We all know the signs that a dog is old – cloudy eyes, growths, swollen joints, loss of balance, and more. Yet, if these signs are spotted early on, it gives you a chance to help fight off old age and keep your beloved fur baby with you longer.
Knowing the signs that your dog is aging is vital for great dog ownership. After all, a dog is a lifelong commitment—for as long as your dog shall live—and you want to have your dog live a long and healthy life.
So, let’s discover some of the signs your dog is becoming an elderly pooch and also examine what you can do to delay the aging process.
What Are Some Common Signs of Aging in Dogs?
There are many signs that your dog is getting older. Each of these signs starts in a subtle way, and if you’re quick, you can pick up on changes. This can help you manage the health decline and give your dog a fighting chance at living longer and more healthily.
Typical signs your dog is moving on in years include:
- Growths under the skin
- Swollen joints
- Poor breath
- Nasal discharge
- Labored breathing
- Poor sight and clouding of eyes
- Sudden hair loss
- Appetite changes
- Getting tired easily
- Rapid weight gain
- Sudden weight loss
- Incontinence
- Drinking less or more water
- Poor digestion
- Barking more frequently
- Irritability
- Loss of balance (struggle to get up)
- Disorientation
Why Early Detection Is Vital
Early detection of a sign of aging can help your dog fight off the effects, giving you and your pupper more time together. Also, paying attention makes you more likely to know when your dog is in pain, as they can’t tell you.
Thanks to the many significant advances in animal sciences, a variety of options are available to manage many early signs of aging, preventing these from escalating. Your dog’s final years should be their glory years, not their years of pain.
Questions to Ask at Your Dog’s Next Vet Checkup
It would help if you took your dog for regular vet checks to catch any early signs of aging. But don’t rely on this alone. Remember, the vet only sees your dog for a few minutes during their exam, so you must speak for and advocate for your dog.
Ask questions about unusual changes in your dog that you’ve noticed. Some of these questions could include:
- My dog has been walking funny; are their joints aligned?
- I’ve seen a loss of appetite over the last week or two. Can you please do a blood panel?
- My dog struggles to chew. Can you please check their teeth?
- Are these bumps on their body normal?
- I’ve noticed my dog bumps into things. Could their eyesight be poor?
18 Specific Signs of Aging in Dogs, What They Mean, and What to Do
Here are the specific signs your dog is starting to become a senior and may need better care:
1. Skin Growths
Older dogs often develop problematic skin. While a few itchy spots may not be the end of the line, lumps and bumps can quickly become infected or cancerous. Having your vet examine new or suddenly larger bumps is best to prevent serious issues.
Regular bathing, inspecting your dog for ticks, and frequent grooming all help stimulate blood circulation, ensuring healthier skin.
2. Sudden Hair Loss
Combined with poor skin, sudden hair loss can indicate a more severe issue, such as metabolic disorders. It’s best to check with your vet and, if necessary, run blood tests to confirm your dog’s metabolism is functioning effectively.
3. Swollen Joints
Swollen joints are every dog owner’s nightmare. Typically, these indicate the early onset of rheumatism and arthritis. With swollen joints, you’ll notice stiffness and loss of movement if left untreated.
However, if you know your dog’s body shape, you’ll quickly spot joint swelling. This can be treated with MSM, chondroitin, and a healthy diet to eliminate inflammation (the usual cause of joint swelling).
Careful management, including healthy exercise and massages, can help reduce swelling and give your dog a new lease on life. If even one joint is swollen, you should remember that this will affect all other joints that will work harder to “carry” the dog’s injured limb.
4. Poor Breath
Changes to your dog’s breath may also indicate a deeper problem. Older dogs often have bad breath due to rotting teeth, but a challenged digestive system can also point to a probiotic imbalance, stomach ulcers, or growths.
On your next vet check, ask your vet to do a dental exam and have rotten teeth removed while cleaning your dog’s remaining “toothers.” A healthy mouth will add years to your dog’s life.
5. Nasal Discharge
A dog should have a nicely damp nose, which indicates it is healthy. A sudden dry nose or a mucky discharge from one or both nostrils isn’t good news. Nasal passages can become damaged, or your dog may have a growth obstructing its sinuses.
In worst-case scenarios, it could indicate your dog has a tumor or growth in their head, which is where the discharge originates.
Your vet can do a detailed examination, revealing the extent of the issue, and you can plan your path from there. Don’t just pop your dog some antihistamines and hope for the best.
