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Background: Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a common, yet underdiagnosed neurodegenerative disease affecting older dogs. Treatment is most effective when started early, so identifying mild cognitive decline in the earlier stages of the disease is considered important. Hypothesis/objective: To compare the results of three different standard screening questionnaires [Canine Dementia Scale (CADES), Canine Cognitive Assessment Scale (CCAS), and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale (CCDR)] for CCD diagnosis. Trainability, pain sensitivity, and fear were additionally assessed with the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) in order to evaluate associations between the three dementia scales and behavior. Methods: An online survey containing all the mentioned questionnaires was designed for and distributed among owners of elderly dogs. Results: Data from 597 dogs were analyzed. Overall, the scores of the three CCD questionnaires correlated well with each other, especially those of the CADES and CCAS. The CADES was more sensitive in identifying dogs with already mild to moderate cognitive impairment, while the others classified them as still undergoing normal aging. CCD scores increased for all questionnaires with age with spatial orientation being a key feature in CCD development. Trainability assessed with the C-BARQ decreased significantly with severity of CCD signs, while pain sensitivity increased. Fear and anxiety was pronounced in animals with mild but not with severe CCD. These associations based on the C-BARQ were more clearly observable in relation to CADES and CCDR than CCAS. Conclusion/clinical relevance: The choice of screening questionnaire impacts the evaluation of cognitive status and severity of CCD. Thresholds for severity classification differ significantly and may have an impact on reliable assessment. Further longitudinal studies are required to determine which of the questionnaires investigated in this study is best suited for early detection of CCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundCanine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a common, yet underdiagnosed neurodegenerative disease affecting older dogs. Treatment is most effective when started early, so identifying mild cognitive decline in the earlier stages of the disease is considered important.Hypothesis/objectiveTo compare the results of three different standard screening questionnaires [Canine Dementia Scale (CADES), Canine Cognitive Assessment Scale (CCAS), and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale (CCDR)] for CCD diagnosis. Trainability, pain sensitivity, and fear were additionally assessed with the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) in order to evaluate associations between the three dementia scales and behavior.MethodsAn online survey containing all the mentioned questionnaires was designed for and distributed among owners of elderly dogs.ResultsData from 597 dogs were analyzed. Overall, the scores of the three CCD questionnaires correlated well with each other, especially those of the CADES and CCAS. The CADES was more sensitive in identifying dogs with already mild to moderate cognitive impairment, while the others classified them as still undergoing normal aging. CCD scores increased for all questionnaires with age with spatial orientation being a key feature in CCD development. Trainability assessed with the C-BARQ decreased significantly with severity of CCD signs, while pain sensitivity increased. Fear and anxiety was pronounced in animals with mild but not with severe CCD. These associations based on the C-BARQ were more clearly observable in relation to CADES and CCDR than CCAS.Conclusion/clinical relevanceThe choice of screening questionnaire impacts the evaluation of cognitive status and severity of CCD. Thresholds for severity classification differ significantly and may have an impact on reliable assessment. Further longitudinal studies are required to determine which of the questionnaires investigated in this study is best suited for early detection of CCD.

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a neurobehavioral syndrome occurring in some senior dogs. The diagnosis is currently primarily dependent on owner-based questionnaires addressing changes in behavior and daily routines and the exclusion of other conditions which may display clinical signs mimicking CCD. A number of CCD screening questionnaires have been published, but whether the choice of questionnaire might influence the diagnosis of CCD or not, is unclear. The objective of the present study was to correlate the total scores from 2 CCD screening questionnaires which were developed on the basis of very different strategies. The study population consisted of 50 dogs more than 8 years of age. The dogs were evaluated clinically, and the 2 questionnaires were given in a face-to-face interview with the owners. The study found a significant correlation ( r = 0.83, P < 0.0001) between the 2 questionnaires. The ability to identify dogs with multiple and severe signs of CCD were equally good. This is of importance for research studying CCD case definitions and for comparisons between studies using different questionnaires. If evaluation for longitudinal changes is needed, the canine cognitive rating scale may prove more useful for assessing disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) represents a group of symptoms related to the aging of the canine brain. These changes ultimately lead to a decline of memory function and learning abilities, alteration of social interaction, impairment of normal housetraining, changes in sleep–wake cycle and general activity. The initial symptoms gradually worsen over time. Despite extensive research, little is known about the staging and phenotypic variability of CDS. We have analysed more than 300 dogs; 215 were selected for the study. We developed a rating scale, CADES – canine dementia scale – containing 17 items distributed into four domains, related to changes in dogs’ behaviour: spatial orientation, social interactions, sleep–wake cycles and house soiling. Using CADES, we identified various stages of cognitive impairment: mild cognitive impairment, moderate cognitive impairment and severe cognitive dysfunction. Further, we found that the rate of conversion at 6-months follow-up of normal ageing to mild cognitive impairment was 42%, while conversion rate of mild to moderate cognitive impairment was 24%. At twelve months, the conversion rates almost doubled to 71.45% and 50%, respectively. These findings showed that CADES can be used as a predictor of conversion from normal ageing to mild, and from mild to moderate cognitive impairment. In regards to the four behavioural domains we found that impairment in social interaction was frequently present in dogs with mild cognitive impairment (40%), 67% of dogs with moderate cognitive impairment had affected social interaction and sleep–wake cycles. For severe cognitive dysfunction, the majority of dogs displayed impairment in all four domains, while other two subgroups showed impairment only in three domains. In this study, we have assessed the psychometric properties of the CADES scale, and validated it as a screening tool for CDS. The scale is also suitable for long-term assessment of the progression of cognitive impairment in canines, and potentially as efficacy readout for treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]