Dealing with Aging Animals

How to recognize Old Age signs in your dog

By Ministry Earth

The effects of time are noticeable in people and animals. Old Age comes quickly, and there are many signs that your dog is aging and entering the socalled "third age."

Your dog is getting old, the moment of old Age.

The aging stage in our pets arrives, and it is necessary to consider some signs that will indicate when our pet started this stage.

It is also important to consider certain precautions to live this stage better. Old Age is not an illness but evidence of the ordinary and progressive degeneration of the animal. Unfortunately, as in humans, aging promotes the appearance of some diseases.

The two phases indicate your dog is aging.

In the first phase, the animal begins to age at the cellular level. After that, we will notice how its coat starts to change, turning gray in some areas, such as its paws and muzzle. The animal also has little mobility and a low level of activity.

In the second phase, the canine aging process is accelerated. The sense of smell is lost, and the fur turns white. The shine of the fur changes to an opaque tone, and changes in behavior begin to occur.

In this second phase, the dog becomes more likely to suffer from kidney and heart disease.

Signs that your dog is aging by size.

Very small dogs weighing less than 5-10 kg can be considered mature when they reach 7-8 years of Age and elderly when they reach 12.

Dogs weighing less than 50 Lb. Come of Age at 6-7 years old by 10 years.

Large dogs between 60 and 100 pounds are considered mature at 5 years old and elderly when they reach 8 years.

When they are over 5 years old, very large dogs Age very quickly and do not usually go beyond 10 years old.

Race also Matters:

The breed of the dog is another critical factor that affects its average Age. So, by way of example, a boxer usually lives less than a German shepherd.

The longevity of dwarf poodles is known. The longevity record belongs to Bluey, an Australian shepherd dog who lived no less than 29 years old.

Signs that the dog is aging.

With dogs, it's the same as with people. Old dogs have their coat color changed and begin to turn gray, especially in the face region.

Does less and less physical activity. We will notice that the animal no longer runs or moves as actively as before.

Advice To Better Assimilate The Aging Of The Dog

It takes a lot of patience with the animal. So, although shorter and more continuous, continue with the daily walks and understand that our friend is not as active as before.

There are moves the dog will avoid. This is because our pet's joints and musculature are no longer the same as when he was young. Therefore, some movements, such as climbing into bed, can be difficult, and our dog may refuse to perform them.

Need for more rest. The dog is aging and will decrease his energy, so he will sleep or rest more than usual.

Some cognitive dysfunctions. The memory will fail, and our pet will forget where mealtimes are and places to go to the toilet.

When it's time to contain the pee, the animal will no longer be able to do it as before, and we will find small pools around the house.

We must take a good look at their teeth. In case they lose a lot of teeth, we will have to try to provide special food for elderly dogs.

By brushing the coat, we activate circulation and eliminate the entire layer of dead hair. During brushing, we can see if they have lumps on the skin, hair gaps, etc.

Touching our pet's lymph nodes, we will see if there is any swelling, as cancer can appear in the form of tumors.

If the animal has long hair, it should be cut well in the eye area so that excess fur does not obstruct its vision.

Veterinary visits should be more frequent when the dog becomes older.