Sustained Gaze Is a Reliable In-home Test of Attention for Aging Pet Dogs

Abstract

Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CCDS) is a syndrome of progressive cognitive decline comparable to Alzheimer's Disease. The sustained gaze test captures attention loss associated with CCDS in laboratory settings, and adapting the sustained gaze test for use by owners at home could greatly increase the data generated on CCDS. We hypothesized that it would be feasible for owners to perform the sustained gaze test at home, and that results would be reliable over repeated trials. Training materials were developed and dog owners underwent training and performed the test in triplicate at weekly intervals for 3 weeks. Gaze videos and a CAnine DEmentia Scale (CADES) questionnaire were submitted each week. Videos were examined for inclusion and duration of gaze was recorded. One observer repeated video assessments twice, 1 week apart; five different observers assessed videos once. Outcome measures included the relationship between CADES and gaze duration, test-retest reliability of owner-performed sustained gaze testing, and intra- and inter-rater reliability. Twenty dogs aged 7–15.5 years completed testing. The majority of videos were acceptable (162/183). Within dog test-retest reliability was excellent (ICC = 0.96). Intra- and interobserver reliability for determining video validity for inclusion were substantial (k = 0.76 and 0.78, respectively); for duration of gaze these were excellent (ICC = 0.99 and 0.96, respectively). Gaze duration was significantly associated with CADES (p = 0.0026). We conclude that owners can perform the sustained gaze test at home and that data generated are reliable and correlate to CADES, a validated measure of dementia.

Relationship between hearing, cognitive function, and quality of life in aging companion dogs

“…Cognitive tests including warm‐ups, social cue (pointing), working memory, cylinder tasks (inhibitory control and detour), and sustained gaze methodology are described in Supporting Information (Data S3). All test methods have been described previously 22,33‐36 …”

Relationship between engagement with the impossible task, cognitive testing, and cognitive questionnaires in a population of aging dogs

“…Several tests have been studied in aging dogs to assess cognitive function, but are often constrained to research settings due to the amount and time and training required ( 3 , 34 ). Rapid assessments of cognitive function have been suggested using food searching patterns, object manipulation, response to cues, and interaction with owners ( 16 , 32 , 35 , 36 ). These tests have varying degrees of correlation with other cognitive dysfunction measures and feasibility to be performed in a clinical or at home environment.…”

Activity patterns are associated with fractional lifespan, memory, and gait speed in aged dogs

“…We evaluated attention (by means of sustained gaze test), working memory (determining for how long dogs were able to remember where a treat was hidden after increasing delays), executive function (by inhibitory-control cylinder task and the problem-solving detour cylinder task). The detailed methodology used for cognitive testing has been already described by our group and other authors 29 , 68 – 70 . In brief, sustained gaze consist of measuring the time dogs make eye contact with the experimenter when they hold a treat up near their eyes 70 .…”

“…The detailed methodology used for cognitive testing has been already described by our group and other authors 29 , 68 – 70 . In brief, sustained gaze consist of measuring the time dogs make eye contact with the experimenter when they hold a treat up near their eyes 70 . Working memory was evaluated by placing two red Solo® cups in a mat, and hiding a small food treat under one of them (in view of the dog).…”