Book: Remember Me: Loving and Caring for a Dog with Canine Cognitive DysfunctionIf you are here, it’s because you bought or borrowed my book on canine cognitive dysfunction. Thank you!

This is a list of the online resources that are mentioned in the book. In the ebook version they are live links, but we don’t have a way to do that in a print book. Rather than writing out all those addresses in the print book,  I have compiled the links here for the people who bought the print version.

Please don’t publish the address of this page or link to it from other documents. It’s fine to share it with your family and friends, though, just as you might with the print book.

Chapter 1

This video on my YouTube channel shows some of the behaviors I taught Cricket when she was already elderly: “Polite Pet Behaviors and Enrichment for a Senior Dog”

Cricket lost the ability to walk a straight line, but it was subtle at first. You can see this in my video “Turning Circles: A Common Sign of Dementia in Dogs.”

Chapter 2

This linked video shows many of the typical canine cognitive dysfunction behaviors: “What Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Can Look Like.”

Here is the printable symptom checklist available on this website. You can use it to take to your veterinarian if you are worried that your dog may have dementia.

Here is a downloadable copy of the of the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale.

This roundtable article about SAMe possibly being an effective supplement in lessening the effects of canine cognitive dysfunction is available in full online.  “S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and cognitive dysfunction in dogs (Sponsored by Virbac Animal Health): A Roundtable Discussion.” (Gary Landsberg, Amanda Florsheim, Valerie Dramard, Teodoro Bottiglieri, and David Mischoulon.)

Chapter 3

The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists has a search page for board-certified veterinary behaviorists:

Find a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist

Chapter 4

This article includes a good diagram of a dog brain in which you can see the large olfactory bulb. (This is the part that receives and processes information about odors.)

Here is a list of puppy toys that may be appropriate for older or less experienced dogs.

This is a video I made that shows how to start inexperienced dogs out with a Kong or similar food toy: “Kongs for Beginners.”

Chapter 5

The Vetinfo site has a good guide to using diapers for your dog.

Blogger Roxanne Hawn shares advice about making your own dog diapers at Champion of My Heart.

There is a big overlap between stress and fear body language. Here is an excellent downloadable poster by Dr. Sophia Yin on the body language of fear in dogs.

In the book are two pictures of Cricket exhibiting stress while I pick her up.  The video from which these stills were taken can be viewed here: “Counterconditioning: What You Condition is What You Get”

This video that uses the example of applying topical medicine shows the mechanics and considerations of desensitization and counterconditioning: “Using Desensitization/ Counterconditioning for Applying Flea Medicine.” Even though it deals with applying topical medicine, the techniques can be extrapolated to other situations.

This video shows one method of getting pills down a dog: “How To Give Your Dog a Pill Using the Multiple Meatball Method.”

My blog post “The Secret to Filling a Food Tube” has sample recipes and instructions on how to get the right consistency of glop for use in a food tube.

This video shows the food tube method of administering pills plus a similar method using spray cheese: “Some Easy Ways for Dogs To Take Pills.”

Here is Laura VanArendonk Baugh’s method for teaching a dog to take pills: “An Easy Pill To Swallow: Training Dogs to Take Pills the Easy Way.”

Chapter 6

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Chapter 7

My little Cricket tended to walk in large counterclockwise circles (same movie referenced in chapter 1).

Lists of well regarded blogs on dementia caregiving can be found on these sites:

Healthline: “The Best Alzheimer’s Blogs of the Year

Ezra Home Care: “The Five Best Blogs About Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Here is a blog written by a person with dementia:

Which Me Am I Today?

Dog dementia support on the Internet:

Facebook group: Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) Support Group

Facebook group: Dogs with Dementia or Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

This website: Dog Dementia: Help and Support

Chapter 8

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends checkups every six months for senior dogs (Epstein 2005, 82), which it defines as those in the last 25 percent of their projected life span.

Epstein, Mark, Ned F. Kuehn, Gary Landsberg, B. Duncan X. Lascelles, Steven L. Marks, Jean M. Schaedler, and Helen Tuzio. 2005. “AAHA Senior Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats.” Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41 (2): 81-91.

All of the medical information about steroids in chapter 8 comes from the online Merck Veterinary Manual.

Resources on Pain and Pain Medications

The American Animal Hospital Association’s handout: “15 Signs of Pain in Dogs”

An FDA document: “Get the Facts About Pain Relievers for Pets” (overview of NSAIDs)

“Rimadyl: Friend or Foe,” certified animal behavior consultant Steve Dale’s four-part series about the introduction of Rimadyl and the ensuing controversy

Chapter 9

Even if you don’t like making decisions based on numbers, checking the Villalobos Quality of Life Scale every month or week, or at whatever interval is appropriate for your pet, will help you see whether your pet’s situation is declining.

Villalobos Quality of Life Scale (pdf)

Linked with permission from Alice Villalobos, DVM, FNAP.

These are trustworthy resources about euthanasia and making the decision:

ASPCA end-of-life pet care FAQ. What to expect in your pet’s final days and how best to help.

Dr. Alice Villalobos, “Quality of Life Assessment.” An explanation by Dr. Villalobos of her Quality of Life Scale.

American Humane Society, “Euthanasia: Making the Decision.” Frank discussion about considering euthanasia and a description of the procedure.

Dusty Rainbolt, “Let’s Talk: When Is It Time to Say Goodbye to Your Dog?” Commentary on the Villalobos scale and other issues.

Sue Matthews very kindly allowed me to include a great piece she wrote about her own ways to assess when it’s time to euthanize a beloved old dog. Sue owns Echo Bouvier Kennel.

Blanche Axton also wrote a lovely piece that is included in the book. Blanche works with Pugalug Pug Rescue in Toronto, Canada.

Lap of Love is a franchise operation in the US that employs veterinarians who do in-home euthanasia. There’s a website where you can check for a Lap of Love veterinarian in your area: Lapoflove.com.

Dr. McConnell’s blog post “Helping a Dog Through a Loss” has great suggestions about helping the other pets in your household when one has passed away.

Online resources to help people cope with the grief of losing a pet.

Argus Institute at Colorado State

Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement

Lightning Strike Pet Loss Support

Rainbow Bridge Grief Support Community (a for-profit site)

Senior Dogs Photo Gallery (a page on the website that accompanies this book where you can submit a photo of your dog)

Back Matter

In case you would like to review or share my book on canine cognitive dysfunction, here are some handy links.

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You can read more of my writing at:

Eileenanddogs (blog)

Dog Dementia: Help and Support (this website)

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Cricket 2012 in doorway