6. Labored Breathing
There are many reasons why your dog could start breathing heavily or panting. If they’ve been running, it may mean they are unfit, but if they start panting at night, they may have poor body heat regulation, causing overheating.
Hormonal challenges can cause this problem, but infections can also trigger an inflammatory response, resulting in a fever. Shaving your dog’s coat isn’t the answer, so head over to your vet for a diagnosis.
Depending on the cause of the panting, your vet may prescribe hormone treatments, antibiotics, or special diets to help address the causes.
7. Poor Sight and Clouding of Eyes
As we age, our eyesight starts failing; the same happens with dogs. It’s vital to check your dog’s eyes regularly for signs of injuries, inflammation, or abscesses forming. Dogs have their own unique type of eye medication, and you should never use human eye drops to treat your fur baby’s weepy or inflamed eye.
If you can’t get to the vet, and if it’s an emergency, you can rather use a cup of distilled (or boiled) water and a small pinch of salt to make an iodine solution to rinse their eyes. Wait until the solution has cooled (if you boiled it) before rinsing your dog’s eyes. If their eyes remain weepy or pussy, you should get them to the vet ASAP.
8. Appetite Changes
Once they’ve grown, dogs tend to have the same eating habits. Some dogs guzzle, while others nibble. If your dog suddenly refuses to eat or gorges, it can indicate a big problem.
Worms may cause excessive appetites, while not wanting to eat can mean your dog has a compromised digestive system. Cancers, growths, cuts, ulcers, and more can all lead to a sudden loss of appetite.
Act quickly; if your dog doesn’t eat within two days, you should already be on your way to your vet. Your vet will know what to feel for when examining your dog’s stomach area, and they will guide you.
To prevent sudden appetite changes, feed your dog consistently and only a balanced meal that meets all its nutritional requirements. Feeding tidbits of human food (not suitable for dogs) can cause real damage, so don’t do it.
9. Poor Digestion
Poor digestion can usually be seen in your dog’s appetite and droppings. If their poop is discolored, dry, or runny, it means your dog has an unhappy gut. Sadly, many dogs develop pica, a mystery condition where they chew on random, non-edible items in their environment.
An upset stomach can be due to wood fibers, cement powder, and paper. Foreign objects can especially upset an older dog’s digestion. Inflammation of the bowel happens more frequently with older dogs than puppies.
Following a balanced meal plan, ensuring your dog is entertained, and preventing them from eating random things will help them have a healthier gut.
10. Rapid Weight Gain
When your older dog puts on weight, it may mean their organs aren’t functioning correctly. Regular exercise is a must, as weight gain can cause severe damage to their joints.
Insulin resistance or diabetes can also cause rapid weight gain. Illness, genetics, or diet can trigger diabetes. Your vet can check this with a few tests.
Medication may be your only recourse, but you can prevent weight gain for as long as possible by feeding your dog healthy food that’s free of excess carbohydrates and sugars and ensuring they have enough space to exercise.
11. Sudden Weight Loss
Weight gain can become a serious problem, but the options are limited if your dog loses weight despite eating. Disease, tumors and growths, poor heart health, or organ damage can all cause a sudden loss of weight.
Check for other signs like anemia (yellow or pale eyelids), bad breath, and runny stool. Your vet will need as much information as possible to diagnose accurately. If caught early and with a successful diagnosis, you can take steps to turn your aging dog back from the brink.
12. Getting Tired Easily
Older dogs often lack the energy of young dogs. They may become tired, pant, and become grumpy more quickly. You may notice they’re not as keen to take their usual daily walk.
It’s important to note if your dog is struggling to keep up. Don’t stop walking them, but start doing exercise that’s in their ability to do. If the onset of fatigue is sudden, you can check with your vet for anemia, lung and heart inflammation, and blocked airways, which can all tire your dog.
Pain can also slow down your aging dog. If the pain prevents movement or makes movement challenging, you can use supplements for arthritis to help manage pain. Dietary changes for food richer in protein and healthy fats can help increase their available energy.
13. Incontinence
Like people, your dog may also develop incontinence as it ages. It will likely present as “oopsies” when it has been sleeping or lying down. Your dog may be fully potty trained, but it suddenly starts dripping on the floor while you let it out.
