Buried among the doom and gloom headlines of late is a feel-good story about the oldest living dog – this venerable canine is 30 years old and still going! Who wouldn’t want their faithful companion to reach that old? So naturally, we’ve been asking could other dogs live to be 30?
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Meet Bobi
Bobi is a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo, a Portuguese working dog similar to Mastiffs. Bobi was born on the 11th May, 1992, making him 30 years and 266 days old as of the 1st February, 2023. The Guinness World Records verified his age via two separate Portuguese pet databases. There may be other dogs around the world older than Bobi, but currently Bobi is officially the world’s oldest dog!
Various websites claim the average life expectancy for a Rafeiro do Alentejo is 12-14 years, making Bobi over twice as old as the average (like a 160 year old person!). His owner says that he is in good health and has regular vet appointments; though they do say that Bobi is ‘less adventurous’ and struggles to walk, preferring to sit with his cat-friends, sleep after meals or relax by the fire. They also say his eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be as Bobi often walks into things.
Bobi’s owner believes his lifestyle may have contributed to Bobi’s longevity, saying that he always ate human food (soaked first to remove seasonings), lives a calm life away from busy cities with free-range of the forests and farms surrounding their house. Perhaps there is something in the air too, as the owner claims that Bobi’s mother lived to 18, and another of their dogs reached 22.
Whatever the secret, Bobi certainly seems to have had a long and happy life, far beyond that of many dogs. Most dogs unfortunately won’t reach 30, but how can we help our dogs live longer? And is a longer life always better?
Normal Dog Life Expectancy
Let’s take a quick look at a normal dog’s life expectancy. As you may have guessed, we can’t give a single number. Unlike most animals, there is significant variation within the species Canis lupus familiaris – the tiny chihuahua, medium-sized spaniel and giant Irish wolfhound are all the same species. No other domesticated species show such variation. With this variation comes differences in life expectancy, with smaller dogs tending to live longer than larger dogs. In truth, we aren’t sure exactly why this is the case. One evolutionary biologist believes it may be because larger breeds grow faster, thus are more likely to experience cancer. It may also be that they biologically age faster, thus will get age-related diseases earlier in life.
You may recall that studies differ on whether purebred or mixed-breed dogs are healthier, thus leading to longer life expectancy. In general, the size of the dog, pure or mixed, appears to matter more. There are plenty of charts online that will give an approximate life expectancy for your dog based on their size or breed. Take these with a pinch of salt, but they are a good starting point to estimate. Also bear in mind that there are outliers, such as the small-sized French bulldog with an average life expectancy of 4.5 years, reduced due to their significant genetic defects.
Beyond your dog’s size, there are a huge range of other genetic and environmental factors that will affect their life expectancy. We’ll discuss some more of these below later.
Is Older Better?
Everyone wishes their dog would live forever, though we all know the time will eventually come to say goodbye. Thanks to a lack of predators, better diet, veterinary care and other benefits that come from being domesticated, dogs are living longer and longer. Their closest living relative, the grey wolf, is reported to live 10 years or more, but often die young due to the struggles of their environment. Most dogs reach that age as a norm, showing the benefits of domestication. But is this increased lifespan always a good thing?
Just like in humans, as a dog ages their body begins to deteriorate.
Cells are slower to repair or be replaced, organs struggle to perform and critical body functions fail. This leads to many elderly dogs suffering from numerous health conditions rarely seen in wild wolves. These are often compounded by the fact that wild dogs with these conditions would likely die quickly without the veterinary care their domesticated cousins receive. A wild dog with arthritis will not be able to hunt so will starve, but an arthritic pet will have easy access regardless.
One of the most common age-related disease is in fact osteoarthritis.
As a dog ages, the cartilage in their joints erodes. This leads to bones rubbing together, damaging the joint and creating inflammation, stiffness and pain. It tends to lead to inactivity, grumpiness, muscle wastage, weakness and collapse in the end stages. Another disease commonly present but hard to detect is canine cognitive dysfunction, similar to dementia in humans. As the brain ages, neurone cells die, resulting in slowing of brain activity. This can lead to forgetfulness, loss of learnt behaviour, nervousness or aggression, disorientation, toileting issues and general unhappiness.
