Source: Joipaw.
A UK start-up has developed a video game that can help detect whether or not your beloved dog has symptoms of canine cognitive disorder (CCD).
Joipaw was created to help keep track of your pet’s cognitive abilities and point out whether there are any abnormal trends or behaviours that could indicate a decline in mental health.
It works through a tracker in the dog’s collar which keeps an eye on things such as sleep, rest, walking, playing and steps. There’s an additional console which has games to stimulate the dogs mind.
“Imagine being informed early if your dog is showing signs of joint issues or dog dementia, signs that a human will have a hard time noticing quickly, but that can be sent to your vet to improve diagnostics and treatments,” said Joipaw founders Dersim Avdar and Marco Jenny.
According to Burwood Bird & Animal Hospital about 15 per cent of dogs over the age of eight will experience CCD and says that most owners won’t recognise the signs until it’s already well underway.
“[It’s] a neurological degenerative disorder of senior dogs and cats characterized by gradual cognitive decline and increasing brain pathology,” they said.
“Elderly animals are less able to perform a variety of cognitive tasks compared to younger ones.”
PetMD lists symptoms of CCD as disorientation, staring at blank walls, excessive licking, night pacing or inability to follow familiar routes.
Joipaw hopes their product will be able to ensure that diagnosis of CCD is made much more quickly.
“Beyond the entertainment side, our goal with this venture is to help dogs live healthier lives through enrichment and bonding with their owners, and we also want to show the world how intelligent dogs are because we humans tend to empathize and take better care of others when we realize they’re closer to us than we think.”
