Older Dogs

As time goes by, the dog will start to show symptoms of getting old. In most cases older dogs remain reasonably active till the end. Modern medicines have provided a great relief to most bothering troubles of older age, and now it's possible to cure some diseases, like a deterioration of the renal function, diabetes, and some other metabolic disturbances. Therefore, regular veterinarian checks are, each time, more necessary in this period of the dog's life. Be sure he has all the possible care, and that medication fits his needs. Problems in this period, like in humans, are usually disturbing at the beginning.

What is the maximum age a dog can live? As general rule, big breeds use to have a shorter life than smaller breeds. Very big breeds like the Irish Whippet, won't probably live more than 10 years, but some small Terriers can live up to 19 years. Of course, there are exceptions for all rules, and is known there have been dogs that have lived more than 30 years. It's not strange to hear that each year of human's life is equivalent to seven years of the dog's life, which is false. This came from the idea that humans lived according to the Bible "three times twenty years and ten", or 70 years, and that dogs had a life average of 10 years.

Which are the visible symptoms of dog's old age?