| How to Tell the Age of a Rescue Dog | | | | build of plaque, gum infections, and tartar. Avoid |
| Unfortunately this is not an exact science and | | | | the large marrowbones especially if they are |
| there can be many variables. However this will tell | | | | sawn lengthways as these can break and damage |
| you what you can look for and can give some | | | | teeth especially the upper carnassials, that is the |
| indication within a couple of years of the actual | | | | three pointed teeth that can split and get infected. |
| age of your dog. | | | | One of the downsides of a raw meaty bones diet |
| I am often asked to give an indication of age and | | | | is the incisors will start to wear down quicker, |
| the breed of the dogs that my clients have | | | | even more reason to keep away from those |
| rescued. Some I have seen from rescue centres | | | | large marrow bones. Use chicken or turkey |
| bear no resemblance to what that centre have | | | | carcasses and necks, lamb necks and ribs are also |
| assessed as the breed or the age. Unfortunately | | | | good. |
| assessing a dog that is mixed breed takes many | | | | Hair Skin and Coat |
| years of practice and I cannot write any | | | | As in humans the hair and skin can give an |
| indicators that would help the inexperienced eye. | | | | indication of age. Greying round the muzzle and |
| Fortunately age does leave indicators that do not | | | | round the top of the head can indicate onset of |
| need lots of experience and practice for the | | | | middle to old age, but be aware that some |
| individual to get the somewhere right. Though | | | | breeds grey far earlier than others. Reddish, |
| these indicators can be affected by many outside | | | | yellow, or gold colour dogs often go white at the |
| influences such as diet, genetics, exercise, | | | | top of their head and their muzzle in late middle |
| neutering, and what sort of upbringing and regular | | | | to old age. |
| check-ups the dog has had before you re-homed | | | | The skin loses its elasticity and becomes dryer |
| him. Your first port of call with regard to age is | | | | and the dog will generally lose muscle tone as it |
| the dogs mouth. | | | | reaches old age. This will be more apparent if the |
| Teeth: | | | | dog has not been regularly exercised or the diet is |
| All dogs like humans start out with what we | | | | of poor quality. The fur may become coarser and |
| laughingly call puppy teeth which could be used as | | | | drier without the sheen of health and youth. |
| hypodermic needles or as replacements set for a | | | | Though once again neutering can coarsen the |
| piranha. These start to drop out around about 18 | | | | coat. |
| weeks though some of the smaller breeds may | | | | Eyes |
| start a few weeks before this. By six months all | | | | There is something called lenticular sclerosis that |
| the puppy teeth should be replaced by adult | | | | can affect many dogs. It normally starts between |
| teeth, however the dogs will still have a need to | | | | six and eight years of age depending on size and |
| chew as the teeth need to set in the gums and | | | | breed. This condition is often mistaken for |
| this can take up to a year. | | | | cataracts especially in the later stages. Dogs do |
| Check to see if there are any puppy teeth left. | | | | get cataracts but sclerosis is far more common |
| Observe even if the dogs has its adult teeth if it | | | | and can be an indicator of a dog's age. |
| is still obsessively chewing things to relieve the | | | | The early onset of this can be distinguished by |
| itch and the pain as the adult teeth set and settle | | | | thin lines across the lens of the eyes, later on say |
| into the gums. | | | | aged eight the pupil will start to get a slight grey, |
| The amount of tartar build-up on the teeth is also | | | | white, or bluish tinge. This does not affect the |
| a strong indicator of age. In most dogs tartar will | | | | vision until the dog becomes very old. It is not |
| start to form around the molars rather than the | | | | treatable though it is worth making sure it is not |
| canines between twenty months and two years. | | | | cataracts as these can be removed and |
| This build-up will be reasonably slight at this age. | | | | therefore treated. |
| By five years of age the tartar will be far more | | | | General Abilities |
| obvious and will affect the base of the canines as | | | | If your rescue dog is slow and sleeps more than |
| well. | | | | he is awake then he is probably in late middle to |
| By the time the dog starts to move into middle | | | | old age. Arthritis, incontinence and weight gain can |
| age the incisors start to wear down once again | | | | also be an indicator of old age. A bad odour that |
| this can be affected by diet. As I mentioned | | | | does not appear to go away even after washing |
| earlier this is not an exact science and other | | | | is also an indicator of dogs past their middle age |
| outside influences will affect the tartar build-up. | | | | and moving into old age. The ability to jump into |
| Diet: | | | | cars, stiffness, and joint pain though not totally |
| If the dog has been fed on soft food such as | | | | the domain of old age can also be an indicator. |
| tinned or pouched then the tartar will build up | | | | Hearing can deteriorate in the later years though |
| quicker and will be more pronounced. Kibble (dry | | | | the dogs sense of smell rarely declines to any |
| food) will not allow quite the same level of tartar | | | | serious extent. |
| build-up, as long as it is not softened down with | | | | The best you can really expect when trying to |
| warm water. | | | | age your dog is an approximation, there are just |
| If the dog's teeth have been regularly brushed | | | | too many variables and of course the size and |
| using canine toothbrushes and toothpaste then | | | | breed of the dog will skew the results. |
| this should stave off tartar. Vets may scrape off | | | | Points to Consider |
| tartar when under sedation for other operations; | | | | Female dogs of the same breed tend to live one |
| once again this could give a false reading of age. | | | | or even a couple of years longer than male dogs. |
| Denta Stix can also help clean the teeth but only | | | | Smaller dogs can live to almost twice the age of |
| give one a day to a medium/ large dog and half | | | | the giant breeds. Neutered dogs live slightly longer |
| of one to a small dog. | | | | the un-neutered dogs. However do not neuter |
| If you feed raw food especially with raw and | | | | your dog until it has achieved physical and social |
| meaty bones that they can really gnaw on, then | | | | maturity or you may cause serious behavioural |
| this action keeps teeth fairly free of the normal | | | | and even physical problems. |