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Dogs Can Go Grey from Stress Too!

We’re all aware that humans can develop grey hair from stress, however a new study has found that dogs can also experience premature greying around the face.

It’s hard to imagine that our bundles of joy, who are often the ones cheering us up when we’re feeling down, can get just as stressed as us. But obviously, the stress is caused by different things in life.

A survey of over 400 dogs was carried out and found that going grey around the face was not only a notable sign of old age.

Researchers took pictures of each dog and marked their greyness on a scale, while owners were asked 42 questions about their dog’s lifestyle, health and behaviour. Impulsiveness was measured too.

The results of the study show that dogs who were more impulsive or anxious were greyer than their calmer counterparts.

There was no correlation between greyness and the dog’s size or medical issues, however dogs scared of loud noises were more likely to be grey as they appeared to be nervous, which indicates that stress and anxiety are a huge factor in developing grey hair.

It’s important that, especially over Christmas, you remember to pay attention to your dog’s behaviour. They can sometimes get forgotten about amongst all the festivities. If they get nervous around new people/loud noises, or perhaps are just looking a bit distant, spend some time with them and make moves to get rid of their stress.

Finally, from all of us at PetAir, we’d like to wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Fri Dec 23 2016