Shorter front-leg strides can be an early warning sign of dementia in senior dogs

Scientists have shown that the stride length of the front legs (but not the hind legs) of senior and geriatric dogs decreases as their cognitive performance worsens. In contrast, chronological age itself was a poor predictor of stride length. A similar reduction in step length has been well documented in people with dementia. These results suggest that a decline in stride length could be an early warning sign of canine dementia, and so an informative new tool for veterinarians.