Signs of Dementia in Dogs and What Else It Could Be

If your old dog has started wandering the hallway at 3 a.m. or standing in a corner staring at the wall, you're not imagining it. Dogs can develop an age related confusion that vets call canine cognitive dysfunction. It looks a lot like dementia in people, and restless nights are one of the things owners notice most. This guide walks through the signs and the health problems that can look the same.

What canine cognitive dysfunction is

CCD is a slow change in an older dog's brain that affects memory and daily habits. On a brain scan, some affected dogs show brain tissue shrinking. Your dog can still be happy and loving. Small things that used to be automatic just get harder, like finding the side of the door that opens or the water bowl in a dark kitchen. It usually creeps in slowly, so it's easy to write off as "just getting old."

How common is dementia in older dogs?

It gets more common with every birthday. A US study looked at 180 older dogs. At ages 11 to 12, 28% showed at least one change linked to CCD. That rose to 68% at ages 15 to 16. The much larger Dog Aging Project, with about 15,000 dogs, found the odds of CCD rose 52% with each extra year of age. Studies use different owner questionnaires, so their numbers vary a lot. Treat any single figure as a rough guide.

The seven changes vets ask about

Vets sort everyday changes into seven areas, often shortened to DISHAA. A dog may show one change or several. These examples help you describe what you see. On their own, they can't tell you it's dementia.

Disorientation: getting lost in a familiar room, waiting at the hinge side of a door, or getting stuck behind furniture.
Social interactions: pulling away from family, or wanting to be close all the time.
Sleep and waking: more sleep during the day, and new pacing or restlessness at night.
House soiling: accidents indoors from a dog who was fully house trained.
Learning and memory: forgetting a cue, a daily routine or a familiar person.
Activity: pacing, aimless wandering, or less interest in walks and toys.
Anxiety: new fear, clinginess or irritability in places that used to feel normal.

Some dogs also bark or whine more at night.

For each change, write down when it started, how often it happens, what your dog does next and whether it passes. The printable cognitive change observation checklist makes that easier. You don't need signs in several areas, or a finished log, before you call your vet.

Early signs and later signs

Sleep is often where changes show up early. In one scoring study, dogs with mild or moderate CCD scored highest on sleep and waking, while severely affected dogs scored highest on getting lost and confused. Early on, the changes are small and come and go, and your dog still manages normal life. Over time they become easier to see and start to shape the day. The guide to the stages of dog dementia explains mild, moderate and severe in more detail.

What else could cause these signs

Many health problems can look like dementia, and some happen alongside it. That's why a vet looks for other causes first. Here are common look alikes for each change:

Waking at night: pain, bladder or bowel problems, diabetes, Cushing's disease, and kidney or liver disease.
Accidents indoors: bladder or bowel problems, diabetes, Cushing's disease, kidney or liver disease, and pain that makes squatting hard.
Getting lost or confused: vision or hearing loss, kidney or liver disease, and other brain problems.
Barking, whining or crying out: pain, vision or hearing loss, and other brain problems.
Less active or slower: an underactive thyroid, pain, kidney or liver disease, or feeling unwell in general.
Grumpy or snappy: pain, thyroid problems, Cushing's disease, or trouble seeing and hearing.

Pain and CCD can happen at the same time. One study found older dogs with more signs of pain or weaker senses tended to score higher on dementia questionnaires. Treating one problem doesn't rule out the other. For more help telling the two apart, see dog dementia vs normal aging and the signs a senior dog is in pain.

Why nights get harder

Nights are often the hardest part. Your dog sleeps hard all afternoon, then gets up at 2 or 3 a.m. to pace, whine or pant. Some dogs get stuck in a room and can't find the way out. People often call this sundowning, a word borrowed from dementia in people.

Sleep changes are a common part of CCD, and research links poorer sleep to higher dementia scores. Being awake at night doesn't prove the cause, though. Pain, a full bladder, anxiety and weaker eyesight or hearing can all disturb rest. Notice whether your dog settles after a bathroom break or seems sore lying down.

