Defining healthy aging in older dogs and differentiating healthy aging from disease

Abstract

lthough it is often misconstrued as such, aging is not a pathological process but rather comprises the normal, time-dependent changes that occur during the later stages of life in every animal. Today, it is gener-ally accepted that healthy aging is achievable in both humans and animals and should be promoted through effective health-care programs. Aging wellness has been defined as “the development and maintenance of opti-mal mental, social and physical well-being and function in older adults.”