Pet Supplies

Tips to Calculate Your Dog’s Age and Analyzing Their Health

We all know this as a thumb rule that dogs age faster than humans. Speaking in an understandable way, the rate of gaining maturity for dogs is greater than that of humans. To put things into a better perspective, humans attain puberty at the ages of 12-16 for men and women, whereas dogs attain puberty at the age of 6- 12 months. That’s 10 times faster than us.
You must have often heard that one year for your dog is equal to 7 years of human age. Well, the calculation is bit more complex than it looks.
At HPFY, we have listed tips that can help you calculate the age of your dog and also take steps to prevent or delay age related diseases or disorders.

Calculating Their Age

1. Size and Breed

The size and the breed of the dog are the most important factors in determining their age in human years as well as analyzing their growth. The following chart will help you understand this in a better way.

2. Dental Cues

Just like for many human conditions, the teeth of your dog can be a great help in understanding their growth pattern and calculating their age.

3. Bodily changes

You veterinarian can check for several changes in the structure of the body, that can help indicate the age-related changes your dog is undergoing and can help determine your dog's age. This is also an important step in analyzing the health of the dog, thus giving you a brief idea on what steps you must take to ensure that your dog always stays healthy and safe. These changes include:

• Graying of hair, which starts around the nose and then spreads to the entire body
• Loosening of the skin which often begins around the eyes
• Stiff legs, stiff joints, and difficulty in swift movement
• Cloudy eyes which result in lesser vision
• Hindrance in olfactory senses that is often linked to the inability to smell foods

Identifying and Preventing Age Related Disorders

Age related disorders cannot be completely avoided, but they can be delayed, and their effects can be minimized. The first step is to recognize the disorders that might affect a dog during their old age. These include:

• Stiffness in joints
• Dryness of skin
• Loss of vision and hearing
• Increased weight
• Greater number of infections due to ticks and mites
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Loss of teeth
• Slower or improper digestion
• Weakened muscles and bones
• Incontinence issues

Different breeds are affected by different kinds of disorders or problems, depending on their age, their body type, and the climate they live in. With the help of a vet, you can identify the major problems and can work on preventing their onset or reduce their effects. Here are a few tips to reduce the effects of the some of the most common problems associated to ageing dogs:

Keep them clean

This is something that you already do, but during their old age, one must be more careful about the hygiene of the dog. Using antibacterial powder to prevent infections and using creams and powders that protect your dog from ticks and mites are important steps in managing hygiene. Take them to the vet once in a fortnight to make sure their skin is doing well. Avoid letting them around garbage bins and prevent them from playing in damp areas.

Nutrition

One of the major factors that can affect a dog’s health is their nutrition. Improper or insufficient nutrition can lead to and complicate several problems. Recognize the needs of your dog and then plan a proper diet schedule so that your dog is always eating healthy. Avoid letting them eat things off the floor or on the streets. Feed them foods that contain nutrients that can combat indigestion and diabetes.

Always active

It is important to give your dog a walk once in the evening and in the morning. This helps the dog exercise, which prevents the muscles from losing strength, keeps the joints active, and improves their blood circulation. Make sure that the dog doesn’t always lazy around the house, as this can stiffen the body and lead to several complications.
Always ensure that you take your dog to the vet for regular checkups. A proper diet, hygienic lifestyle, and a proper exercise schedule are important to prevent or delay age related disorders from taking a toll over your dog’s life. At HPFY, we aim to provide your dog with all that’s needed for a healthy and safe life.

 

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