Graduate Student North Carolina State University Durham, NC, United States
Abstract: Background – Age-related cognitive decline is well recognized in dogs. Quality of life (QoL) is another critical consideration for owners of aging pets. However, little is known regarding the relationship between owner assessed cognitive changes and quality of life. Hypothesis/Objectives – We hypothesize that owner assessments of senior dog cognition and QoL will correlate. Animals – Fifty-seven senior dogs that completed a 6-month clinical trial. Methods – Owners completed the Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating (CCDR) and a modified Canine Owner Reported Quality of Life (CORQ) questionnaire during the trial. The cross-sectional relationship between CCDR and CORQ at baseline was evaluated. To investigate the longitudinal relationship, difference in CCDR and CORQ score between baseline and month 6 was calculated. Bivariate analyses were performed and Spearman correlation coefficients (r) were obtained to quantify the relationship between CCDR and CORQ. P values < 0.05 were significant. Results – Dogs represented a variety of breeds, ages (mean: 13.03 years, sd: 1.54) and weights (median: 23kg, range: 6.5-39.5). At baseline, there was a significant correlation (p= 0.03, r= -0.29) between CCDR (median: 38, range: 34-58) and CORQ (median: 5.35, range: 3.06-6.53) scores. Owner assessments of cognition and QoL remained stable across six months (CCDR difference (median: -1, range: -29-16), CORQ difference (mean: 0.35, sd: 1.08)). However, there was a significant (p<.0001) correlation (r=-0.51) between CCDR and CORQ differences. Conclusions and Clinical Importance – Owners’ perception of their pet’s cognitive status is influencing their assessment of quality of life both cross-sectionally and over time.