There are plenty more diseases seen in elderly dogs that affect their quality of life. These include heart disease, cataracts and blindness, kidney and liver disease, cancer, dental disease, and many more. Not every dog will get all these diseases – much is dependent on genetic and environmental factors throughout their life. But most older dogs will have at least one of these problems.
The point is, is that elderly dogs are more likely to have age-related diseases
Of course, the older they get the greater the risk is of this. Not all dogs will get these diseases, and many can be slowed or managed with appropriate veterinary care to give dogs a good quality of life. But they should be a consideration when it comes to age, and trying to get the maximum lifespan in dogs. Is it better to have 10 good years with your dog, or a further two where they are in pain, can’t walk or enjoy life, and are not the same dog you knew? That’s for you to decide.
How Can I Make my Dog Live Longer?
We could write a whole book about this topic, and new science being discovered all the time would make for many sequels! In fact, we’ve discussed most of these in the past in previous articles. So we will keep it brief for today, trying to cover as much as possible.
Breed
As we said earlier, how long many dogs can be expected to live is dependent on breed. Generally smaller breeds live longer. You should also consider the kind of genetic diseases that are most common in these breeds, and how they will affect their life expectancy, or their welfare in old age. A good example is German Shepherds which commonly get severe arthritis and nerve damage to the back legs in old age. Very old German Shepherds often aren’t having a good life compared to their younger days. Also take into account the population pool of the breed. Dogs with very small breeding populations, such as rare breeds or pedigree dogs, are likely to have increased incidence of genetic diseases that will affect life expectancy and livelihood. Whether mixed or purebred, the bigger the genetic pool generally the healthier the breed.
Neutering
Next consider neutering. It is well known that neutering will increase a pet’s life expectancy, with one study of 70,000 animals finding that neutered male dogs live 13.8% longer than unneutered males, and neutered females 26.3% longer. There are many reasons for this, including reducing dangerous roaming or non-monitored mating behaviour, reducing aggression, preventing pregnancy-related diseases, reducing the risk of venereal diseases, preventing dangerous uterine infections in females, as well as reducing the incidence of certain forms of cancer.
There are downside to neutering, including a potential increased risk of cancer in certain breeds. However, this tends to be seen only in certain breeds, and may be outweighed by the reduced risk of other cancers. Giant breed dogs are also at a greater risk of skeletal deformities following neutering, though modern neutering practices of performing the procedure later (around 18-24 months old) reduce this risk too. It is also known that neutered dogs are more prone to weight gain, which can reduce life expectancy as well. This can, of course, be mitigated, as we will discuss next.
In general, neutering should increase life expectancy, and is recommended for most dogs that are not going to be bred from, but please discuss the pros and cons specific to your dog with your vet.
Obesity
One of the most common diseases present in pets is obesity. Far from being just a little extra padding, obesity should be considered a serious metabolic and nutritional disease. Excess fat in the body has been linked to diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and respiratory dysfunction, forms of cancer, pancreatitis, and arthritis. Obesity will reduce a dog’s life expectancy, and make it more likely they will get other chronic diseases that will affect their welfare. Keeping your pet slim is critical to increase their lifespan.
Prevention is key, so from the moment you get your new dog home you should consider their weight. Ensure their food is appropriate for their life-stage, exercise level, health and breed. Measure all portions by weight and be consistent; try and avoid ad lib grazing. Minimise edible treats and human food. Encourage regular exercise.
If you find you are struggling with your pet’s weight, please speak to your vet.
Vaccination and Parasite Control
In the UK, most dogs should be vaccinated against certain diseases, commonly infectious hepatitis, distemper, parvovirus and Leptospirosis (and sometimes Bordetella and similar respiratory diseases). Most of these diseases are serious and can be fatal, especially in very young, old or immunocompromised dogs. Yearly vaccination or antibody titre testing will ensure your dog has maximum protection, and side effects tend to be mild and rare. The incidence of these diseases are low (thanks in part to vaccination programmes), but we must ensure it stays this way with regular vaccinations. Catching any of these diseases could certainly reduce your dog’s life expectancy.
