Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a neurodegenerative disease, likened to Alzheimer's, most commonly seen in dogs over the age of 10 years. CCD is characterised by changes in social interactions, disorientation in familiar environments, changes in sleep-wake cycles, deficits in learning, memory and toilet training, and changes in anxiety and activity levels. CCD is difficult to diagnose and there is no cure, consequently research efforts are focused on maintaining a good quality of life for these dogs for as long as possible.

Non-pharmacological treatments for Alzheimer’s in humans have been well researched but there is limited knowledge on effective treatments for dogs with CCD.
Our studies aim to improve the quality of life of dogs with CCD and reduce the burden of care for their guardians.

We are currently recruiting senior dogs for a study into the effectiveness of participating in group training classes to mitigate the signs of CCD. Click here to take you to the survey: https://surveys.adelaide.edu.au/redcap/surveys/?s=XWY8T4H8M7HEJMP3