Why Are Pets Living Longer?

Why Are Pets Living Longer?

With people understanding more about their pet’s health and happiness, the life expectancy of our pets has dramatically increased.

Karen Justice, founder of Just for Pets, says that our furry friends are living longer than ever before, with the life expectancy of the family dog doubling in the past four decades, and house cats now living twice as long as their feral counter parts. “Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, became the oldest canine on record at the age of 29, while the oldest cat lived to 28.” It has become apparent that although all breeds of dogs are living longer, smaller breeds are living the longest. This is thought to be due to the science on how our canine companions age, for example, larger breeds tend to age more quickly.

Karen believes that there are multiple factors behind our pet’s increased life expectancy. “There are numerous opinions on why our pets are living longer, inluiding better nutrition, better educated pet owners, better ‘standard’ of living with most pets living inside with comfortable beds as opposed to outside in kennels, but most importantly, but most importantly, [pets are] more socially socially and physiologically stimulated by being more included with the family.”

Because pet owners have been indulging their cats and dogs with more luxurious living spaces and treats, their well-being has increased. "Pet owners are treating their animal like it's their child, often referred to as a ‘fur baby’ and as a result, there are pet products on the market that hadn’t even been thought of years ago."

“The latest IBIS World report shows more than 60 percent of households in Australia own at least one pet and they spent $4.3 billion on them in 2015-16. While almost 55% of that was spent on food for cats and dogs, over $600 million was spent on pet products and accessories.”

However, it is important for pet owners to remember that for their pet to live a wholesome and happy life, they must also focus on their physical health, and not just spoil them with fun products. “A lot of the things we’ve learned about living a healthy life as humans, we've put into practice with our pets. Dental check-ups, diet, regular exercise and keeping our pets mentally stimulated are all contributing factors that are all really helping our pets live fuller and longer lives.”

"Pets aren't just there to be pretty. They have needs and becoming educated on these needs will help keep them happy as well as healthy. A lot of people think they’re educated but there is always something new to learn.”

Although, with a longer lifespan, it appears that there has been a rise in appears that there has been a rise in pet haelth issues relating to old age

“With longer lives, we are seeing similar health issues associated with age as we do with humans. Such things as arthritis, diabetes, cataracts are being seen more ofeten. We now have speciality veterinary gerontologists that focus on this area of pet health,” says Karen.

Gerotologists are assinting older pets with their health issues, with regular check-ups to monitor these conditions. Karen states that there has also been an increase in pet dental disease. “Dental disease is the biggest problem facing dogs and cats, in fact, an alarming 87% are diagnosed with dental disease every year.” But what does this mean for the future
of our pets? Karen believes that despite this, the average lifespan of our family pets will continue to improve. "I personally believe we can further increase average life expectancy as there is still much for pet owners to learn. More than 60% of the pet owner are not feeding their pets the best nutition. Imagine what could happen if we could educate these people!”

Tips for Extending Your Pet’s Life

Your pets have the potential to live long and happy lives. Although their genetics and breed type may play a part in their lifespan, there are plenty of other factors that you can control to influence their life expectancy.

Good Dental Hygiene

Create a good dental hygiene routine for your pet to help them avoid developing a form of gum disease. Plaque and tartar will build up on their teeth,causing dental disease such as gingivitis. This will then cause bacteria and toxins to enter the body and will have negative
effects on their heart, kidney, liver and in some cases – the brain. Good oral hygiene may add years to your pet’s life. Providing chew bones or pig ears to help your pooch scrape their teeth clean is simple and effective. You can also purchase specially made dog toothpaste to help look after their teeth, and give them a good brushing every other day.
Avoiding diets of mostly moist dog food, and providing dry food instead will help prevent sticky bits of food to being left in their teeth to decay.

Don’t Let Your Pup Become Overweight

Dogs are more likely to have problems with their weight than cats, especially if they are already a large breed. Obesity is associated with medical problems such asosteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and poor joints. Pets that have poor joint support are in a lot of pain and may have to be put down if they can no longer stand or live comfortably.
Be keeping your pup fit and lean, there will be less stress on their joints and their overall health and wellbeing will be improved. Taking them out for walks and exercise or ensuring that they have plenty of space to run and play at home will improve their life expectancy.

Cats can be inspired to exercise more if you offer them acces to outdoor areas or by giving them toys to play with. Your vet can give you an estimate of your pet’s ideal body weight, and then provide advice about the type and quantity of food your pet needs to be fed each day untils it reaches its target weight. Your local vet may also be able to suggest a special veterinary diet and exercise regime if your pet is overweight.

Quality Nutrition

Cats and dogs need balanced diets full of nutritional value to ensure they stay healty and happy. Feeding your pet only processed foods or entirely raw food is not the best idea. Offering your furry friend varity in their diet is essencial to providing them with all the sustenance they need. For many animal, a combination of wet and dry food works well for their health, so experiment with the two to see what works best for your furry friend.

Your pet should meet their full nutritional needs by eating reasonable amunts of food, so control their potion sizes.Your pet also has to enjoy the taste of the food you have provided them. It is no good to provide your pet with a wonderfully balanced meal if they won’t actually eat it. If your dog has a nice shiny coat, healthy teeth and well formed stools, they are more than likely receiving all the nutritional value they need to help them live a long life.