![]() If your dog seems stiff in the legs, hips, or back, ask your veterinarian for supplements that can help alleviate the pain. ![]() At least one in five dogs will develop arthritis. If a dog has trouble getting up from their nap or climbing the stairs, or they’re refusing to take long walks, they may be suffering from arthritis, which is most commonly seen in senior dogs. However, if they maintain a continuing low level of energy and prefer to curl up and sleep away the day, it may be because they are older. When you adopt an adult dog, it can take days or even weeks before they feel confident and comfortable enough in their new environment to display their true personality. Proper exercise for senior dogs can help them maintain a healthy weight, improve mobility, and minimize muscle loss. Middle-aged dogs may develop fat pads over the lower back or lumbar area. Aging dogs often lose muscle tone and are more sway-backed, with a bonier look and prominent spine. Healthy adult dogs are muscular, strong, and lean. Older dogs have hardened, darker pads that may become dry and cracked however, this can occur in middle-aged dogs, too. They haven’t yet put in miles of walking and running on various surfaces to condition the pads. You may have noticed that puppies have soft, pink pads on their feet. Half of dogs older than nine and almost all dogs older than 13 are estimated to experience one or both of these conditions. ![]() If your dog’s eyes appear white and opaque, they may also have cataracts. This change is caused by lenticular sclerosis (also known as nuclear sclerosis), a normal change that occurs with aging in the lens of the dog’s eye. Senior dogs can have cloudy or bluish eyes. If your dog’s breath is stinky, that can also be an indication of older dog teeth due to tartar buildup or disease. The teeth will also show patterns of wearing down. As the dog gets older, their teeth may become stained or accumulate tartar your pet may also experience periodontal disease. By the time a dog is six months old, they should have their adult teeth. Veterinarians will often examine a dog’s teeth to help approximate their age.
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