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You and your pet have a special bond. One that has developed and deepened over time. Your relationship may have begun at the puppy or kitten stage, or when you provided a forever home to an aging cat or dog. However long your relationship, you want the best for your pet as they age.
Your pet develops from a curious kitten or playful puppy, through the adult stage and into the senior years where sleeping and schedules predominate. Throughout all stages of your pets’ life, you ensure they are healthy and happy – eating well, getting enough exercise, interaction and, of course, your love.
Feeding our pets well includes ensuring they have the right nutrients to support optimal brain function through all stages of their lives. From the curiosity of a kitten to the mastery of commands as an adult dog and on, brain health matters.
Supplementing to support brain health can begin at any life stage. Laying a good foundation at the puppy stage can help your dog stay bright and alert through adulthood and into old age. Supplementing in the Senior years can help support normal alertness and a good memory as well as skills retention. It’s never too late to start!
As a leader in pet care, PetAlive® has developed a line of supplements specifically to support cognitive function in all stages of your pets’ life.
What is cognitive function and why is it important?
Cognitive function allows us to receive, choose, transform, store, process and retrieve information. These six functions allow us to navigate the world around us.
Some areas of cognitive function are:
- Orientation – ability that allows awareness of oneself and one’s surroundings
- Gnosis – ability to recognize previously learned information such as objects, persons, or places collected from our senses. There are different types of gnosis, one for each sensory modality, and gnosis which combine different sensory modalities – visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, body schema
- Attention – the process of directing cognitive resources towards certain aspects of the environment, or the execution of actions.
- Praxis – the generation of voluntary movement for a particular action.
What happens when cognitive function declines in your pet?
As your pet ages, or begins to experience cognitive decline or dysfunction you may notice:
- Disorientation/confusion
- Anxiety/restlessness
- Extreme irritability
- Decreased desire to play
- Excessive Licking
- Seeming to disregard previously learned training or house rules
- Slow to learn new tasks
- Inability to follow familiar routes
- Lack of self-grooming
- Fecal and urinary incontinence
- Loss of appetite
- Changes in the sleep cycle
When your pet is no longer doing what he used to, it’s important to differentiate between physical and mental causes. Is he not chasing his ball because he has arthritis, or that he doesn’t care anymore? Symptoms of Cognitive Disorder can overlap with other age-related conditions – arthritis, diabetes, cancer, kidney issues, hearing loss, sight loss.
Cognitive dysfunction presents as a psychological problem, but the root cause is physical and is the result of age-related changes within the brain. Dogs and cats’ brains age in a similar fashion and undergo oxidative damage, neuronal loss, atrophy and the development of beta-amyloid plaques. Beta-amyloid plaques are also seen in human Alzheimer’s sufferers. The development of beta-amyloid plaques in pets results in confusion, memory loss, and other symptoms related to mental function.
How can you support Cognitive Function in your Pet?
- Feed your pet a species appropriate, nutritionally balanced diet
- Make sure your pet gets regular, age-appropriate exercise
- Provide mental stimulation and socialization for your pet
- Keep your pet a healthy weight, overweight pets have an increased risk of disease as they age
- MCT’s can improve brain function and decrease amyloid protein build up
- Supplementation for Brain Health from PetAlive®
What makes PetAlive® Supplements better?
PetAlive® Brain Health Supplements are specifically formulated for cat or dog and life stage. 5 herbal products using only certified organic ingredients are complemented by 2 homeopathic products for senior pets. All are tinctures that can easily be added to your pets’ food or water. The line includes:
- Herbal Brain Health for Puppies™ – Helps to support alertness, learning, and attention in puppies (great for training!)
- Herbal Brain Health for Dogs™ – Helps to support vitality, alertness, and concentration in adult dogs (can provide additional support for Show Dogs)
- Herbal Brain Health for Senior Dogs™ – Helps to support brain health and functioning in senior dogs
- Homeopathic Brain Health Booster for Senior Dogs™ – Helps to support normal energy levels, reduces confusion, and memory problems in older dogs
- Herbal Brain Health for Cats and Kittens™ – Helps to support vitality, concentration, and alertness in kittens and adult cats
- Herbal Brain Health for Senior Cats™ – Helps to support normal energy levels, reduces confusion, and memory problems in older cats
- Homeopathic Brain Health Booster for Senior Cats™ – Helps to support brain health and functioning in senior cats
Helping your pet be the best they can be!
The PetAlive Team
Sources:
https://www.neuronup.com/en/areas/functions
https://m.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_dg_cognitive_dysfunction_syndrome
https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/5-signs-dog-dementia
https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/neurological/c_dg_cognitive_dysfunction_syndrome