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Alzheimer’s Disease: Pet Fixations

My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease. The first signs of it appeared four or five years ago, while I was living in Vermont. When I moved back home, I moved in with my grandmother because she had space for me and my two dogs.

As her mental function began to diminish, she started to get fixated on the dogs. They were her constant companions, and her constant worry. Had they been fed? Were they hungry? Did they need to go out? Did they need to come in? Where were they? Was it time for them to have a snack? (This is how my shepherd mix Moose put on more than twenty pounds in three years — he ALWAYS thought it was time for a snack.)

Now that the dogs and I have moved out, she doesn’t have them to fixate on. She spends a lot of time snoozing on the couch. Having the dogs gave her a reason to get up and down, to go outside for some sunshine and fresh air.

In a lot of ways, having the dogs around was beneficial for her.

Unfortunately, it was very stressful for me! I was constantly worrying about Moose’s weight. There were nights when she’d let the dogs out, then forget they were outside and lock up. There were many times she would re-feed them after I already fed them. I had to hide the dog food and ration the treats.

Some members of the family have suggested that it might be a good idea to get a dog for my grandmother. She’d have company, she’d have something to take care of. But on the other hand, with her memory problems increasing, she might overfeed the dog (because she forgot it had already eaten) or leave the dog outside overnight (because she forgot to bring it in).

I think the potential detrimental effects for the dog outweigh the potential benefits for my grandmother — especially because there are plenty of dogs in the family that she can visit with. My parents have their dog and my brother’s two dogs who are all always thrilled to see her. One of the home health aids brings her dog with her one day per week to visit my grandmother.