How is Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome staged, and what treatment approaches align with stages?

• A. CADES stages 0–4; Stage 0 no impairment; Stage 1 mild; Stage 2 moderate; Stage 3 severe; Stage 4 very severe; Interventions include environmental enrichment, caregiver routines, and medications such as selegiline or newer agents.
• B. CADES stages 0–3; Stage 0 no impairment; Stage 1 mild; Stage 2 moderate; Stage 3 severe; Interventions focus on behavior modification.
• C. CADES stages 1–4; Stage 1 mild; Stage 2 moderate; Stage 3 severe; Stage 4 very severe; Interventions are surgical.
• D. CADES is not a staging system.

Answer: (A)

Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome in dogs is staged with CADES on a 0–4 scale, describing progressively increasing cognitive impairment. Stage 0 means no impairment, stage 1 is mild changes, stage 2 is moderate, stage 3 is severe, and stage 4 is very severe. Treatment is matched to the stage and aims to slow progression and preserve quality of life. The main approaches are environmental enrichment to keep the brain active, consistent caregiver routines and predictable daily structures to reduce confusion and stress, and pharmacologic management such as selegiline (an MAO-B inhibitor) or newer agents as appropriate. These nonpharmacologic measures are useful across all stages, with medications added as impairment advances, while surgical interventions are not part of this dementia management framework.