Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New drug shows promise treating cognitive decline in older dogs
By Zakošek Pipan, Maja et al.·Published in Scientific reports·2021·Clinic for Reproduction and Large Animals·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction with novel butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of older dogs diagnosed with canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), which is similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans, were treated with a new medication called butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor (BChEi) to see if it could help improve their mental abilities. Over six months, the dogs receiving the treatment showed significant improvements in their cognitive skills compared to those that did not receive the medication. The treated dogs experienced better mental function and an enhanced quality of life without any side effects. This suggests that BChEi could be a promising option for managing CCD in dogs.
People also search for: dog cognitive dysfunction treatment · how to help my dog with dementia · butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor for dogs
Abstract
Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is common in aged dogs and has many similarities with Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, like Alzheimer's disease, CCD cannot be cured. In the present study, we treated dogs with CCD with our newly developed and characterized butyrylcholinesterase inhibitor (BChEi). Seventeen dogs were randomized into two groups (treated with BChEi and untreated) and followed for 6 months at regular check-ups. The dogs' cognitive status was determined by a Canine Dementia Scale (CADES) questionnaire and two cognitive tests. In dogs with moderate cognitive impairment, treatment caused significant improvement in the clinical rating of cognitive abilities and the performance-based tests of cognitive functioning when compared to the untreated group (p < 0.001). Dogs treated with BChEi showed markedly improved cognitive function with enhanced quality of life. No side effects were observed in the treated dogs with moderate cognitive impairment. According to the results of this preliminary study, there is an indication that novel BChEi may be a promising drug for the treatment of CCD in dogs and may be an interesting candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in humans. However, further clinical studies are needed to confirm this.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34518582/