SAMe

Back to "brightening up" an older dog with dementia:

Long story short: a friend of ours who drag races had been on the Atkins (low carb) diet, and his reaction times had become laughably slow. I told him that carbs fuel the brain - he ate a peanut butter sandwich, and his times drastically improved.

As I saw my Aussie Ike slowing down physically and mentally, it dawned on me that maybe extra carbs could help him, too? I actually made him oatmeal with a scrambled egg for breakfast (his preference was brown sugar/maple) - and his mornings were great! He was lucid, playful - his usual silly self :-) Of course I have to qualify this diet with his declining ability to utilize the fats in his dog food, and he was slowly losing weight. I figured going back to easily-digestible "baby food" would help him; and the sugar in the oatmeal sure didn't hurt. He still got dog food at lunch and for dinner, to get the nutrients he needed. I think the higher-carb diet kept him happy for an additional year, until a hip issue finally sealed his date with the Final Needle.

Wow I thought it was for knees.
I was involved in a clinical trial comparing the effect of SAMe vs
celebrex on knee pain. Both worked well for me.

Old-Biscuit wrote:
I thought SAMe was for liver function :H

It is, but also can have some effect on brain function.

I thought SAMe was for liver function :H

I gave SamE to my late Aussie, and he seemed "brighter" while taking it? I didn't get the blank stare of "who are you and what do you want?"

Dr. Doug Thank you. Our vet says she hasn't had much luck with Anipryl. Our sweetie also has early kidney disease.

It's worth trying. I'd also recommend Anipryl and/or Cholodin. I've had patients that have had significant improvement in symptoms taking these medications. Talk to your vet.

Doug, DVM