Health
A grey muzzle, longer sleeps, stiff getting up in the morning. An older dog needs closer watching, more frequent check-ups and a home that suits the body he has now.
Caution. An old dog who has not eaten for a day, vomits repeatedly, breathes hard at rest, collapses, has pale gums, cannot get up or suddenly loses his balance or sight: ring your own vet today. Sudden changes are not old age.
Do not look for the answer in a Facebook group, on TikTok or on a forum. Look for someone trained for this: your dog's own veterinarian, the only person who can examine, investigate and treat them.
Use this page to know what to observe, what to note and what to ask at the appointment, not to treat at home. If you still have doubts after a consultation, ask another vet or a specialist (dermatologist, internist) for a second opinion, not a group. And if you do not have a regular vet yet, find one now, while your dog is healthy: how to choose a veterinary clinic.
Your dog is nine. His muzzle has gone grey, he sleeps in till ten, he is slower getting off his bed in the morning, and when you throw the ball he watches it go instead of tearing after it. He eats the same, maybe a bit less. You wonder what is normal at this age. Then, what you can change at home so the years ahead are good ones. An old dog does not need wrapping in cotton wool. He needs closer, more frequent attention, and a house and walks that fit the body he has now. Below are the signs that mean ringing the vet today, what to check at home each month, what happens at a senior check-up and what not to do. Confusion, restless nights and "forgetting" have their own guide, on dementia in dogs.
In an old dog, changes that creep in slowly are usually age. Sudden ones almost never are. Ring the same day if he:
Book an appointment within the week if he is drinking noticeably more, losing weight while eating the same, has bad breath and drops his food, or has started weeing indoors.
Old dogs hide pain well and changes come slowly. You see him every day, which makes you the person least likely to notice. A short check once a month, on the same date, gets round that.
| What you see | Usually age if… | Worth a vet visit if… |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeps more | he wakes up happy, eats, enjoys his walk | he sleeps all day and nothing interests him any more |
| Slow to get up | it wears off after a few steps | he limps, whimpers, avoids the stairs |
| Hearing worse | gradually, over years | suddenly, or with a red, smelly ear |
| Bluish eyes | a bluish haze, and he can still see | eyes milky white, red, sore, or he bumps into things |
| Eats less | a little less, steadily, and he is not losing weight | he refuses food, chews on one side, drops food |
| Putting on weight | he moves less and eats the same | the belly swells, the coat thins, he drinks a lot |
Most guidelines recommend two check-ups a year for a senior dog instead of one. Six months is a long time in an old dog's life.
An old dog looked after carefully can have good, peaceful years. The walks get shorter; the nose stays as curious as ever. Your part is to spot changes early and make his house easy to live in.
What dog owners search for most often on the internet about this problem, with the short answer. The answers are a guide only: the decision belongs to your dog's own vet, after an examination.
It depends on size. Small breeds usually count as senior at around 10–11, medium breeds at 8–9, and large and giant breeds from as early as 6–7. Veterinary guidelines call a dog senior once he is in the last quarter of the life expected for his size and breed. From then on, check-ups are twice a year.
Weigh and check him once a month (lumps, teeth, water, movement, sleep), put non-slip rugs along his routes, give him a soft, warm bed and ramps where he has to climb. Walks get shorter and more frequent, with lots of sniffing time, and games where he searches for his food keep his mind busy.
Old dogs sleep more and that is normal, as long as they wake up bright, eat and enjoy their walk. It is not normal if he sleeps all day and nothing interests him, paces restlessly at night or seems lost in the house. Then it may be pain, illness or canine dementia, and it is worth a vet visit.
Usually once a year: a blood count and biochemistry (kidneys, liver, blood sugar), sometimes thyroid, a urine test and blood pressure. The vet repeats them more often if something needs watching. The tests catch common conditions at this age, such as kidney disease or diabetes, early, when they are easier to control.
No single food suits every senior. Some need fewer calories so they do not put on weight, others more because they are losing it, and dogs with kidney or heart disease need special diets. Choose with your vet, based on weight and blood results, and change food gradually over 7–10 days.
The information on this page is educational and does not replace an examination. For full details and a diagnosis, consult your dog's own veterinarian.
They often come together: the same causes, plans that complement each other.
He paces at night, stands with his nose in a corner, waits at the wrong side of the door, wees indoors. Some of it is age. Some of it can be treated.
Up in two stages, refusing the stairs, bunny-hopping at a run. Joint pain shows in what the dog stops doing, long before he whimpers.
The bowl filled three times a day, requests to go out at two in the morning, a puddle in the hall. Sometimes it is just summer. Sometimes it is the first sign of illness.
The "one dog year, seven human years" rule is wrong at both ends. A dog's real age depends on his size, and each stage of his life asks something different of you.
We work with your dog's behaviour, not its health. For any sign described here, book an appointment with your own vet; the related services page explains how to choose a clinic.