Unfortunately, our pets live much shorter than humans, and reach old age in just a few years. But although each race is different, now a study has revealed from what age we can consider old to our dogs.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have determined the exact age at which veterinarians consider six common dog breeds to be in the period known as old age
The conclusion of the study is that we can consider a dog old when it has 12.5 years. However, smaller breeds tend to age more slowly, with some dogs only reaching old age at 14.1 years.
On the contrary, larger breeds are considered old before, and some breeds are classified as elderly at 12.1 years.
“This study allowed us for the first time to examine when veterinarians begin to notice that dogs are at a stage in their life where they consider them ‘elderly’ or ‘senior,'” he says. Carrie Westgarth, who led the investigation.
“Understand the characteristics of healthy aging and differentiate it from adverse effects of age-related diseases could improve the management of dogs in the geriatric and older stages,” the team wrote in their study, published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice.
The research team analyzed the veterinary records of 832 older dogs of six breeds. Their analysis revealed that among the 832 dogs, the average age that veterinarians considered old was 12.5 years.
dogs of the breed jack russell terrier They are not considered old until they are 14.1 years old, while for mixed breeds, the age is 13.2 years.
“This older age of Jack Russells is consistent with findings on age at euthanasia in dogs, as well as a previous study in which Jack Russell terriers were shown to have a longer life expectancy12.7 years old,” the researchers explained.
The border collies They are considered old at 12.7 years, followed by springer spaniels at 12.5 years. Meanwhile, Labrador Retrievers are classified as senior dogs at 12.1 years, other breeds at 12.3 years, and Cocker Spaniels at 11.7 years.
health problems
The study also identified the top five health problems affecting older dogs. Problems such as overweight, underweight and weight loss top the list and They affect 35% of dogs.
Musculoskeletal problems affect a third (33%) of the dogs studied. These problems include stiffness and mobility problems. 31% of older dogs are affected by dental problems.
Furthermore, 28% of those studied experienced some type of skin related problemsuch as lumps, infections or hair loss.
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