Maintaining healthy brain function in your pet is vital to help support memory and learning abilities. Looking for common signs your pet needs cognitive support can help maintain their overall health.
Like humans, as they age dogs and cats may experience ‘senior moments’. We don’t like to think of our pets getting older, but like us, it could be that your pet needs cognitive support. Some pet owners put this down to old age rather than realising that there may be something they can do about it.
If you are worried about your cat or dog, we share some common signs your pet needs cognitive support:
Disorientation
Your pet can display confused behaviour in the house and wander around aimlessly. They may get lost on walks or perhaps go to the wrong side when opening doors. Your pet may also lose the ability to recognise people they are frequently in contact with, or other pets.
Decreased social interaction
You may find your pet will hide away, especially if there are new people in the house. There may not greet you, which is often perceived as tiredness or being less interested or excited. There may also be increased vocalisation, or rarely being vocal at all, as well as becoming aggressive in particular situations.
Loss of prior house training
This is one of the most noticeable signs for pet owners and can be distressing for all involved. Toilet training is a key learned behaviour and can be one of the first that is lost with cognitive dysfunction.
Disturbance in sleep pattern
This is a key feature of cognitive dysfunction. Increased sleep is common, but this can often be broken in shorter periods and pets can be awake at night, when previously they were not. Again, this can be distressing for the owner, especially coupled with vocalisation and toileting in the house.
Decreased activity
Dogs and cats can be less enthusiastic to exercise and less excited by toys and other previously rewarding events.
A natural product such as Nutramind could be considered to help your pet if the above is evident. Nutramind has a unique formula specifically developed to maintain optimum brain function. Ask your vet for more information on additional ways to help your pet and how Nutramind can help naturally maintain brain function..