Similarly, all dogs should be treated with appropriate anti-parasitic drugs, tailored individually to their age, weight, lifestyle and diet. It is rare for parasites alone to reduce life expectancy, but they can result in serious co-morbidities, including chronically itchy skin, gastrointestinal disease, and the spread of other infectious diseases. Keep your dog protected with regular parasite control.
Dental Disease
Dental disease is one of the most common but disregarded problems in dogs. Similar to obesity, many people think that a little dirtiness on the teeth or bad breath is normal. It is not. As soon as your dog starts eating, bacteria will colonise their mouths, especially in the pockets under the gumline. This is known as plaque. Plaque causes inflammation of the gums, leading to pain and bleeding. Plaque can be removed via brushing. Over time, plaque mineralises to form hard calculus that is difficult to remove via brushing.
Advanced dental disease causes serious damage to the teeth and gums, causing pain, infection, inflammation, difficulties eating, tooth loss, stomach upset and anorexia. Dental disease has also been linked to kidney and heart disease. Many dogs’ dental disease is only addressed when severe, and tooth removal is the only option. Dental disease has been proven to reduce a dog’s life expectancy, and is not an uncommon reason for older dogs being put to sleep.
To avoid this, start dental care early. This primarily should be brushing at least every 1-3 days to remove plaque. It is best to begin this as a puppy when your dog is more willing to learn. Other things that can help dental hygiene are enzymatic toothpastes, dry food, large-sized kibble, additives to food and water, and regular descale and polishes. Note that ultrasonic dental cleaning should only be performed by a veterinary surgeon under general anaesthetic.
Regular Health Checks
Annual vet visits aren’t just to get a dog’s vaccine, they’re a chance for your vet to give your dog a thorough health check, ensuring they do not have any early signs of disease. Many diseases, particularly those age-related, can be subtle and difficult to spot in the early stages. Kidney disease, dental disease, liver disease, cancer, osteoarthritis, canine cognitive dysfunction and all the other diseases mentioned earlier often have better prognoses the earlier they are spotted.
Vet visits can also help your pet get back on the right track with regards to vaccinations, neutering, flea and worm control, weight and so on. Some vets may even recommend regular bloods testing, heart ultrasounds, hip x-rays or more, depending on the breed, to monitor for common diseases. We recommend seeing your vet at least once a year, and more frequently in old or young dogs.
Consider Age Early
If your middle-aged dog is still as bouncy and mad as they were as a puppy, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start thinking about their golden years. In fact, while they are healthy is the perfect time for it. Speak to your vet about all the things you can do to minimise their risk of age-related illness, and keep them healthier for longer.
For example, to slow down the progression of arthritis, you may wish to start joint supplements, begin weight management, do physio- or hydrotherapy, reducing your dog’s exercise intensity and more. It might be that having a routine dental descale and polish, and starting to brush your dog’s teeth again could prevent serious dental problems. You may need to change your dog’s diet to one with more nutrients for old joints or a deteriorating brain or a reduced metabolism. There’s lots you can do now while your pet is still young.
Bobi:
- Guiness Book of World Records – Bobi
- Report from The Guardian.
- Bobi – World Record Holder – USA Today
- Meet Bobi, the world’s oldest dog – The Smithsonian Magazine
Life Expectancy:
- Life tables of annual life expectancy and mortality for companion dogs in the United Kingdom
- Senior Dogs Lifespan – RSPCA
- Why do small dogs live longer? – AKC
Is Older Better:
Prevention:
- Why you should spay or neuter your pet – The Humane Society
- Reproductive Capability Is Associated with Lifespan and Cause of Death in Companion Dogs
- Is It Possible for Dogs to be Short-Sighted?
- Is a Mastiff a healthy breed, and do they make good pets?
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