Brought to you by the makers of Anipryl, Clomicalm, Reconcile, and Slentrol.

All information in this report was copied directly from public web sites owned by the drug companies listed above. The Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research is not responsible for any inaccuracies, misleading claims, or blatant lies contained herein.

What is Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome?

Researchers believe Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS) is caused by physical and chemical changes that affect the brain function in older dogs.   Dogs with CDS may show signs of confusion and/or various other behavioral changes that are not a normal part of aging.
This confusion can lead to a life of lonely isolation, separated from family members who have come to cherish their older dog's companionship.   This can be as hard on family members as it is on the dog.   Pet owners often describe their dogs as less responsive, forgetful or confused.

In a pet owner survey, nearly half of dogs age 8 and older showed at least one sign associated with CDS.

Could your dog have CDS?

If you notice changes in your older dog's habits or behavior, be sure to talk with your veterinarian.   Above all, resist the urge to tell yourself that your dog is "just getting old."   With your help, your veterinarian can determine if the changes in your dog are associated with canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.

Does your dog:

• Appear lost or confused in the house or yard?
• Fail to recognize familiar people?
• Show less enthusiasm upon greeting you?
• Sleep more during the day?
• Urinate indoors?

If your senior dog is experiencing one or more of these signs, be sure to call your veterinarian and schedule an examination.   What may look like simple aging could be a manageable health condition.   Because CDS is a syndrome (a collection of signs), no two dogs will show exactly the same signs.

Anipryl from Pfizer Animal Health is the first and only drug cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to control the signs of canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.

View a video on CDS and Anipryl®

The pet owner is the only one who can help us make the diagnosis.   These are not signs you're going to pick up on examination.   They are things that you will pick up on history, and even then they might not be volunteered without delving right into the specific questions, perhaps by a questionnaire or otherwise going though a checklist and asking the owners the questions. 
-- Gary Landsberg, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Pharmacology

Anipryl (selegiline hydrochloride, L-deprenyl hydrochloride) is an irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO).   In central nervous system neurons, MAO plays a role in the catabolism of catecholamines, (dopamine, and, to a lesser extent, norepinephrine and epinephrine) and serotonin.   Therapeutic effects are thought to result in part from enhanced catecholaminergic nerve function and increased dopamine levels.

Anipryl adverse events occurring in at least 2% of dogs in clinical field trials: vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity (includes irritability, abnormal repetitive movements, anxiousness, and restlessness), anorexia, neurologic effects (includes ataxia, incoordination, staggering, disorientation, decreased proprioception, and seizure), lethargy, salivation, urinary tract infection, pruritus/dermatologic, weakness, pale gums, polyuria/polydipsia, weight loss, diminished hearing, panting, cardiovascular/respiratory (includes heart murmurs, tachycardia, collapse, dyspnea, pleural effusion, and sneezing), licking.

A safe effective plan to treat Separation Anxiety

Clomicalm tablets are the only medication approved for the treatment of separation anxiety in dogs.   The Clomicalm Plan is proven to be safe and effective in helping to relieve the suffering in and helping dogs with separation anxiety disorder return to a normal life.   Clomicalm Tablets are not a tranquilizer or a sedative, and they will not affect your dog's personality or memory.

Indications and Usage:

Clinical Pharmacology

Clomicalm® (clomipramine hydrochloride) Tablets belong to the dibenzazepine class of tricyclic antidepressants.

Clomipramine hydrochloride reduces the clinical signs of separation anxiety by affecting serotonergic and noradrenergic neuronal transmission in the central nervous system.   While clomipramine hydrochloride can cause lethargy in dogs (see Adverse Reactions) its mode of action is not as a sedative.   Clomipramine hydrochloride's capacity to inhibit re-uptake of serotonin in the central nervous system is believed to be the primary mechanism of action.

Clomicalm tablets have been proven safe in clinical and laboratory studies.   They've been approved by the FDA, which means they meet tough standards similar to those required for human medications.   The following adverse reactions have been reported: lethargy/depression, elevation in liver enzymes, vomiting, diarrhea, and increased thirst.   Adverse reactions observed in at least 1% of dogs dosed with Clomicalm: emesis, lethargy, diarrhea, polydipsia, decreased appetite, aggression, seizure, dry mouth, tremors, constipation, anisocoria, polyuria, hyperthermia.

What is separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is a disease in which affected dogs may exhibit certain problematic behaviors when left alone, generally when you leave or immediately after.

Separation anxiety is a clinical condition in your dog's brain. Your pet is not a bad dog. Your pet's behavior is the result of separation anxiety.

When you come home to greet your dog after a long day, the last thing you want to find is soiled carpet, shredded upholstery, scratched moldings or chewed up shoes. Worrying about damage and destruction to your home causes anxiety and frustration for you. It may even cause you to question whether you should have a dog.

But those behaviors may not happen because your dog is bad, poorly trained or spoiled. They may be the symptoms of a treatable condition: separation anxiety. Separation anxiety results when your pet becomes so upset by your absence the stress causes him to behave badly. While separation anxiety affects 10.7 million or 17 percent of dogs in the United States, it is a common but treatable condition. Veterinarians estimate nearly 60 percent of cases go undiagnosed.

Lilly's new Reconcile for the treatment of canine separation anxiety is a chewable flavored tablet given once daily. Many dogs enjoy it as a tasty treat. It is approved by the FDA and has been evaluated at the recommended label dose for one year.

Reconcile chewable tablets are available in 8, 16, 32, and 64 mg tablet strengths for oral administration to dogs. The active ingredient in RECONCILE chewable tablets is fluoxetine hydrochloride, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

Adverse reactions observed in dogs treated with Reconcile chewable tablets at a rate of 1% or greater were: seizures, weight loss, lethargy, depression, decreased appetite, vomiting, tremor, diarrhea, restlessness, otitis externa, disorientation, incoordination, constipation, excessive salivation. The effectiveness and clinical safety of Reconcile chewable tablets for long-term use (i.e. for more than 8 weeks) has not been evaluated.

The FDA has approved Slentrol for the safe and effective management of canine obesity,
making it the first and only veterinary-approved obesity drug for dogs in the United States.

Clinical Pharmacology

• Vomiting 24.7%
• Diarrhea 12.4%
• Lethargy 9.4%
• Anorexia 7.6%
• Constipation 2.4%
• Dehydration 1.2%

Fair Use Notice
This site contains copyrighted material, the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner.   The Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research is making such material available to increase public awareness of scientific, medical, economic, social, political, ethical, moral and philosophical issues, thereby constituting a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.   In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those interested in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.   Anyone wishing to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of their own that go beyond fair use must obtain permission from the copyright owner.