What is old for a dog

[OntarioGreys]

When I see posts from people not wanting to spending money on a 8 or 10 year old dog because they think it is too old, and just a waste of money it makes angry. I wish more people realized that for most dogs that is middle aged. Denying health care because one feels the dog is too old is maybe one of the main reasons the lifespans on breeds are getting shorter.
Small breeds generally have a longer lifespan than a large breed, technically they should be living 18 plus years of age.

Greyhounds are a large breed, the oldest known died just before her 21st birthday and at 18 pictures where taken of her running along the beach with other greyhounds at a big yearly greyhound event in Dewey Beach.

It does not mean every dog will reach 20 years old disease like cancer does exist, and can strike at any age but when you have dog that is 8 to 12 years old think of it terms of a 45 to 60 adult, would you deny health care to them as being too old?

This poll on another forum asked the ages of peoples oldest greyhound, many owners have newly adopted so have younger greyhounds, but take a look at the ages of the older greyhounds, note and read about all those 12 and older and on page 3 an 18 year old and those that were 12 and older made up 20% of the total of adopted dogs because people can only vote for one dog in their family in this poll the number maybe a little skewed as many have multiple seniors

Our Genie turned 18 years YOUNG this month. She's doing wonderfully. Bright eyes, good teeth, and still full of energy. Loves to run & play with other pups!

Like I said these are large breed dogs, yet 20% of them are between 12 and 18 years old and healthy and active still, if you take good care of them make sure they eat well and keep them active and keep them from becoming overweight , make sure they get dental care as the bacteria from dental disease does kill and is more dangerous to your dogs health than anesthesia(many of these seniors are getting dentals done still at 14 and 15 years old) there is no reason other than major disease not to expect that your dogs can live a long life too, giving up on them and treating illnesses/injuries just because they are 8 or 10 is ridiculous.

http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=125913


My oldest grey passed away at 9 1/2 to cancer my current oldest grey is 8 who severly broke his hock racing but luckily personaliy and track performance won him a special place and his life was spared and he was given a chance to become a pet which was rare at the particular track he was at, he currently has a severely enlarged spleen which possibly this year will be removed depending what the x-rays/ new biopsy aspiration show this round along with further consults on risk with the vet , he has severe dental disease and needs dentals done every 8 months to a year approx 15 teeth are now gone and 10 or more will be extracted on his next dental visit, but regardless I am not any long shot ready to give up on him, I plan to give him every chance possible to become a true senior despite current health problems.

[Puppyluv]

I agree with your sentiment. I believe that no matter the age, your dog is still worth fighting for.
Dalmations for example have a life span of 10-12 years. By the age of nine, our dal was ridden with tumours, had only a third of a liver and was starting to show signs of what would soon become severe arthritis. We could have put her to sleep then. But when you looked in her eyes, you saw that she was still enjoying life. Yes she was in pain from time to time, but when she wasn't, she was as happy as could be. My family did everything for her. She was put on steroids to numb the pain, she had tumour after tumour removed (some were larger than tennis balls). She lived another two years, until by the age of 11, the steroids were no longer numbing the pain, she couldn't walk up or down stairs (there is nothing sadder than seeing your dog try and try to climb just one step, and then you having to carry her up), this very quickly (within a week) progressed to an inability to stand up from a lying position. It was then that we put her to sleep.
We could have put her down two years before, saying any number of excuses "she's lived most of her life" "it's too expensive" (and it was expensive, even though I was only 12 at the time, even I appreciated the amount of money my parents were putting into her treatment).
It saddens me when people think that their dog should be put down for reasons such as a tumour, or blindness, and when they use an excuse such as old age, it only makes me angry. A 9 year old dal has lived most of its life, but a 9 year old of many other breads are only half way there.

[phoenix]

I agree, it makes me angry too...
Our beagle died at around 10 years old but had been in a fairly serious accident with a car and had become obese... our first lab cross died at 14 and my parents' dog now is 12... he is a huge dog and is starting to show signs of failing (eyesight, hearing, incontinence, weak back legs...) but he still goes walking with my dad everyday... quality of life is important to consider, but if something is fixable they shouldn't be denied health care because of their age!

[shredy]

Tell me about it!! My sweet girl is only 9. She is about 80 lbs, but until she was diagnosed with cancer, she was in great health for her age. She ran 15+ miles with us a week, and swam in the ocean almost everyday. Up until she was seven, she used to do backcountry snowboarding with me, and run along with me on mountain bike rides!! That is her picture leaping into the lake only 6 months ago. I was expecting at least another 3-4 years. If I could do anyting to change her condition I would. It makes me sick to my stomach that people think money is more important than their pets. I am in nursing school, have no time to work, live off of student loans, grants and scholarships, and have still spent over $2,000 on my dog in the past 8 months alone!!! People can make it work if they really want to. I couldn't imagine anyone treating my baby with that amount of disregard...:sad:

[rainbow]

I agree with everyone 100%. We have always put our animals health and welfare before our own. Like right now....hubby's been laid off for the last 8 months and the dogs are still eating better than us.

Seriously though, I've always said pets are a part of your family and if you won't treat your pets as you would any of your family members then you shouldn't own a pet.

[huskypup]

My darling Freeway passed to the bridge last year he was 15 years old and I don't care what the cost was, if it there was a medicine that would have made him better I would have paid for it, they are my children and as far as Im concerned my flesh and blood and you can't put a price on that.

My smokey cat is now 22 years old and we are going away today for two weeks and it is hurting me to leave him with neighbours, you just don't know, I will be emailing everyday to check on him and I have spoken to my vets and given them cart blanche to do what is required and it doesn't matter about the cost, they have my contact details, my sister has a credit card just as I do just for vets bills.

[Prin]

For me, it's all about prognosis. Regardless of the age, if the prognosis is not good at all, I'll hesitate. But if the prognosis is great, then no matter how old or what the cost, I'll do it.

The other thing is what it is... I mean, if it's something that I'm responsible for in some way, I could never put the dog down. Like if I was dirt poor (if ) and Boo got hit by a car because I wasn't watching close enough and he needed surgeries to get put back together, I wouldn't hesitate. He shouldn't have to ever die because I wasn't taking care of him properly.

But no, age alone isn't a factor really.