Old age in dogs, now what?

when is a dog old?

When a dog is considered “old” varies greatly among dogs. This is partly due to the breed of dog. For example, larger dogs age faster than small dogs. Large dogs are senior by age 7 and sometimes even 6. Medium-sized dogs become senior by age 8. Smaller dogs, on the other hand, are juniors until as late as age ¹⁰. Of course, this is not as specific as described above. There are all sorts of factors that affect your dog’s quality of life. Health has a significant part in this. Unfortunately, as dogs age, this is often accompanied by health deficiencies. What stands out?

signs of aging

Thus, the risk of age-related diseases increases from an average age of 8 years. Dogs are getting older both physically and mentally. Behavioral changes due to old age can be seen, for example, in fearful behavior for certain people or situations, decreasing motivation to play or walk, a disturbed rhythm of life (think of unrestraint, forgetfulness, poorer responsiveness and/or deeper sleep). Your dog may become more quickly disoriented in his or her surroundings. This is often related to declining vision and hearing. Older dogs react less alert to sound stimuli, listen more poorly and are also less likely to recognize people and places.

Some dogs even experience cataracts, where there is clouding on the lens of the eye. Other age-related discomforts your dog may face include dental problems (inflamed gums or bad breath), osteoarthritis/joint wear, heart and/or kidney problems, obesity, diabetes, tumors, incontinence and dementia. Many of the symptoms are interrelated. For example, dental disease can cause heart and kidney disease through the bloodstream, and obesity can worsen heart problems or osteoarthritis and feed metabolic disease (diabetes).

3 tips to keep your dog young

1. Keep your dog mentally engaged. Challenge with new stimuli and by teaching skills. This will keep your dog’s brain sharper and functioning properly for longer.
2. Provide adequate exercise and regularity. Instead of one long walk, take an older dog outside more often but shorter.
3. Have your dog checked annually by your veterinarian. In fact, age-related defects can go unnoticed for a long time, and it is better to catch them early.

Many symptoms of aging are related to exercise. Osteoarthritis makes exercise difficult but, on the other hand, even more important. Decreased stamina and heavy breathing can indicate poor fitness but also heart problems. Obesity, in turn, is the result of too little combustion. Older dogs are simply less active but generally get the same amount of food.

Sufficient exercise, of course, is not exclusively important once your dog becomes a senior. A dog treadmill can help maintain fitness (early) and strengthen the body in a safe, fun way. Need more information on this?