active life.
For dogs, dementia manifests itself in several ways. Among the symptoms are memory problems, altered social behavior, and sleep problems.
“They can be awake and wander around at night and seem confused,” veterinarian Catarina Eliasson, who has special expertise in dog and cat diseases, stated.
In an American study of more than 15,000 dogs, it appears that dogs who have reached the age of ten have an increased risk of developing dementia by 52% for each year that passes.
Furthermore, it is said that those who get little exercise are more than six times more likely to develop dementia than those who are very active. The study, which was carried out in 2019 and 2020, has been published in Scientific Reports. 1.4% of the dogs in the study were diagnosed with dementia.
Admittedly, it is not entirely certain that the absence of exercise leads to dementia. It could also be that dementia causes the dogs to live a life of reduced activity, the researchers warn, emphasizing that more research is needed on the topic.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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