Integrative Nutritional Therapy in Canine Cognitive Dysfunction

Abstract

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that presents many of the behavioral and pathological changes seen in human Alzheimer’s dementia. It typically causes significant long-term suffering in both the patient and the caretaker. In patients with CCD and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), conventional dietary therapy has been helpful in preventing and slowing cognitive decline. Chinese medical food therapy to balance the body may also be beneficial in these patients. This paper will discuss conventional dietary intervention in dogs, along with traditional Chinese food therapy (CFT) according to pattern diagnosis in CCD. It is possible that a combination of syndrome differentiation in CFT and conventional nutritional therapy may help improve cognition and quality of life in patients with CCD.