Typically, we all agree that big animals like elephants, whales, among others, would live longer. However, when it comes to dogs. It is puzzling to understand why this is not the case. In dogs, the smaller ones tend to live longer.
There are various speculations why this happens. One of them is large dogs age at a faster rate. They grow in size quickly as well. Some researchers correlated this to the susceptibility of large dogs to cancer. Because their body develops so fast, their cells have no time to properly adjust to the dog’s bodily changes. This leads to abnormal growth of cells, which is thought to be one of the primary causes of cancer.
The large dog’s fast aging also predisposes them to different age-related health conditions. Large dogs tend to gain weight much faster. Sometimes, they would gain weight uncontrollably, which can harm their overall health. Being overweight predisposes large dogs to many health conditions such as heart conditions and arthritis.
However, the longevity of your dogs, no matter what size, would also be impacted by how you take care of them. Ensure that you give them proper nutrition, physical activities, and grooming to help add years to their lives.
Your nearest veterinarian Carmel Valley can enlighten you about important health issues that can affect your pet.
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