Dogs are incredible and best furry friends, no matter what their age is. Dog owners love their senior dogs as much as they love their puppies. But most of the people are curious about knowing the age of the senior dog or want to know that when they can add their dog in senior dogs' list.
It isn't very clear to know the exact time that when you should call your pup a senior, especially when the range varies for different breeds and sizes of dogs.
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Forpetloverz will discuss here what age is considered old for a dog. It will help you in finding and solving the health issue of your pet.
Is there a range for a senior dog's age?
The term "senior" is used to describe an aging pet, but the number of years after which a pet is called senior varies according to breeds.
Weight, the breed of dogs and the state of their organs can help you to determine either your pet has reached old age or not.
The age of the dog depends on the size; for example, large dogs typically age faster than smaller dogs. A dog having the size of 20-40 pounds has more chances to get older than the dog of size 10-20 lbs. But it is not right for all the dog breeds. Dogs are considered as senior between the age of 5-10 years usually.
Two terms can be used for the dogs in this situation, senior and geriatric. A senior dog is experiencing the signs of aging but is still healthy; while geriatric dogs are older and often experiences health issues.
Signs of aging for senior dogs
Many factors can help you to recognize the aging signs in your pet. You can notice the aging in your pet by observing some signs. Your pet's behavior and some other signs play important role in this situation.
You can find the sign of aging by following things:
Eating patterns and weight of your pet
You can monitor your dog's eating patterns and weight, as aging cause obesity. That leads to many health issues, such as osteoarthritis and diabetes. A too-thin dog that cannot eat well may have dental or stomach problems.
Sleeping patterns and cognitive health
Sleeping patterns and cognitive behavior can also help you to find the age of your pet. A dog that has difficulty in recognizing the people may experience canine dementia that is the sign that your dog is aging faster.
Drinking patterns and urination
A vital sign of aging is how much your pet is drinking and urinating; you can find the issue by observing either your pet is drinking too much or not drinking the water. Drinking excessive fluid or refusing to drink water indicates the urinary tract and kidney issues. These problems are a sign of aging.
Lumps and bumps
Observe your dog's entire body to find any sign of abnormality. Most of the dogs may develop lumps and bumps with age. All the bumps do not need to be tested or removed, but if you note a different and new growing bump, then there are chances of a problem with your pet.
Behavioral signs of dog's aging
You can indicate the aging of your dog by some behavioral changes: