Pet News – Page 4 – Born To Be Wild

When it comes to counting dog years. The old rule says that one dog year is equal to 7 humans. However, the truth is pretty different. Since the 1950s, this formula was considered for the only one. Thanks to the American Veterinary Medical Association, this rule has been changed because dogs mature faster than people.

How you should calculate dog years

First of all, not all dog breeds age the same. There are breeds that tend to live longer and that much depends on their genes and other factors as well. On the other hand, there is a general rule for counting a dog’s age.

the first year of a dog’s life should be equal to 15 human years
the second year of a dog’s life equals 8-9 human years
from a dog’s 3rd year of life, each human year counts 5 dog years

Besides this statement, the scientists have discovered that the size of a canine can also affect the lifespan. Smaller dog breeds tend to age slowly and are generally considered for seniors at 7 years of age.

Large dog breeds such as Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, and Cane Corso are prone to faster get old and become seniors at 5 years of age. In case you are wondering why the scientists have chosen this classification, the answer is pretty simple.

They observed the health of different dog breeds and discovered the age when they start to suffer from certain health issues. For example, dog arthritis presents only one of them and it usually occurs as a dog gets old.

Why does smaller dog breed live longer?

You have probably heard for the fact that smaller dog breeds live longer, right?

It happens because smaller dogs are less prone to suffer from fast gaining weight and reaching the status of seniors. According to the opinions of hundreds of specialists, large dog breeds usually live between 8-10 years. On the other hand, small dogs tend to live 10-15 years, while giant canines usually live 5-8 years.

The way large and giant breeds grow much affects their bones and muscles. That’s only one of the reasons why they are prone to suffering from arthritis and stiffened muscles. Other studies have also shown that every increase in weight (approximately 2 kg) reduces the dog’s lifespan for one month.

Looking at the other statements, bigger dogs are also on a higher tendency to suffer from cancer and get cell damages.

Your dog’s teeth will discover everything

It might sound silly but your dog’s teeth can actually discover how old your pooch is. By the 8th week of age, your pup should have visible baby teeth. The terrible teething phase usually lasts until the 7th month, so it’s the time when your pooch develops permanent and white teeth. As your dog’s age, his teeth lose the shiny white colour. About his 2^nd year of life, your four-legged friend’s back teeth become sort of yellowish in colour.

Tartar buildup is the next stage. It usually occurs between the 3^rdand the 5^th year of your dog’s life. Since the tartar can much affect your dog’s health, we recommend you to prevent the tartar buildup by buying different chewing toys. Dental sticks, teeth water additive can also present a great solution, as well as regular teeth brushing.

From the dog’s 5th year of life, it’s nothing unusual for different teeth issues to occur. Therefore, we suggest you react on time and prevent tooth loss that usually happens about a dog’s 10th year of life.

When do dogs become sexually mature?

As we all know, dogs earlier become sexually mature. Female canines can give birth from the moment they get their first menstrual cycle. Comparing to human counting of years, dogs reach sexual maturity between their 6^th to 9^th month of life.

It can happen before a dog becomes an adult, however, it’s recommended to wait for mating until the female is in heat. Large dog breeds tend to reach the status of sexual maturity slower. Therefore, it’s good to check with your vet when your pooch will achieve that stage.

How to extend your dog’s life?

There is no dog owner who would not like to extend the life of his dog. It’s true that sometimes you can’t predict certain health issues to happen,

Dogs are opportunistic eaters. If you leave tasty smelling food where they can get at it, chances are, they will get at it. But what we, as humans, may find appetizing and delicious can be deadly to dogs. This is due to dogs having a different metabolism to humans, plus, some small foods can be a choking hazard to a dog.

There are various reasons why certain foods are dangerous to dogs.

It can be because of their ingredients, their size or simply because they cause bad reactions to our beloved animals. Some human foods are good for dogs in limited amounts, and can even be healthy, but too much can cause serious problems.

While this is an extensive list of what human foods dogs can and can’t eat, there could be something we have missed. So, if you are unsure about any food, you might want to give your pet that is not on this list, do some research online or contact your vet for more information.

Foods Dogs Cannot Eat

This list is in alphabetical order and covers a wide range of products that, while they are safe for humans, can be deadly for dogs.

Alcohol causes the usual effects it has on humans, intoxication, loss of coordination and abnormal acidity. But it can also potentially cause comas and death. Never give your dog alcohol on purpose.

Avocados contain persin and this can cause diarrhea, vomiting and heart congestion. While a small accidental piece of avocado is not likely to cause your dog any harm, you should monitor them and call your vet for future care. The pit is the most dangerous part. It contains high levels of persin as well as being a choking hazard.

Cat food is made for cats. The protein and fat levels in cat food are unsafe for dogs. They can lead to obesity, an upset stomach and pancreatitis.

Chocolate is one we are sure everyone has heard of before. The delicious human treat contains caffeine and theobromine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, increased heart rate, seizures and even death.

Depending on the size and weight of your dog and how much chocolate they ate will factor into how sick your dog will get. Here is a short list, in order of most dangerous to least dangerous, chocolates to dogs:

– Cocoa powder

– Unsweetened baker’s chocolate

– Semisweet chocolate

– Dark chocolate

– Milk chocolate

– White chocolate

Coffee, tea & other forms of caffeine can also be lethal to dogs. It takes only 1-2 hours before your dog can start feeling some level of hyperactivity, restlessness, elevated heart rate, vomiting, high blood pressure and worst cases, seizures and death.

Cooked bones are a major hazard to dogs. Bones are fine for dogs to eat, but only when they are UNCOOKED. Cooked bones become brittle, which means they can splinter and cause internal damage to your beloved pet.

Corn on the cob is another choking hazard for dogs. While corn off the cob and cooked is fine in small quantities, dogs have determined eaters and will try to eat the cob too, if the corn is on the cob. The cob can then become a choking hazard or cause blocks in their digestive system.

Fat trimmings regardless of being cooked or uncooked, can cause pancreatitis in dogs.

Garlic must be controlled. While a small amount can be okay, and even healthy, helping with flea treatments, large amounts can be dangerous.

Garlic (like onions, which will be covered later on in this list) cause the death of red blood cells and thus cause anemia. Signs can be vomiting, weakness and breathing troubles.

Dog’s Years to Human Years