Small older terrier awake beside a low dog bed, with a light in the hallway

A few small habits may make nights easier while you wait for the vet visit:

Keep dinner and the last bathroom trip at the same time each night.
Make the last half hour before bed calm, with the lights low.
Put the bed in the same spot, add a night light, and gate off stairs and tight corners.

The sample daily routine for a dog with dementia has a full day and night plan, including what to do at 3 a.m. Use it alongside a vet visit when restlessness is new or getting worse.

What your vet will check

There's no single test for dog dementia. In late 2025, an international group of experts led by Natasha Olby at NC State published the first shared guidelines for vets. Under those guidelines, a vet starts with your dog's history, a full physical, joint and nerve exam, and lab work. Other health problems get ruled out or treated first. CCD is considered when the changes still can't be explained another way. Some dogs also get a brain MRI and a spinal fluid test, usually at a specialty clinic.

Your vet may ask you to fill in a short questionnaire about everyday behavior. Scales such as the CCDR and CADES are used in research and clinics, and they don't always agree with each other. Buddylio's checklist isn't one of these scales. It's a way to organize what you've seen before the appointment.

Tell the vet about every medicine and supplement your dog takes. If CCD is found, the plan may include medicine, a special diet, gentle activity and care for other health problems. Selegiline is the drug approved for CCD in dogs in the US. There's no cure, and results vary from dog to dog. Bring these questions about medication and follow up to the appointment.

Watch & note

Slow, mild changes you can keep an eye on, like a little more confusion and some extra evening pacing. Jot down dates and what you saw so you can show your vet a pattern.

Call soon

Contact your vet about a new or repeated behavior change, even if it's the only sign. Don't wait for several signs or for sleep to fall apart. Ask about pain, bladder problems, and eyesight and hearing as well as memory.

Go now

Get care right away for sudden, severe changes: collapse, a seizure, sudden blindness, pressing the head against a wall, circling with a head tilt, not being able to stand, crying out in pain, or a possible poisoning. A fast slide from normal to very confused also needs same day care.

Older spaniel beside its owner during a conversation in a veterinary consultation room

Common questions

Can dogs get dementia?

Yes. Vets call it canine cognitive dysfunction, or CCD. It's a slow brain change in older dogs, and it gets more common with age. A vet checks for other health problems before calling it CCD.

What are the first signs of dog dementia?

Changes in sleep are common early on: more napping during the day and restless nights. Small moments of confusion, evening pacing and a forgotten routine can show up early too. Getting lost at home tends to come later. Any new change is worth a call to your vet.

Why does my old dog pace and pant at night?

CCD can upset the body clock, so a dog sleeps all day and gets restless after dark. Dim light and weaker senses can make the night more confusing. Pain can also wake a dog at night, and panting can point to pain or another medical problem, so ask your vet.

At what age do dogs get dementia?

CCD can start from around age 9, and it gets more common with each year after that. Bigger breeds have shorter lives, so a vet will look at age compared with the dog's expected lifespan. In a younger dog, other causes of confusion are more likely, and a vet visit comes first.

Can dog dementia be treated or slowed down?

There's no cure. Veterinary care may help manage signs and support quality of life through a mix of medicine, diet, home support and care for other health problems. Benefits vary. Ask what improvement to look for, when to review the plan and which changes need a prompt call.

Is my dog with dementia suffering?

It depends on how your dog spends most days. Anxiety is one of the main signs of dementia, and the American Animal Hospital Association notes it can seriously lower quality of life for dogs and their families. If your dog still eats, settles to sleep and comes looking for you, those are good signs. Tell your vet if your dog pants, paces or seems afraid most nights, since anxiety and pain can often be treated. The guide to tracking good and bad days helps you see the pattern over a few weeks.

How do I get my senior dog to sleep through the night?

A predictable evening and a safe, familiar sleep spot help many dogs. The daily routine guide has a full plan. If your dog still can't settle most nights, tell your vet, since pain or another health problem may be part of it.

More dog care tips

Sources and further reading

Written against veterinary guidance and reference material. These are the sources behind the guidance on this page.

Buddylio helps you notice and organize what you see. It doesn't diagnose or treat anything, and it isn't a substitute for your veterinarian. If you think your dog is unwell, in pain, or in danger, call your vet or an emergency clinic.