What Is a Senior Dog

by Linda Goodman …

Back in the day, there was a general rule that a dog became a senior dog once they were 7 years old. But as we’ve learned more about dogs over the decades, and despite the dog food industry largely sticking with this age as a guide, we now know a lot more about how dogs age. Today, it is generally accepted that a dog is considered senior when they reach the last 25% of the lifespan that is expected for their size/breed.

For example, giant dogs age faster than smaller dogs. So, a Great Dane could be considered senior at say 5 years old, while a Jack Russell may not be considered senior until they’re nearly 10. Of course it varies from dog to dog, and consideration must also be given to heredity, plus exercise and nutrition.

Size, weight, and breed can all help determine how quickly your dog ages. Some dogs slow down faster than others; for example, smaller breeds may stay healthy and active much longer than larger breeds.

Just like humans, dogs don’t suddenly become old overnight. It’s a gradual process, which is why it’s important to continuously monitoring your dog’s health and behaviour to watch out for subtle signs that they may be struggling to do things they once enjoyed and be prepared to adjust certain things according to their changing needs.

As dogs age, they may not enjoy walking as far as they used to or find running up and down stairs more of a struggle or enjoy chasing a ball in the park. This can be for a variety of reasons, and some of these your vet may be able to help with. Booking a wellness vet check for your senior dog should happen at least every six months to stay on top of their preventative healthcare.

Arthritis

Dogs suffer arthritis just like humans do and they may be in pain with aching hips and joints, which understandably lessens their enjoyment of being active. It’s believed that as many as 80% of dogs over the age of 8 years may be arthritic. There are a variety of supplements and medications that can help alleviate their pain and discomfort, and I highly recommend a visit to the Canine Arthritis Management website for the latest info.

Why senior dogs require different nutrition

Many decades ago, dogs of all ages, other than puppies, were fed the same food, but as the science behind canine nutrition developed, it was realised that the balance of nutrition needed by senior dogs differs to that of puppies and adult dogs. There was also once a belief that senior dogs required less protein, but today it is realised that senior dogs require more protein to negate the loss of muscle mass they experience. But here’s the problem. Senior dog food varies in its protein content, so it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Also, older dogs can have problems with their teeth or may even have fewer teeth than they did when they were younger, so eating dry food can be difficult for them. Whereas wet food takes less chewing and contains more water, which is also helpful to prevent dehydration in dogs that perhaps drink less water than they should.

Transitioning from adult to senior food must be done very slowly to avoid creating digestive issues and upset tummies. If you’re struggling to decide which senior food will be best for your dog, don’t hesitate to ask your vet for advice. There’s also a very useful website where you can check the protein to carbohydrate ratio of your brand of dog food, which you’ll find here.

Pet insurance premiums

Pet insurance companies vary in terms of how premiums rise as your dog gets older. For example, PetPlan states ‘prices do increase every year, due to the risk of illness as pets get older and the cost of vet bills increasing over time’*. Whereas Many Pets states ‘Prices are likely to increase more steeply when your pet reaches seven or eight years old. For some breeds with shorter average lifespans, prices can start to increase even younger.’** As your pet ages you can also expect a rise in the excess you have to pay before the insurance kicks in. With so many pet insurance companies offering so many variants in what their policies do, and don’t cover, and the types of policies you can choose from, it pays to shop around before deciding who to go with.

Blind and visually impaired dogs

If your dog doesn’t chase their ball anymore, or struggles to locate it, it could be because their eyesight isn’t as sharp. An examination by your vet can establish if this is due to cataracts, which are very common in older dogs. Sometimes your vet will recommend cataract surgery, depending on the age, cause, and overall health of your dog. If surgery isn’t appropriate you will have to make allowances for your dog’s reduced eyesight and it’s a good idea to keep them on a lead at all times when out walking for their own safety.

If your dog’s eyesight starts to deteriorate, or if they develop a disease that means they need to have an eye removed, there are things you can do to help them adjust, like covering up sharp corners on furniture with foam so that they don’t risk injuring their faces. Not rearranging furniture can also help dogs with limited or zero vision because they remember their surroundings. Making sure there’s sufficient light for visually impaired dogs to see around your home is also important to be aware of.

Should your dog become totally blind there exists a special device called a halo harness, which has a half circle hoop around their head to prevent them bumping into things. Dogs are incredibly adaptable to changes in their physical ability, so please don’t think that just because they can no longer see that they don’t want to live.

In fact, as reported in Country Living magazine in July 2022, a team of vets from Cornell University in New York State discovered that “the pathways in a dog’s brain may be linked in an entirely different way to any other species.” They conducted MRI scans on the brains of different dogs and their findings suggested that a dog’s ability to smell and their vision are connected. It means that dogs may use scent to understand where things are. So, if you’ve ever wondered how a blind dog can still play fetch and find a ball, this may well be the reason why!

Deafness

Dog deafness can happen for a variety of reasons, which is why it’s always important to get your dog’s ears checked by a vet if you notice a change. Some breeds are more prone to it than others, and of course some dogs are born deaf. For others it can be an inevitable part of the aging process.

When you’re with your dog every day, their hearing loss can be very subtle at first and you may not even notice it. Dogs are very clever and manage to adapt to their new circumstances pretty quickly. If you find that when you call your dog, they seem to ignore you, it could be that their hearing is failing. If the clink of their dog food bowl isn’t met with its usual level of enthusiasm, again this could be a telltale sign of hearing loss.

Teaching a dog to respond to hand signals, as well as voice commands when they’re young is well-worth doing, so that if their hearing fails in later life, you can still communicate with them. If your dog’s hearing isn’t as sharp as it once was, once again, keeping them on a lead for walks will be important for their own safety.

Dementia

Just like humans, dog can also develop dementia, known as cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) or canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD). It’s a cruel disease that brutally robs both our human and canine loved ones of so much. So how can you spot whether your best friend may be developing it?

Firstly, you may notice changes in their behaviour. They may stare at walls or become lost in usual familiar settings. They might bark at things that aren’t there, and their sleeping patterns could change so they end up sleeping more during the day and wandering around at night. They could start urinating and defecating in your home because they’ve forgotten to do it outside.

Sometimes a dog can have a mild form of the disease, and if it’s caught early, there are medications your vet can prescribe that mean your dog can go on to live a relatively normal life. For others, it becomes a quality-of-life decision, made more difficult if your dog is relatively healthy in other respects, but suffering from severe mental impairment. In that situation, as difficult as it is, the kindest thing to do may end up being to ask your vet to euthanise your best friend to prevent further suffering.

Frosty faces

Having a senior dog in your life can bring so much joy. They have a lifetime of love and experiences to share with you and are a lot easier to care for than puppies. It’s tragic that so many older dogs end up in rescues these days. It can happen for a variety of reasons, the saddest of which is when their owner passes away and there are no relatives willing to take them in. If you’re considering adopting, please don’t pass up the opportunity to adopt a frosty faced rescue dog. The love you will receive from them is something to cherish. There are rescues that specialise in rehoming older dogs. Oldies Club works with rescues across the UK and Senior Staffy Club specialises in rehoming older Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

As an unapologetic dog lover, I’ve mostly chosen to adopt dogs who are middle-aged for many years, and although the time we have had together has been a little shorter than it would have been if I had adopted a youngster, I have never, not for one moment, regretted welcoming a senior dog into my home, my life and my heart.