Recent information suggests that as dogs age, their mental abilities slow down along with their physical movements.
Scientists found that measuring the walking speed of senior dogs could be a simple way to keep track of their health and detect declines in their neurological functions.
Here's how they tested it.
Testing dog's dementia
The experiment involved 46 adult dogs and 49 senior dogs, with the latter group undergoing cognitive testing and their owners filling out a questionnaire to assess cognitive decline.
The scientists measured the dogs' gait speed both on and off a leash to determine which method was more effective.
Interestingly, the size of the dogs didn't affect their walking speed when off the leash, revealing that, much like in humans, walking speed tends to remain stable for most of a dog's life and declines in the last quarter of their expected lifespan.
It might be helpful
The research suggests that slower walking speed in older dogs is associated with more severe cognitive decline, emphasizing the connection between mobility and cognition in aging dogs.
The specialists hope that this simple and replicable testing method could become a screening tool for veterinarians working with older dogs.
