Dimentia or Alzeimers, can our dog friends suffer from this?

[shandoggy1]

I am wondering if our older dogs can suffer from any symptoms of old age as us humans do when we get older ? My mother swears that my 11 year old GSD is getting forgetful see he lives up stairs with my parents on the first floor and my ACD lives down stairs with me in my apartment, so my mom takes care of Bandit and I am his dog walker . Latley when my mom takes him outside to go to the bathroom she tells him to poop and he goes, then a half hour later he will bother her again to go out and will look like he is about to poo but then squats and pee's like he didn't remember he had just gone. He has been to the vet recently for fatty tumors and otherwise is in great shape and is still active. His hearing is starting to go a little and his vision isn't as good but his mind really seems to be off. Is it possible that he is losing his mind ?

[kazkirkpatrick]

Short answer: Yes!

[calgal]

I don't know, but it sounds to me like he just wanted to go outside, and after he was out, his instinct kicked in to potty since it's expected of him. I've had even young dogs do this simply because they don't get to go out without me and not allowed to stay out for long because if I'm not keeping them busy playing, they end up finding things to eat that they shouldn't.

[shandoggy1]

Could be Calgal, it is hard to describe how he is being . I really do think it is loss of memory. Bandit has always hated being alone and never would stay outside unless we or someone was in the yard with him and then he would be perfectly content. He has always had a little seperation anxiety and it worsend when my pitbull mix Baron died about 4 years ago. Bandit would go in the yard do his business and then bark until you came and got him to come in the house. But now it is as if he is forgetting to bark to come back in and we find ourselves going out to get him wondering if he is even still their ( I mean we know he is still their) but you know what I mean . This is something that we have noticed now for the past few months with him. I know my dog and this is very strange behavior for him, something I have never experienced in all my years having them.

[Shadowkins]

You got me curious with your question, so I went to Drs Foster and Smith site, their info is interesting.

http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=1095

[Mellie]

Dementia in dogs is referred to as Cognitive Dysfinction. Google that and you'll find all kinds of info.

[linnie]

Emma was suffering from this problem. She would walk around and when she got somewhere she didnt know why she was there so would go back to bed again.
She often stared out at nothing.
It was very sad to watch her losing her memory