Can my vet be wrong about my adopted dog's age? She's so energetic!

Question

When I adopted Sara I was told that she is 5-7 years old but the vet says more like 10-12 which is heartbreaking because that means I have a lot less time with her. She’s healthy and very highly energetic. She can give my daughters 6 month old puppy a run for his money. Could the vet be mistaken on the age? Pet's info: Dog | American Staffordshire Terrier | Female | 50 lbs

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

The truth is that any age estimate beyond a year is just a guess, so it's definitely possible that the vet was wrong. However, the vet does have the advantage of seeing many different dogs in different age groups, so their guess does have some good experience to back it. I can see why the vet would guess an age beyond seven years, because Sara does appear to be quite grey. However, this happens at various ages in different dogs, so there's no way to know for sure if she is actually over seven. I know it's sad that they live such short little lives, but if you keep her from getting overweight and have regular vet exams, then she should stay happy and healthy for a good number of years. I hope that helps and all is well with Sara.

Can my vet be wrong about my adopted dog's age? She's so energetic!

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