Bladder control is partly hormone-related and also physiological. Consult with your vet about medication to help manage the drips. If it’s already too advanced, you can use dog nappies or diapers to help ensure your dog’s dignity is intact. Some exercises and massages can also help strengthen the bladder muscles.
14. Drinking Less or More Water
When dogs get hot, they want to drink water. Overheating may be hormone-related, but it can also indicate a heart condition or the onset of diabetes. Paired with frequent urination, heavy water consumption may require medication to treat (as it’s likely diabetes).
Not wanting to drink water can lead to dried-out noses and internal challenges with dehydration. Older animals are often not as interested in drinking water as they frequently stop moving around as much.
If your dog doesn’t drink enough, use water fountains, watered food, and dog’s toys to help stimulate the thirst reaction. If your dog is drinking excessively, you must get to the cause as you can’t withhold water from it.
15. Barking More Frequently
Another sure sign your dog is heading along in years is when they start randomly barking and yapping for no reason. Most often, this is because their hearing has become impaired, which means your dog will feel vulnerable, and barking is how they try to be brave.
Having their ears checked is still a good idea, as blockages can cause temporary hearing loss, which could also stimulate the barking reaction. Remember that shouting at your dog for barking will only make them more anxious. Instead, soothe them and remind them they are with you and safe.
16. Irritability
Older dogs frequently get irritable. It’s because of pain or loss of senses and they don’t want to get hurt, so they don’t join in playing with the other dogs.
When you notice your dog getting more irritable, you should pay attention to other signs of their pain. Most likely, you will find arthritis, digestive issues, or poor eyesight as the cause of their grumpy disposition.
You can’t do much about irritability. However, you can treat the underlying cause. Also, protect your dog from younger dogs that may hurt them. Spend quality time with them and make them feel loved.
17. Loss of Balance (struggle to get up)
Any animal that lies down needs to be able to get up easily. If your dog struggles with getting up, it’s usually a sign of balance issues. Muscle loss can indicate a genetic disorder like hip dysplasia that has weakened the body. Nerve damage, which is usually breed-specific, can also cause poor balance.
If you ensure your dog isn’t in pain, you can consider your options to support them. Frequently, the cause means that the balance loss is progressive. Future planning may include using assistive devices like slings, dog wheelchairs, and drag bags.
Just because your dog struggles with getting up doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road.
18. Disorientation
Dogs can suffer from dementia as much as people do. Aging can lead to failing mental clarity, which can cause your dog to become disoriented. Anti-anxiety medication can help keep them calm, and ensuring they are in a controlled environment with loads of care can help prevent self-injury.
Playing games and mentally stimulating your dog can also help in the initial stages of disorientation, but assess this based on your dog’s reaction.
Common Effects of Aging and Treatment Options
No matter the cause of your dog’s premature aging, there may be a few common effects that you can manage at home or with medical help. Consider these options:
Anemia
If your dog has a poor red blood cell count, they develop anemia, which can lead to fatigue, difficulty breathing, and more. While iron supplements help boost red blood cell production, you can help your dog by increasing iron-rich food in their diet.
Consider adding warmed (but not cooked) liver and other organ meats. Green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, are safe for dogs, and these can help increase their vitamin B intake and boost iron processing.
Increasing iron intake can also help your dog better recover from illness.
Protein Deficiency
If your dog has been ill or under the weather, they may lack protein in their diet. Ensure your dog gets enough organ meat, sinews, and raw bones in their diet to help them get the necessary amino acids from these sources.
Cooked eggs are another great source of protein for your dog, and they will love it.
Digestive Issues
When your dog struggles with digestion, it’s vital to add probiotics and prebiotics to their diet. Bone broth can help soothe an upset stomach, while adding apple cider vinegar to their food can also help improve gut flora.
Read More Jack’s Dacks:
- How to Naturally Relieve the Symptoms of Incontinence in Elderly Dogs
- 4 Best Treatment Products for Urinary Incontinence Burns in Dogs
- Treating Canine Wheelchair Injuries: Chafing, Pinching, and More
The Final Age
No matter what signs of aging you’ve picked up in your dog, you should closely monitor their condition and look for other indicators of poor health. Consult with your vet to help you find out what conditions are causing the age-related signs, and discuss a treatment plan with them.
Never feed your dog unusual foods that may cause serious harm; don’t ignore the signs of aging in dogs. By the time you finally do seek help, it may be too late.
May you enjoy many more years with your dog, and keep them comfortable with a soothing dog bed.