When is a Dog Considered Senior?

Pets age much faster than we do. The life span of a dog depends on its size or breed. In general, the larger the breed or size of the dog, the shorter the life span. For example, in a study of lifespans, only 13% of giant breed dogs lived to be over 10 years old. Conversely, 38% of small breed dogs live to be over 10 years of age.

Dogs are considered senior in the last 25% of their lives. Below is a list of the most common breeds with their life expectancies and age at which they are considered “senior”.

When your dog is senior, make sure they have a senior check-up with your veterinarian.

Breed	Lifespan	Senior Years
Affenpinscher	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Afghan Hound	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Airdale Terrier	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Akita	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Alaskan Malamute	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
American Eskimo	13 years	9.5 – 10 years
American Foxhound	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
American Staffordshire Terrier	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
American Water Spaniel	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Anatolian Sheepdog	12 – 13 years	9 – 10 years
Australian Cattle Dog	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Australian Shepherd	12 – 13 years	9 – 10 years
Australian Terrier	15 years	11 years
Basenji	13 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Basset Hound	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Beagle	14 – 15 years	10.5 – 11 years
Bearded Collie	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Beauceron	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Bedlington Terrier	13 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Belgian Malinois	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Belgian Sheepdog	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Belgian Tervuren	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Bernese Mountain Dog	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
Bichon Frise	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Black and Tan Coonhound	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Black Russian Terrier	10 – 11 years	7.5 – 8 years
Bloodhound	9 – 11 years	6.5 – 8 years
Border collie	11 – 14 years	8 – 10.5 years
Border Terrier	13 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Borzoi	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Boston Terrier	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Bouvier Des Flandres	8 – 10 years	6.5 – 7.5 years
Boxer	9 – 11 years	6.5 – 8 years
Briard	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Brittany	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Brussels Griffon	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Bull Dog	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
Bull Terrier	14 – 15 years	10.5 – 11 years
Bullmastiff	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
Cairn Terrier	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Canaan Dog	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Cardigan Welsh Corgi	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	12 years	9 years
Chesapeake Bay Retriever	12 – 13 years	9 – 10 years
Chihuahua	15 – 18 years	11 – 13 years
Chinese Crested	12 – 16 years	9 – 12 years
Chinese Shar Pei	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Chow Chow	9 – 11 years	6.5 – 8 years
Clumber Spaniel	12 – 13 years	9 – 10 years
Cocker Spaniel-American	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Cocker Spaniel-English	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Collie	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Curly Coated Retriever	8 – 12 years	6 – 9 years

Breed	Lifespan	Senior Years
Dachshund	15 – 18 years	11 – 13 years
Dalmatian	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Dandie Dinmont Terrier	13 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Doberman Pinscher	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
English Foxhound	10 years	7.5 – 10.5 years
English Setter	10 – 14 years	7.5 – 10.5 years
English Springer Spaniel	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
English Toy Spaniel	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Field Spaniel	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Finnish Spitz	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Flat Coated Retriever	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Fox Terrier – Smooth	13 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Fox Terrier – Wirehair	13 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
French Bulldog	9 – 11 years	6.5 – 8 years
German Pinscher	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
German Shepherd Dog	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
German Shorthaired Pointer	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
German Wirehaired Pointer	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Giant Schnauzer	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Glen Imaal Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Golden Retriever	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Gordon Setter	12 – 13 years	9 – 10 years
Great Dane	9 – 10 years	6.5 – 7.5 years
Great Pyrenees	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
Great Swiss Mountain Dog	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Greyhound	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Harrier	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Havanese	13 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Ibizan Hound	12 years	9 years
Irish Setter	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Irish Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Irish Water spaniel	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Irish Wolfhound	6 – 8 years	4.5 – 6 years
Italian Greyhound	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Japanese Chin	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Keeshond	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Kerry Blue Terrier	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Komondor	12 years	9 – 11 years
Kuvasz	11 – 14 years	8 – 10.5 years
Labrador Retriever	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Lakeland Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Lhasa Apso	15 years	11 years
Lowchen	10 – 15 years	7.5 – 11 years
Maltese	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Manchester Terrier – Standard & Toy	13 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Mastiff	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
Miniature Bull Terrier	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Miniature Pinscher	15 years	11 years
Miniature Schnauzer	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Mix Breed – 1-15 pounds	15 – 18 years	11 – 13 years
Mix Breed – 16-40 pounds	11 – 14 years	8 – 10.5 years
Mix Breed – 41-75 pounds	8 – 13 years	6 – 9 years
Mix Breed – 75 pounds	7 – 11 years	5 – 8 years

