This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: It is tough to watch a dog deal with issues associated with aging. A senior dog that gets lost at home or starts showing more anxiety may be exhibiting signs of dementia.
But by the time these signs show up, the decline may have been underway for years. To catch that hidden decline earlier, University of Arizona researchers have developed a roughly 40-minute assessment called CANID, short for Cognitive Assessment for Neuropsychological Impairments in Dogs. Using three simple tasks that measure memory and behavioral flexibility, CANID can detect subtle cognitive impairment in dogs when they are about 7 or 8 years old—well before the overt signs of dementia appear at around 12 to 14 years of age.
"We can't ask them questions; we can't tell them, 'OK, this is the test of your memory,'" said Dr. Evan MacLean, the study's senior author and a professor in the U of A's College of Veterinary Medicine. So instead, the researchers let the dogs show how good their memory is and how well they can hold back an impulse using games played for treats.
The study, published in the journal Animal Cognition, was led by Stephanie Hargrave, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Psychology. Most existing tools for detecting dementia in dogs, according to Hargrave, are owner surveys, which only catch problems when they are obvious. "Unfortunately, by the time these measures identify dogs as having canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, their cognitive impairment is often quite severe," Hargrave said.
The test isn't something owners can run at home. It requires trained staff and specialized equipment. But it helps scientists study large numbers of pet dogs and understand what keeps aging brains healthy, which could eventually inform preventive and therapeutic strategies for pet owners.
The study involved three tasks. In the first game, a dog watches a treat go into a clear tube that is open at the ends. The dog has to resist bumping its nose into the front and go around to the opening instead, a skill that tends to slip with age.
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