CPD ACCREDITED ARTICLE
Behaviour Category
Confusion – awareness – spatial orientation Gets stuck or cannot get around objects Stares blankly at floors or walls Decreased recognition of familiar objects or people Goes into wrong side of doors / walks into doors / walls
Relationships – social interactions Decreased in patting / avoids contact Decreased greeting behaviour Overdependent / clingy Altered relationship with other pets – less contact Altered relationship with other pet – anxiety , fear Aggression – family members / unfamiliar people Aggressions – family pets / others
Response to stimuli Decreased response to auditory stimuli ( sound ) Increased response ( fear / anxiety ) to auditory stimuli Decreased response to visual stimuli Increased response ( fear / anxiety ) to visual stimuli Decreased responsiveness to food / odour
Activity – Anxiety-increased / repetitive Pacing / wanders aimlessly Snaps at air / licks air Licking – owners / household objects Vocalisation Increased appetite Restlessness / agitation
Activity – apathy / depressed Decreased interest in food / treats Decreased exploration / activity Decreased interest in social interactions / play Decreased self-care
Sleep-Wake cycles / reversed day-night schedules Restless sleep / waking nights Increased daytime sleep
Learning and memory – house soiling Indoor elimination when previously trained Decrease / loss of signalling “ need to go ” Goes outdoors / then goes indoors again and eliminates Elimination in sleeping area
Learning and memory - work / tasks / commands Impaired working ability – decreased ability to perform tasks Decreased responsiveness to familiar commands Inability / slow to learn new tasks
Age first seen
Score : mild moderate severe
Behavioural Category |
Score |
Appetite |
Normal |
1 |
Decreased |
2 |
Increased with diarrhoea |
3 |
Increased without diarrhoea |
4 |
Drinking |
Normal |
1 |
Polydipsia |
3 |
Active Incontinence |
Not incontinent |
1 |
Urinates and defecates indoors |
2 |
Urinates Indoors |
4 |
Day / Night cycle |
Normal |
1 |
Sleeping increased |
2 |
Sleeps in day , restless at night |
3 |
Aimless behaviour |
No aimless behaviour |
1 |
Star Gazing |
2 |
Stereotyped walking |
3 |
Circling |
4 |
Activity / Interaction |
Normal |
1 |
Decreased |
2 |
No contact |
4 |
Loss of Perception |
None |
1 |
Collides into furniture |
2 |
Tries to pass through narrow spaces |
5 |
Tries to pass through wrong side of door |
5 |
Disorientation |
None |
1 |
On new walks |
2 |
On daily walks |
4 |
At home |
5 |
Memory |
Normal |
1 |
No recognition of acquaintances |
2 |
No recognition of owner after a break |
4 |
No recognition of owner on a daily basis |
5 |
Personality Changes |
No changes |
1 |
Aggressive towards other pets / children |
3 |
Aggressive towards the owner |
4 |
Scoring classification ( Fast et al 2013 , JVIM 27 ) |
Normal |
10 |
Borderline cognitive dysfunction |
11-15 |
Clinical cognitive dysfunction |
15-41 |
Table 2 : Client Assessments Tool of Canine Patients for Cognitive Dysfunction ( Rofina et al 2006 )
Table 1 : Cognitive Dysfunction Screening Test
This client questionairre is in downloadable format available on www . vet360 . vetlink . co . za . Editor vet360
Issue 06 | DECEMBER 2017 | 36