Greying of the muzzle, stiffness in movement, changes in posture, reduced responsiveness to outside stimuli are external signs of increasing age.The ageing process is complex and we haveyet to discover its secret. The person who does - and can find a way to delay it - stands to make a fortune! In humans, the mean life-expectancy can be predicted based upon sex, race, socio-economic and other factors. For example, in western society women live longer than men and smokers have a reduced life expectancy. Factors affecting the life expectancy of cats and dogs have not been fully determined and within breed and acrossbreed comparisons have not been made though it is generally accepted that large and giant breeds of dog have a shorter life expectancy than small breeds. Insufficient work has been done on the nutritional requirements of older cats and dogs or on the effects of nutrition on age-related changes, and so the first two premises are controversial. However, the role of certain nutrients in some common diseases of old animals is well documented and many of these diseases are often slow and insidious in their onset and progression, and so dietary manipulation may be beneficial. Old dogs and cats have nutritional requirements for energy, protein, fat, minerals and vitamins.

Keywords: Geriatric; Conception; Growth; Reproduction; Stiffness.