Breed	Lifespan	Senior Years
Neopolitan Mastiff	9 – 11 years	6.5 – 8 years
Newfoundland	7 – 10 years	5 – 7.5 years
Norfolk Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Norwegian Elkhound	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Norwich Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Old English Sheepdog	10 – 12 years	4.5 – 9 years
Otter Hound	12 years	9 years
Papillon	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Parson Russell Terrier	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Pekingese	13 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Pembroke welsh Corgi	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen	10 – 14 years	7.5 – 10.5 years
Pharaoh Hound	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Plott Hound	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Pointer	13 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Polish Lowland Sheepdog	13 – 14 years	9 -10.5 years
Pomeranian	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Poodle Miniature	15 – 18 years	11 – 13 years
Poodle Standard	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Poodle Toy	15 – 18 years	11 – 13 years
Portuguese Water Dog	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Pug	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Puli	12 – 16 years	9 – 12years
Redbone Coonhound	11 – 12 years	8 – 9 years
Rhodesian Ridgeback	8 – 12 years	6 – 9 years
Rottweiler	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Saint Bernard	8 – 10 years	6 – 7.5 years
Saluki	13 – 16 years	9 – 12 years
Samoyed	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Schipperke	15 years	11 years
Scottish Deerhound	11 – 12 years	8 – 9 years
Scottish Terrier	10 – 13 years	7.5 – 10 years
Sealyham Terrier	14 years	10.5 years
Shetland Sheepdog	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Shiba Inu	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Shih Tzu	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Siberian husky	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Silky Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Skye Terrier	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Soft – Coated Wheaten Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
cSpinone Italiano	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Staffordshire Bull Terrier	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Standard Schnauzer	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Sussex Spaniel	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Tibetan Mastiff	9 – 11 years	6.5 – 8 years
Tibetan Spaniel	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Tibetan Terrier	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Toy Fox Terrier	15 years	11 years
Vizsla	14 – 15 years	10.5 – 11 years
Weimaraner	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
Welsh Springer Spaniel	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Welsh Terrier	10 – 12 years	7.5 – 9 years
West Highland white Terrier	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years
Whippet	12 – 15 years	9 – 11 years
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon	12 – 14 years	9 – 10.5 years
Yorkshire Terrier	14 – 16 years	10.5 – 12 years

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Gingivitis and Swollen Gums in Dogs

Gingivitis in Dogs

Gingivitis is a reversible inflammation of the gums and is considered the earliest stage of periodontal disease. In the early phases of gingivitis, some plaque is present and there is mild redness of the gums, but the gingival surfaces are smooth.

The gingival sulcus (gum pocket) is the narrow space between the inner wall of the gum and the tooth. As gingivitis develops, the bacteria present in these pockets changes for the worse, and the accumulation of more bacteria, which release toxins, destroy gums.

In advanced gingivitis, there is plaque and calculus under the gums, moderate-to-severe redness of the gums, and the gum surfaces are irregular. Dental calculus is calcium phosphate and carbonate mixed with organic matter, while plaque is a collection of food, debris, bacteria, dead skin cells, and mucous that forms within 24 hours on clean tooth surfaces. The gum responds to plaque with an inflammation of blood vessels, swelling, and collagen loss.

More than 80 percent of pets aged three years or more have gingivitis. It develops earlier in life in toy breeds, and in general, affects dogs earlier in life than it does cats.

Symptoms and Types

• Red or swollen gums, especially on the side of the gum facing the inner cheeks

• Bad breath (halitosis)

• Variable amounts of plaque and calculus

Causes

Plaque accumulation is one of the main causes leading to gingivitis in dogs. Predisposing factors include:

• Old age

• Crowded teeth

• Soft food

• Open-mouth breathing

• Bad chewing habits

• Lack of oral health care

• Uremia and diabetes mellitus

• Autoimmune diseases

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your dog, taking into account the background history of symptoms and possible conditions that might have led to this condition. You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health and the onset of symptoms, such as when the bad breath began, what your dog typically eats, whether your dog has had trouble eating/chewing, and whether your dog has had any previous health conditions. The routine you have been using to keep your dog's teeth clean, if you have been using one, should be shared with your veterinarian as well, including the products you use.

Part of the physical exam involves closely examining your dog's mouth to identify the condition. Your veterinarian will then make an appointment with you to bring your dog in for a dental exam. During the dental exam, your dog will be anesthetized. Your veterinarian will check the depth of the gum pockets, the amount of plaque and bacteria on the surface of the teeth, and will pull any teeth that are rotten or that are too crowded. All of the plaque and calculus will be removed using a scaling process that is done with special dental equipment, and if necessary, root planning. The tooth surfaces will be polished and the teeth will be reexamined after cleaning.

Treatment

If teeth are overcrowded or baby teeth are present in an adult dog, your veterinarian may remove some teeth. Special dental tools will be used to remove all plaque and calculus, to polish the teeth, and rinse them. Your vet will then teach you how to clean your pet’s teeth, and appointments for follow-up examinations should be scheduled.

