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Article: Feed your aging dog wisely: can a diet rich in antioxidants boost cognitive abilities?(NUTRITION)
- Article from:
- Dog Watch
- Article date:
- October 1, 2009
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As dogs age, their cognitive abilities show signs of aging, too. Using a variety of neuropsychological tests, researchers have found marked declines in learning and memory in dogs as young as seven years of age; however, more outward signs of cognitive dysfunction--those that pet owners are more likely to notice--often aren't observed until the dog is at least eleven years old.
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"As a dog ages, owners may notice the dog becoming less responsive to them, not being able to remember simple commands and becoming easily confused with new scenarios," explains Francis A. Kallfelz, DVM, PhD, the James Law Professor of Veterinary Nutrition ...