Aging in Your Dog

The friendship of a dog is something marvelous. Logically, we all wish to enjoy it as much time as possible. Although we know dogs will eventually age, we are scared when they enter old age. As he enters this phase, he will do things at a slower pace. He will not get up immediately, but think if it's worth the effort. His energy and strength decreases, he will rest more often and sleep more. As opposed to humans, a dog does not become senile. Dogs are not afraid to age. So why are we afraid when our dog becomes old?

Back in earlier days, owners tried to keep their dogs from aging. An old dog's incompetence toward work, a decrease in its ability to react quickly or the deterioration of its health was a death sentence. Nowadays, we mostly own dogs for their company. We have a strong connection and an affectionate relationship with our dogs. For any owner, it would be unimaginable to sacrifice a dog simply because he has become old. Now that we have embraced our dogs as our companions, we consider them human.

Our worry about our dog's old age comes from the attitude we take towards our own aging. Our modern view toward aging is difficult, and concern over physical illness or the diminishing of our mental capacity afflicts us. It is uncommon to see old age as something beautiful, significant or interesting. All these feelings are transmitted to our old canine friend due to the strong connection we share with him. As human beings we have the advantage of preparing ourselves by taking precautions and measures to make our dogs feel great about aging.

Some questions about dogs' aging:

How many years can a dog live? Nobody can predict a dog's age or how long it can live. We do know that small dogs in general live more years than big dogs. In addition, female dogs tend to live longer than male dogs, and dogs that live outside live shorter lives than dogs that are at home with us. These are just generalizations. There exists the possibility that dogs can live above or below their average mortality. Veterinarians believe that dogs live longer nowadays due to the knowledge their owners have about them and the advances in veterinarian science.

What is my dog's age? I'm sure you're familiar with the old belief that for every year a dog lives, it is equivalent to 7 human years. Nowadays, this comparison is no longer considered valid. At any given moment, your dog can find himself in a determinant phase of development that is only applicable to him and does not correspond to any aging statistics or charts. If we observe dogs at canine expositions, we can notice enormous differences in vitality among them.

When will my dog be of old age?
Similar to human beings, white hairs are a symptom of growing old in dogs, but there are several dogs that develop white hairs when they are still relatively young. The first white hairs appear by the whiskers, and then it spreads throughout the whole nose. Particularly on dogs that have brown, red or golden hair, the color of their heads can turn white. In general, the skin of most dogs loses elasticity and becomes greasier. The eyes become more opaque, and the dog can lose his hearing, but his sense of smell tends not to diminish. Since the dog is an animal guided by smell, having his hearing or vision malfunction does not matter as much to him.

The dog will probably jump less on the sofa, not play as much with the ball and avoid going up the stairs unless it's necessary. In addition, he will stretch more often. Since the dog will not do as much exercise as he did before, his meals should be reduced or he will gain unnecessary weight. The denture of your dog might start having problems—some teeth might be loose. His nails will grow longer, but not be as strong. In terms of reflexes, they will most likely become slower. It might be hard to notice these differences in your dog, but it is important to always be alert in order to take the right precautions.

Studies have shown that dogs between the age of nine and twelve tend to suffer from heart problems. The liver and the pancreas might cause several problems, and the incidence of diabetes increases in dogs older than eight years. A dog's immune system will become weaker, and it will increase the risk of tumors.

Several of these changes might not be as visible on certain dogs because all dogs age differently. Owners cannot predict what type of illnesses their dogs might get, but they can help them live their old age with dignity, care, respect and friendship.

Worried about your aged canine friend? Try this:

Pet Naturals of Vermont Dog Daily Senior