Priest Lake Veterinary Hospital
News Letter from:
September 5, 2000

Hello,

If you or one of your family/friends owns a senior aged dog then you many be interested in the following article.

Many pet owners begin to notice signs that their pets are entering their senior years after approximately 7 years of age. In the past we have accepted a declining quality of life for our aging pets as a fact of life beyond our control. But, thanks to advances in animal nutrition and health care, there are now an alternatives.

When is my dog a senior ?

A dog 7 years of old or older qualifies as a senior. (Except giant breeds, which are considered senior at age 5.) And, since dogs age approximately 7 years for every 1 year of human life, significant changes in health can occur in as little as 3 to 6 months. 98% of veterinarians believe that older pets should be have a physical exam twice a year due to this accelerated aging process.

Your Dogs Real Age:
Age -------- Size In Pounds -------

	0-20	21-50	51-90	+90
5	36	37	40	42
6	40	42	45	49
7	44	47	50	56
8	48	51	55	64
9	52	56	61	71
10	56	60	66	78
11	60	65	72	86
12	64	69	77	93
13	68	74	82	101
14	72	78	88	108
15	76	83	93	115
16	80	87	99	123
17	84	92	104
18	88	96	109
19	92	101	115
20	96	105	120

Warning signs of potential health problems in our senior dogs:

Difficulty climbing stairs
Difficulty jumping up
Increased stiffness or limping
Loss of housetraining
Increased thirst
Increased urination
Changes in activity level
Excessive panting
Circling/repetitive movements
Confusion/disorientation
Excessive barking
Less interaction with family
Decreased responsiveness
Tremors or shaking
Skin and haircoat changes
Changes in sleeping patterns
Less enthusiastic greeting or behavior
Altered apetite
Weight change


Thank you for your kind feed back and remember to let me know if you would like to see more information on this or any other topic. We are posting the older newsletter issues on our site for your future reference.

Best Regards,
Dr. Pennington
"Ask the Vet"
www.priestlakevet.com



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