Do you know how old your pet is, relative to you, or in “people” years?
Regardless of your pets age, you as an owner, play a key role in helping him combat illness and remain as healthy as possible.
Remember, your animal cannot describe symptoms to you, but he will show you signs of illness.
It’s a little scary to consider that 10% of pets that appear healthy to their owners actually have underlying disease. The attached table shows the variables between dogs and cats determined by their weight and also at what age they transition into different stages of life.
For example, at 9 years old a Maltese Terrier becomes a senior, whereas a Rottweiler is considered senior at 6 years of age. The smaller the breed the longer the life expectancy in general. Larger breeds unfortunately, generally have a shorter life span.
Relating an animals age to our own, can give us a better understanding as to what medical issues they may be encountering and how to give them quality of life at their particular age.
