Observation shows Eukanuba extends life expectancy of dogs
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A 10-year study has revealed that nearly 90% of Labrador Retrievers fed with Eukanuba, together with appropriate care, lived beyond the breed’s typical 12-year life expectancy.
Almost a third (28%) of the dogs taking part in the research achieved exceptional longevity by living beyond 15.6 years. One dog, Utah, lived until the ripe old age of 17 years and 11 months – that’s the equivalent of approximately 109 years in human terms and 30% longer than his breed’s typical lifespan.
The 10-year survey, involving 39 Labradors, was undertaken by the ‘Longevity Council’, a panel of internationally renowned vet and industry experts.
The Longevity Council agreed that the secret to healthy ageing in canines is a careful balance of nutrition, good husbandry and effective veterinary care.
David Morgan, Eukanuba’s Senior Scientific Communications Manager, said: “The ultimate goal of the Eukanuba Long Life Observation is to give owners the best advice on how they can care for their dogs so that they achieve what we call healthy longevity.
"There are so many variables involved in ageing; we wanted to make sure that we gave the dogs a consistent and high level of exercise, husbandry and care, allowing us to really focus the results of the observation on learning about healthy ageing.”
Professor Stuart Carmichael, a member of the Council added: “Nutrition is vitally important but so is good husbandry and good veterinary care. I think it’s important to realise you can’t expect any one of those to deliver long life, you’ve got to really have all three in place.“It isn’t just about living long; it’s about the quality of life as well. Dog owners want more than a dog that lives for 16 or 17 years, but a dog that lives for 16 or 17 years with a high quality of life. It’s an important mind set to get into. We’re not just talking about living longer; we’re talking about living healthy for longer.”
The 10 years of observations were conducted at the Pet Health & Nutrition Centre in Ohio, 2004-2014 To find out more about the Long Life Observation, visit www.eukanuba.co.uk
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