Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) is a common cause of welfare decline in older dogs. Early recognition, management and quality of life assessment improve outcomes.
Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome causes progressive welfare decline that is frequently attributed to normal ageing rather than a treatable condition. Dogs with CDS experience disorientation, anxiety, sleep disruption and loss of previously learned behaviours — a welfare burden that compounds across months and years of disease progression. Early diagnosis enables earlier intervention with medications and management strategies that slow progression and maintain quality of life longer. Regular quality of life assessment using validated owner-completed tools ensures that end-of-life decisions are made proactively rather than after prolonged suffering. Owners who recognise CDS as a disease deserving treatment rather than an inevitable consequence of ageing provide better welfare for their affected dogs.