Unravelling cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS): understanding, diagnosing, and managing cognitive decline
Expert: Himara Van Haevermaet BVMS MSc MRCVS, Resident in Veterinary Behaviour (ECAWBM), Veterinary Behaviour Consultant for the Pet Behaviour Company.
Himara qualified as a vet from the University of Glasgow in 2008. Whilst working with and observing differences in owned and feral populations of dogs and cats in Sri Lanka she developed a growing interest in animal behaviour. This led her to complete a MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln in 2012. For several years after this she worked privately as a veterinary behaviourist seeing cases under referral. Following this, she began a part time residency in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine under the supervision of Professor Daniel Mills of which she is currently in her final year. Alongside this, Himara is undertaking a part time PhD looking at 'dog reactive’ dog behaviours. She has been an Associate Clinical Editor (behaviour) for the VetRecord since 2018. In 2023, she set up Behaviour Services offering veterinary behaviour services on referral nationwide. Later this year she also joined the Pet Behaviour Company in Lincoln as a veterinary behaviourist. In her spare time (and if the toddler, pets and work allow!), she enjoys playing board games, making soap, and swimming.
Theme and Topics of conversation:
- To understand the methods of and challenges associated with the diagnosis of Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome.
- To differentiate the normal ageing process and the pathogenesis of Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome including biochemical and structural changes within the brain.
- To recognise the clinical signs of Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome as well as differential diagnoses which may overlap.
- To describe the management techniques for Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, namely environmental enrichment, and the use of nutraceuticals.
