New Video Game for Dogs Could Reveal Early Signs of Canine Dementia

Canine dementia is a serious condition that affects the cognitive function of dogs with aging brains – it is estimated that over 50% of dogs older than 11 years suffer from Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD), as this issue is also known. The cognitive decline looks similar to that of Alzheimer's in humans, so dogs with dementia exhibit symptoms such as confusion and disorientation, anxiety, forgetting previously known routines and commands, and so on. To make matters worse, dog dementia is usually only noticeable when it has already progressed, as the more subtle, early signs are all but impossible to catch. Well, at least they were – until now.

A company called Joipaw has developed a tracker and video game console for dogs whose primary goal is to monitor canine health and behavior issues before the symptoms become serious. The way it works is that dogs get a tracker to wear on the collar, which allows it to track the dog’s activities such as steps, time spent resting, playing, and walking – and send the data to an app. In addition to the tracker, you’d also be getting a console that contains various video games for dogs, all designed specifically to provide mental stimulation, such as whackamole. This gives experts an insight into your pet’s health, or more specifically, allows them to monitor for anything out of the ordinary. The app provides warnings when something unusual is detected, like signs of canine dementia. As a result, you can react on time and provide your pet the care they need to improve the quality of their life in their golden years. Similarly, thanks to the tracker’s ability to keep a record of your pet’s steps and overall activity, the app can also alert you of early signs of other common issues for senior dogs, such as joint pain and mobility problems.

The creators behind Joipaw, Dersim Avdar and Marco Jenny, highlight the company’s holistic approach to canine well-being through preventative health care – their invention would help you catch the subtle signs of health problems in the making, way before you’d be able to spot them on your own. This way, you could react quickly and take your pet to a vet’s office on time and if the issue allows it, get an early treatment that could majorly improve their condition.

Needless to say, the concept sounds amazing to any dog owner, but especially to those who have a senior canine by their side. In the near future, an invention such as this one could ensure owners stay on top of their aging pet’s health even in situations where it would usually be impossible to realize something is amiss and give them more time to take action and help their pet in their time of need.