At what age do dogs enter old age?
The dog's size, breed and living environment will affect the dog's life span and the time to enter old age.
The average life span of small dogs is relatively long, about 14 years old, and generally it is 10 years old that they begin to enter old age.
The average life span of large dogs is relatively short, because they need a lot of exercise, their metabolism is relatively fast, and they will enter old age relatively quickly. The average life expectancy is about 10 years old, and it generally begins to enter old age at the age of 5.
Medium-sized dogs are between the two, with an average life expectancy of 12 years. Generally, at the age of 7, you begin to enter old age.
Therefore, owners should see the time to prepare for retirement in advance and spend their old age with them.
What are the symptoms of dogs entering old age?
1, loose skin
As the dog grows older, the most obvious thing is the dog's skin condition. Just like when people get old, they will become more relaxed. Without collagen, the skin elasticity will decrease and the expression will become gentle.
2. Hair turns white
The older the dog is, the fewer melanocytes there will be, which will gradually decrease, leading to the whitening of hair, especially the hair on the mouth, which will become more obvious and even sparse, dull and rough to the touch.
3. Eyes turn gray and white
Dogs' eyes will change, which is also a symptom of premature aging of dogs. They will appear turbid, not as clear and bright as before, and there will be a layer of gray fog, but some dogs with cataracts will also appear turbid. If you are worried, you'd better go and have a look.
Step 4 get sleepy
Old dogs will become less active, unwilling to move and prefer to sleep. Sensitivity such as vision and smell will be reduced, become dull, even lose teeth, lose appetite, feel uncomfortable, and just want to sleep to relieve pain.
However, it is still necessary to take the dog out for exercise. You can appropriately reduce the amount of exercise, or play some simple interactive games, such as shaking hands, and reward some snacks such as dried chicken when appropriate.
How should the owner take care of the dog when it enters old age?
1. Check the dog regularly. When dogs enter old age, all aspects of physical function will definitely deteriorate and will gradually deteriorate. Many diseases will come to you. It is best to change the previous annual physical examination to semi-annual, so as to prevent more potential problems, find problems and prepare for them.
2, regular entry and exit of insect repellent is definitely hopeless. Once a dog has worms in its body, it will absorb nutrients inside, making it more difficult for elderly dogs with poor resistance to recover and become weaker.
3. Old dogs need to pay more attention to diet. It is best to feed them regularly and regularly, and feed them with light, high-quality and digestible food, because old dogs' teeth will loosen and fall off, and chewing will become difficult. Moreover, its digestion and absorption capacity will also decrease, so its appetite will also decrease. In this case, you can eat less and eat more, and observe the dog's diet and defecation.