Don't Want To Lose Your Best Friend? 2 Ways To Increase The Lifespan Of Your Beloved Dog
Posted on: 19 December 2015
If you have a dog, then you know how much joy your "best friend" brings to your life, and you likely wish he could live as long as you. However, dogs just have shorter lifespans than humans, so most dog owners face the death of their pets at least once in a lifetime. While you can't make your dog live forever, there are two easy ways to ensure he or she lives as long as possible.
1. Spay or Neuter Your Dog
If you have opted to leave your dog intact and not spay or neuter them, then you may not really understand how having your dog "fixed" really benefits them and you. Spaying and neutering dogs does not just control the pet population, although that is the most widely circulated fact about it. It may sound too-good-to-be-true, but spaying a female dog can actually increase her lifespan by as much as 24 percent. Neutering a male dog can help him live almost 18 percent longer.
Don't let this news make you regret not spaying or neutering your dog when they were a puppy (although it is best to neuter and spay when a dog is young). You can still increase your middle-aged or older dog's lifespan by neutering or spaying them now. While there are many factors that contribute to a longer lifespan for dogs that are fixed, one important way it helps the live longer is by preventing many types of cancer that typically develop later in life. So, you can still prevent these cancers by spaying or neutering your dog now, even if you neglected to do it when they were just a puppy.
If you want your dog to live a long, happy life and continue to bring joy to your life, then taking them to the veterinarian for this simple procedure is the quickest and easiest way to help your dog live as long as possible.
2. Keep His Weight Stable with a Healthy Diet and Exercise
Pudgy pooches are not a joke, and while you will always find your own dog cute, don't fall into the trap of thinking his few extra pounds are "adorable" instead of a health hazard. Just as being overweight can lead to health problems in humans, being overweight (even just a pound or two!) can take a toll on your dog's health that shortens their lifespan. Over 50-percent of the pet population in the United States is overweight, and this statistic is no laughing matter.
To help your dog live a longer, healthier life, first find out how much they weigh by having your veterinarian weigh them or holding them while you stand on your scale and then subtracting your weight from the total. You then then input their weight, along with their age and breed into a handy online calculator. If they are overweight, you can reduce the intake of the current food you feed them or ask your veterinarian for a special diet food that will allow them to eat the same amount of food while taking in fewer calories.
Also, every dog needs good-quality exercise, and if your dog is overweight, they need it most. Start by increasing the time you walk your dog by just 10 minutes, then add in an extra walk every day. Keep gradually increasing his activity level while he sheds pounds and you find the "sweet spot" in his activity level where he is healthy and happy.
You want your dog to live a longer, healthier life. Start by making sure he or she is spayed or neutered, and then work on getting their weight into the healthy range by cutting their calories and increasing your exercise together. For more information, contact centers like Caring Hands Animal Hospital.
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