We wish our pets lived as long as we do but the sad truth is they have a shorter life span than we do. Whether you are wondering how much time you have left with your furry friend, or you're looking into how long of a commitment a pet will be, our New Iberia vets have the answers you are looking for.
How Long Will My Pet Live?
Our vets see countless patients every day in our New Iberia animal hospital, and oftentimes, their owners (especially new owners) want to know how long their pets will live. There are a number of different considerations when it comes to determining how long your pet will live. The number one factor is their species, cats and dogs obviously have different life spans, but for dogs, the lifespan can differ between each breed.
Dogs
There are many things that can determine a dog's lifespan such as their size, the care they receive, whether they are spayed or neutered, and their genetic dispositions.
Size
The size of your dog will greatly affect their lifespan, for instance, the larger the dog the shorter their expected life will be.
An Irish wolfhound, which is one of the largest dogs in the world has an expected lifespan of 7 years, whereas a jack Russel terrier, which is small, is expected to live 13 to 16 years, and a medium-sized dog could be expected to live 10 and 12 years.
Their Breed
Cross-breed dogs have a longer lifespan in comparison to purebred and inbred dogs. Inbred dogs have a risk of carrying genes for illnesses that are common to that specific breed.
“Mutts” who have at least two breeds and commonly more tend to have the least health problems and live longer than their purebred counterparts.
Care
As an owner, you have the responsibility to take proper care of your pet, and those who receive diligent preventive care with annual wellness checkups and vaccinations in our New Iberia animal clinic tend to live longer than those who do not.
Spayed or Neutered
Having your pet spayed or neutered can actually help lengthen their life because they can not only prevent unwanted puppies from entering shelters, they may help prevent some serious forms of cancer that affect the ovaries, breast, and testicles.
Cats
Cat's age ranges can vary for a number of reasons including their lifestyle, and the care that their owners provide to them.
Lifestyle
Indoor cats tend to live longer than those who go outdoors unsupervised. The average indoor cat can live to be about 14 years old, some do live longer, but outdoor cats tend to only live to 7 years old. Cats who live indoors have a lower chance of being killed by wildlife, or run over by cars than those who venture outdoors which is the typical reason for this variation in lifespan.
Care
Cats who are given proper preventive veterinary care with routine checkups and parasite prevention and vaccinations will ultimately live longer. Disease will not only be thwarted by preventive care, their vet will regularly examine them and therefore be able to spot any emerging health conditions before they can develop into major problems.
Exotics
Exotic pets are a lot of fun, but their lifespans are incredibly variable, so it is a good idea to know how long they are going to live before you commit to owning one.
Hamsters - 2-3 years
Guinea pig - 4-5 years
Mice and Rats - 2-3 years
Hedgehogs - 3-5 years
Rabbits - 5-10 years
Bearded Dragons - 10 - 15 years
Turtles - 30 - 50 years (some species can live over 100 years)
Axolotl - 10 years
Snakes - 10 - 30 years depending on the type
Geckos - 10 - 20 years
It is important to remember that the average age range isn't always accurate for every pet. You could take the best care of your pet and provide the highest quality of vet care, and they may live past their expected life span, or they may fall ill for no apparent reason which could drastically reduce their life. It's important to take every moment you have with your pet and cherish it.