[ad_1]
Age of the dog. Has anyone checked the number of candles here? KikoStock / Shutterstock.com
"How old is my dog in the canine years?" Is a question I hear regularly. People like to anthropomorphize pets by giving them human characteristics. And most of us want to extend the healthy life of our animal friends as long as possible.
This may seem like some stupid thing to ponder, born from the love of the owners for their pets and the human-animal bond between them. But determining the actual age of a pet is important because it helps veterinarians like me to recommend specific health care to their pets.
An old myth says that dogs and cats are 7 years old. There is a little logic behind all that. People have observed that with optimal health care, a medium-sized average dog would live on average one seventh of his human owner – and thus the 7 "canine years" for each year of the "human year" Were born
. each dog is of average size, so this 7 year rule was an oversimplification from the start. Dogs and cats age differently not only people but also others, depending on the characteristics and size of the breed. Larger animals tend to have a shorter life span than smaller ones. Although cats vary little in size, the size and life expectancy of dogs can vary greatly – think of a Chihuahua as compared to a big danish.
The expectancy of human life has changed over the years. And veterinarians are now able to provide top quality medical care to pets that ten years ago. We now use a better methodology to define how much each calendar year had seven animal years.
Based on the Canine Life Stages guidelines from the American Animal Hospital Association, today's veterinarians divide dogs into 6 categories: puppy, junior, adult, mature, senior, and geriatric. The stages of life are a more practical way of thinking about age than assigning a single number; Even the recommendations on human health are based on the stage of development rather than the exact age of the years.
The dog breed and its associated size is one of the largest contributors to life expectancy. the associated weight is probably the most important factor for individual dogs.
But that still does not answer the question of the age of each animal. If you are determined to determine if Max would graduate from high school or if he would prepare for retirement based on how many years he has lived, these stages of life can help. The alignment of the stages of canine and human development during an average life expectancy can provide a rough comparison.
Similarly, the American Association of Feline Practitioners – The American Animal Hospital The guidelines of the Feline Life Stage Association also divide cats into 6 categories: kitten , junior, premium, mature, senior and geriatric. Since most healthy cats are the same size, their age varies less at each stage of their life.
Determine how old Buddy has in the canine years or Fluffy in the feline years a veterinarian to determine their stage of life. And it's important because it suggests what animal-specific health care might need to extend not only one's life but also one's quality of life.
Physicians are already applying this same concept to health screenings specific to human age. Just like a normal human toddler does not need a colonoscopy, a normal puppy does not need to check his thyroid levels. An adult woman probably needs a regular mammogram, just as an adult cat needs annual intestinal parasitic screens. Of course, these guidelines are increased based on the examination of a human or animal patient by a doctor or veterinarian.
The Conversation
And as is the case for people, l & # Your pet's general state of health can influence their "real age" for better or worse. Therefore, the next time you bring your pet to the vet, talk about your pet's life. health recommendations, monitoring health anomalies and maintaining a healthy weight could help your cat survive the literal "premium" of his life – The Conversation | Rappler.com
a Clinical Veterinary Clinical Instructor State University of Mississippi
This article originally appeared on The Conversation Read the original article.
Source link
