Petsafe

Aging Pet

Dogs grow old faster than human does. They grow seven times faster. Since dogs ages faster, there potential for acquiring age related diseases is very high. So when they reach the age of seven that is fifty years old for humans, veterinarians suggest that dog owners should see them at least twice a year. Moreover, larger breeds of dogs are more likely to grow older than small breeds of dogs. The table below will tell you the corresponding age of your dog to human's age. The weight of your dog will have a direct effect to the corresponding age of humans.

Dog's Age	up to 20 pounds	21-50 pounds	51-90 pounds	over 90 pounds
6	40	42	45	49
8	48	51	55	4
10	56	60	66	78
12	64	69	77	93
14	72	78	88	108
16	80	87	99	123
18	88	96	109
20	96	105	120

Whenever you visit your veterinarian, always ask four complete check-up on your dog. It should include blood count, urinalysis, fecal exams, and chemistry profiles. This series of tests will enable veterinarians to detect any diseases that may start to develop in your dog and so that proper medications can be given as soon as possible to prevent it from getting serious.

Prevention is better than cure especially to your dog that age seven times faster than you are. Therefore, it is important that your dog have a regular check-up with his veterinarian. This will give you greater chance to spend longer years with your dog and will help improve your dog's quality of life.

Aside from having a regular check-up, it is also important to maintain the average weight of your dog. The more obese your dog the greater is the chance that he will acquire age related diseases. You should ask your veterinarian regarding the proper amount and the kind of dog food you need to feed your dog as well as the activity level he needs.

Behavioral changes in your dog may also be a sign of age-related diseases, according to some experts. These changes include confusion, decrease interaction with people, inconsistent sleeping pattern and loss of house training. Other behavioral related changes may also be noticed that can be associated to a specific diseases. Therefore, it is important that you understand each of them. You may ask your veterinarian about these issues. Moreover, as your dog ages, his teeth will also deteriorate. Always monitor your dog for possible bleeding and inflammation as well as increased salivation because this may lead to serious infection and loss of appetite.

Among all other people, your veterinarian knows the health status of your dog and is very much willing to help you improve your dog's quality of life.