While it is fun to think about how old your dog would be in “dog years,” determining your pet’s “real” age is essential for them to have a healthier life.
Some may think the idea is silly, but veterinarians use it to plan specific health care for the pooches based on their life-stages.
The Conversation shared an old myth that says one normal year is equivalent to seven years for the dogs.
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Supposedly, healthy, average-sized to medium dogs live one-seventh as longs as their owners. Thus, the birth of the myth.
Although, not all dogs are so-called “average sized.” The seven-year rule is invalid for Great Danes, Dobermans, and other huge dogs. Smaller dogs reportedly live longer than bigger ones.
Apart from the size, the breed of the dog is also a factor that contributes to how dogs age.
A GUIDELINE FOR CANINE LIFE STAGES
But with all the developments made in the medical field through the years, vets now have the luxury of figuring out the real age of the dogs through a guideline.
Veterinarians use the American Animal Hospital Association Canine Life Stages Guidelines, which presents the division of dogs into six categories based on their life stages.
The categories are puppy, junior, adult, mature, senior, and geriatric.
The usage of life stages instead of assigning numbers for the dog’s age is said to be more convenient. Even for humans, doctors tend to use life stages when treating patients and assigning specific health care instead of basing how old a patient is in years.
A CHART OF AGE NUMBERS IN “DOG YEARS”
Although, the American Veterinary Medical Association also provided a chart that assigns specific numbers for the equivalence of human years into “dog years.”
According to the chart, if the dog’s actual age is one, it’s equivalence in human years is 15.
Meanwhile, American Association of Feline Practitioners-The American Animal Hospital Association also released the Feline Life Stage Guidelines.
Similar to the dogs, the cat’s life stages are also divided into six: kitten, junior, prime, mature, senior, and geriatric.
Cats don’t differ much in size, unlike dogs. Felines have lesser differences in their age during each life stage.
Cats don’t differ much in size, unlike dogs. Felines have lesser differences in their age during each life stage.
These life stages for dogs and cats have proven to be very important. They are useful for providing your pets with the best medical care which can lengthen their lifespan.