When is a Dog Considered Old? : A Vets Guide
When is a dog considered old?
As a vet a lot of people ask me when their dog will be considered old, or what age a dog is when they are ‘officially’ old.
The short version is that ageing is an individual process and the effects of age can be mild in some dogs in their mid-teens, yet quite debilitating in some dogs as young as 5. Just as in people diseases often associated with ageing can have differing impacts on different individuals.
However, some common factors impact when a dog is considered old by your vet.
What affects when a dog becomes old?
In dogs, as opposed to people. we have the added complexities of breed and size, which can dramatically impact your dog’s expected lifespan.
In the main, larger or giant dogs are more likely to have shorter lifespans than toy to medium breeds.
Although not a hard and fast rule, on average, the smaller the dog, the higher their standard life expectancy.
How does size affect how long my dog will live?
Smaller dogs, on average, live longer than larger and giant breed dogs.
A Jack Russell terrier can expect to see 13-16 years, while a Great Dane is half this with an average lifespan of 6-8 years.
While some of the mechanisms surrounding this difference are unknown, it is thought that the rapid growth of larger breed dogs may predispose them to early ageing, and a higher likelihood of developing diseases such as cancer.
How does breed affect lifespan?
Breed can have a large impact on lifespan.
Breed goes a long way in determining healthy adult weight, and adult size is a known factor in the life expectancy of dogs.
Secondly, many breeds are predisposed to certain medical conditions that may be life-limiting.
Brachycephalic breeds (breeds with ‘flat faces’) can have difficulty breathing which puts a lot of stress on their heart and lungs.
Labradors, springer spaniels and golden retrievers, amongst others, are predisposed to joint disease which can have a large impact on quality of life.
Many giant breed dogs are predisposed to cancer development.
There are many more examples of breed-specific risks, and this is why both breed and size are taken into account when thinking about lifespan and ageing for your dog.
Do all dogs age at the same rate?
While the life expectancy of some dogs can be vastly different to others, interestingly some parts of ageing, such as brain ageing, seem to happen at the same rate across breeds.
Giant breed dogs, with their shorter expected lifespan, are less likely to develop cognitive issues (doggy dementia) than smaller breeds who often live into their mid to late teens.
This shows that while physical ageing is different for different dogs, other signs of ageing occur at the same speed.
When is my dog considered old?
Given that physical ageing and brain ageing occur differently, this is a complicated question.
Many veterinarians will start considering a dog as senior from seven years old, as per the below image:
Figure 1 Harvey ND. How Old Is My Dog? Identification of Rational Age Groupings in Pet Dogs Based Upon Normative Age-Linked Processes. Front Vet Sci. 2021 Apr 27;8:643085. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.643085. PMID: 33987218; PMCID: PMC8110720.
Another method is to classify dogs as old during the last 25% of their lifespan, which brings the breed element into play. This is most important for giant breed dogs where their expected lifespan may in fact never class them as ‘senior’ on a standard scale made to encompass all dogs. However, as above, large breeds classed as seniors using this method may have physical signs of ageing but are unlikely to have advanced cognitive ageing/signs of dementia.
How do I know my dog is just old or if they are ill?
Some of the signs of ageing (such as a gradual decrease in activity and play) can also be signs of disease. Catching these diseases early relies on any changes being reported to your vet so they can check your dog for any other signs of disease or run extra tests to check their health and wellbeing
It is important to flag any changes in behaviour with your vet as many changes, even if they are a common part of the ageing process, can be treatable or may be an early sign of something more serious.
In one study, when apparently healthy dogs (according to their owners) aged above 9?years were screened for age-related issues, at least one previously unrecognised problem was found in 80% of the dogs.
Vaccination time can be a great point to get a checkup done, so it’s important to keep these appointments. Unfortunately, 23% of dogs do not visit the vet for an annual check up currently.
How long will my Labrador live?
Labradors are expected to live to approximately 12 years old.
How long will my golden retriever live?
Golden retrievers are expected to live approximately 10-12 years
How long will my great Dane live?
Great Danes are expected to live approximately 8 years
How long will my springer spaniel live?
Springer spaniels are expected to live approximately 12-14 years
How long will my pug live?
Pugs are expected to live approximately 12-15 years
How long will my French bulldog live?
French bulldogs are expected to live approximately 12-14 years
