Is my dog a senior?
There's a saying, ‘Age is just a number.’ It's often used to mean we should live without fixating on age.
Does this apply to our pets too?
In the past, dogs were defined as seniors at around age 7 and started on senior food or special care,
but a dog's age, too, is just a number. A well-cared-for dog can still be lively at 10.
So what really matters in deciding whether your dog is a senior? It's their health condition.
How to Check a Senior Dog's Health
Here are three clues that tell you whether your dog is a senior.
First, reduced activity.
On walks they want to head home quickly, and they sleep for longer. As joint, muscle, and cardiovascular function decline, skeletal-muscle fibers decrease and joint lubricating-fluid secretion drops. These declines make movement sluggish.
This is why degenerative arthritis is a representative condition of senior dogs.
Second, reduced food intake or changes in weight.
Is your dog fussing over food, refusing even treats it used to enjoy, or becoming picky? Also check whether a previously steady weight has suddenly dropped or risen. Loss of appetite or weight change can signal that something is wrong with their health.
Periodontal disease, chronic pain, or declining organ function can reduce appetite, and a drop in basal metabolic rate due to muscle loss can also lower intake.
Conversely, as dogs become seniors, basal metabolism falls and activity decreases, so body fat can sometimes increase rapidly.
Third, declining vision and hearing.
If your dog, who used to come running at its name, no longer responds well, or bumps into walls in unfamiliar places, hearing and vision decline may be progressing.
Representative causes of vision decline are nuclear sclerosis and cataracts. The eye's lens hardens and becomes cloudy. Nuclear sclerosis sometimes has little effect on vision, but cataracts can lead to blindness, so early detection and management are important.
In Conclusion: Check Health, Not Just the Number
What defines a senior dog is not simply age but the pet's health condition.
If your dog shows the changes mentioned above, senior-level care may be needed regardless of age.
Keep a close eye on your dog's health and begin appropriate care so they can enjoy a healthier, happier old age.