# Anipryl (selegilene) for Senior Cognition Problems



## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

I'm usually fairly anti-drug, for lots of reasons, but I wanted to post this in case it helps someone else. Anipryl has been around for a while, so sometimes vets move on to newer drugs, so it can be useful to know about options for our seniors.

About six weeks ago my hound mix, Jack, was starting to have really rough nights. He's always been an excellent sleeper, but as age has crept up (he'll be 13 in January), he started becoming very anxious and restless. I would lie there hearing his nails click as he circled the rooms and even if I got up and took him out or tried to comfort him, he just kept panting and whining. 

We tried him on Tramadol but it just made his personality disappear. He's a real character, funny and charming and independent, but on Tramadol, even a low dose, he was a zombie. None of the NSAID pain meds really did anything, so iit wasn't really a pain thing...just an aging brain.

It was breaking my heart. I am not ready to lose another one so soon, as if any of us ever are really ready.

I remembered Anipryl from my LVT days and it had really helped my Cushing's boy, so I got my vet to get us a scrip. 

Long story short, ten days on this med and I have my boy back! There's light in his eyes again, he's eating well, he's loping around the yard occasionally, and best of all, he can relax and he sleeps through the night.

It may not work for everyone, but if it helps someone else who's at this point with their senior, I wanted to remind everyone this drug is out there and may help.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Thank you for sharing this.

Hope your Jack continues to do well and you have many days to come together.


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## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

Thanks for sharing this info. Joker, now 14, also has times when he is restless and pants a lot. We checked his blood pressure in June and found it was very high. As his blood pressure has come down with Enalapril, he sleeps better, pants less, and seems less anxious. Just something else to think about...


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## Anon-2130948gsoni (Apr 12, 2014)

GoldensGirl said:


> Thanks for sharing this info. Joker, now 14, also has times when he is restless and pants a lot. We checked his blood pressure in June and found it was very high. As his blood pressure has come down with Enalapril, he sleeps better, pants less, and seems less anxious. Just something else to think about...


Thank you for the reminder...he's got a semi-annual checkup on the horizon and I'll have her check his BP. What was odd about his behavior prior to the Anipryl is that it was only at night, which my vet felt was characteristic of CCD rather than something systemic.

Jack just dragged me down a quarter-mile of driveway at top sprint speed just for the fun of it (DH just had knee surgery so I'm walking/running each of the dogs separately these days and they're all feeling Oh So Special as a result). I didn't know the old boy still had it in him! It's lovely to see him feeling so well...I'll take it!


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## TexasGoldRush (Dec 12, 2014)

My vet has one of my Chihuahuas on Anapril for a heart murmur.


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