Living and Management

You can help maintain your dog’s oral health care by brushing or rubbing (with a special finger pad) its teeth once a day or at least twice a week with veterinary toothpaste. Your veterinarian may also give you a veterinary antibacterial solution to squirt on your pet’s teeth to decrease plaque build-up. Rawhide chew strips and specialized food recommended to you by your veterinarian can reduce tartar and improve the dog's oral health as well.

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5 Tips for Caring for a Senior Dog

If your dog is going a little gray in the muzzle, they may be entering the senior stage of their life.

While the standard age range for senior dogs varies by breed and size, pet parents should watch for signs of aging and make necessary adjustments to provide their pets with the best senior dog care available.

How to Take Care of Senior Dogs

If you need to take care of a dog who is older, making subtle changes to your dog’s routine, veterinary care, and home environment can help them live a healthier and more comfortable life.

Tip 1: Keep Your Senior Dog Active

As dogs age, it’s important that they continue to get plenty of exercise. If they don't move it, they lose it. Muscle mass is the main driver of metabolism, and dogs that lose muscle mass develop frailty syndrome, which accelerates the aging process.

If a dog’s activity level gradually decreases over time, it could be a sign that something is wrong. Owners of old dogs should watch for subtle signs of pain and visit a veterinarian to come up with an ideal treatment plan. Pet parents still think that 'slowing down' is normal for old age. It isn't always the case—it is indicative of untreated pain.

Dog monitors that attach to a dog collar, such as the Whistle 3 dog GPS tracker and activity monitor, are useful tools that are designed to help pet parents keep tabs of their dog’s activity level. If activity levels are low, dog owners can adjust a pet’s exercise routine to include more playtime or longer walks.

Keeping your senior dog active will also help prevent weight gain. Keeping your dog thin is the most important thing you can do to help minimize the effects of arthritis.

Tip 2: Get Your Dog’s Blood Work Checked

As dogs get older, it’s a good idea to see your veterinarian on a regular basis for checkups. Besides an annual or biannual exam, it is suggested that pet parents get yearly blood work done for their senior dogs.

It's recommended that you do blood work to check your senior dog's white and red blood cells and their kidney and liver function to make sure that they're healthy. This is an easy way of being able to detect any kind of disease.

Tip 3: Invest in an Orthopedic or Heated Dog Bed

If you want to take care of a dog that is getting up there in age, splurging on an orthopedic dog bed or a heated dog bed may help senior dogs that are suffering from arthritis and other joint problems.

A pain-free, restful sleep is huge for older dogs. It can improve mobility, reduce pain, and improve quality of life.

A heated dog bed may help a senior dog with stiffness and joint problems. It has a built-in heater that warms up to your dog’s natural body temperature.

You can place a heated pad or mat into your dog’s bed for a similar effect. Consider electric warming pads that are thermostatically controlled and have emergency shut-offs if they overheat. Such a pad will provide substantial relief for the achiness of age-related arthritis.

In particular, the K&H Pet Products pet bed warmer is specifically designed not to exceed the natural body temperature of your dog. It fits inside most pet beds and is MET listed for safety. This means that it has been tested at a “Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory” to ensure quality and safety standards.

Tip 4: Try Using a Dog Support Sling

If your senior dog has mobility problems, a dog support sling or a specially designed dog harness can be a big help. If your dog has a really hard time getting up, sometimes using a dog sling can help them get on their feet. There are great harnesses available that have a handle on the back so you can easily assist your dog. Dog support slings are designed to help make walking, climbing stairs, going to the bathroom, or getting into the car easier for your senior dog.

Tip 5: Make Small Changes to Your Dog’s Environment

If you have a senior dog, making small adjustments to your home and their environment can have a big impact.

Putting down more carpeting around your home so that your senior dog will have an easier time getting up and will be less likely to slip on hardwood or tile floors.

Dog socks with rubberized, non-slip soles can also help provide traction for senior dogs.

It is also recommended that senior dog parents consider using dog ramps throughout their homes. Ramps are a wonderful way to help dogs get into cars, up and down stairs and onto furniture.

Additionally, pet parents may need to reevaluate the dog food and water setup they have for their dog in order to provide extra comfort and ease of use. Pet parents should consider an elevated dog bowl for their dog’s food and water to eliminate excess strain on a dog’s head and neck.

Senior dog parents should make finding a water bowl easier for their aging pups. You may have to increase the number of water bowls around the home if the pet has trouble remembering where any single bowl may be located. A nightlight by the food and water can help, too.

Night vision is the first type to dissipate over time, so it can help your aging pet to put up nightlights throughout the home. You can also block stairways by using dog gates.

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