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Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

It is well known that each new U.S.


president begins his term of office
with a head of hair that shows no
or very little gray. After four years
of the stressful job of managing
the affairs of our country, his hair
is prematurely salt-and-pepper or
mostly gray. The gray stress
highlights are even more
pronounced in those who serve
Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

We humans with less stressful jobs expect


our hair to gray with age. Most of us show
silver streaks by age 45 or 50. Some are
much younger. Dogs parallel our path to
being recognized as a senior. By 7 or 8
years of age, they have noticeably gray
muzzles. Dog lovers began to wonder if
stress or other factors can cause
premature graying in dogs as it does in our
presidents. A recent study indicates that
the answer is yes.
Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

Anxiety in dogs is a reaction to possible or


imagined danger with symptoms that include
restlessness, fearfulness, stress whining,
cringing to avoid being touched, and
submissive urination. Impulsivity is a
personality trait described as the inability to
delay reward gratification. Dogs displaying
impulsivity jump on people, push them out of
their way to get through doors, rush in and out
of the car or the crate, and dash up and down
the stairs. They are impatient and pushy.
Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

The study assessed graying in the muzzles of


400 dogs from 1 to 4 years of age. Study
participants were found in many settings
including dog parks, veterinary clinics, and dog
shows and were of many sizes, shapes, and
breeds. Only white dogs or dogs very light in
color were excluded from the study because
graying could not be accurately detected in
these pups. Each dog was photographed to
record the extent of grayness in his muzzle.
Later, independent scorers evaluated the photos
and placed each dog into a category of no gray,
frontal gray, half gray, or full gray muzzle.
Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

Each dog owner was asked to complete a


questionnaire to determine if his pet
typically demonstrated anxiety, impulsivity,
or fearfulness. To prevent response bias,
owners were told the study was to evaluate
dog lifestyle, and questions relating to
general lifestyle were incorporated.
Examples of survey items to indicate
anxiety included: destruction when left
alone, hair loss on veterinary examination or
being in a new place, and cringing/cowering
in response to groups of people.
Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

Researchers found that the amount of


muzzle grayness was significantly and
positively predicted by anxiety and
impulsivity. Fear responses to loud
noises and unfamiliar animals and
people were also associated with
increased muzzle grayness. In contrast,
dog size, spay/neuter status, and
medical problems were not associated
with the extent of muzzle grayness.
Does Stress Cause Premature Graying in Dogs?

Premature graying in young dogs


may be a possible indicator of
anxiety, fear or impulsivity issues in
dogs under four years of age. These
issues should be evaluated by a
veterinarian or animal behaviorist
to determine if therapy would be
helpful in decreasing stress in a
young dog.

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