As a society we’re living longer. Ten million Britons alive today can expect to reach their 100th birthday, compared with just 15,000 centenarians at present.
To support the ageing population, it’s essential to understand the science of healthy ageing, and seize the opportunity to improve the quality of lives lived longer. And we believe the same is true for our dogs.
The concept of healthy ageing in dogs, characterised by a long health span during which an individual dog is healthy and free from serious disease, is explored further in a peer reviewed article from EUKANUBA’s veterinary experts, published in Companion Animal, one of the UK’s leading clinical journals for the veterinary profession.
While there is a paucity of studies on ageing in dogs, there is good evidence to suggest that changes in nutrition, lifestyle and appropriate health care have a significant influence on a dog’s lifespan.
In fact, in the journal entitled ‘Healthy Ageing and the Science of Longevity in Dogs’, EUKANUBA reveals that there are very clear parallels when it comes to ageing in humans, and ageing in dogs.
For EUKANUBA, the journey to understanding healthy ageing began in 2004, when the advanced pet nutrition brand embarked on a ten-year observation involving 39 Labrador Retrievers. The dogs’ health and life spans were monitored, with unprecedented results – nearly 90%3 of the Labradors fed on EUKANUBA’s advanced nutrition, together with appropriate care, lived beyond the breed’s typical twelve-year life expectancy.
The results demonstrated and redefined what successful ageing in dogs could look like, indicating how nutritional factors and appropriate care can have a significant impact on healthy ageing in dogs, just as they can have on humans. The results also highlighted how different nutritional components can provide health and wellbeing benefits that build from one life stage to the next
As an expert in life stage nutrition, EUKANUBA is passionate about educating pet owners on the concept of healthy ageing. The team of experts involved in the observation realised that rather than simply adding more years to a dog’s life, it’s vital for pet owners to focus on extending the health span of their pet, giving more quality life to those years.
It is this insight which inspired EUKANUBA to introduce a new range of advanced nutrition, which combines fresh chicken1, for a tasty recipe which also supports optimal body condition. Carefully tailored across each life stage and breed size, EUKANUBA recipes can help owners and their dog to live life well together.
Kellie Ceccarelli, EUKANUBA’s Veterinary Training Manager, comments, “When it comes to healthy ageing in dogs, the findings from EUKANUBA’s Longevity observation reinforce the fact that as dogs age they have different nutritional needs. Just as with humans, to ensure our pets enjoy an extended health span, it’s essential that dogs receive appropriate care and nutrition. Rather than simply extending the years of life, it’s important for owners to help their dog achieve a long health-span by providing them with tailored nutrition which supports their changing nutritional needs from Puppy through to Senior.”
“That’s why EUKANUBA’s new range of advanced nutrition includes five life stage variants. By tailoring the protein and fat levels for each life stage and dog size, we wanted to provide nutrition that builds from one life stage to the next, supporting dogs as they grow from a Puppy to Adult, Adult to Mature and Mature to Senior.”
Part two of the Science of Longevity journal from EUKANUBA will be published in Companion Animal later this year, focusing on the topic of cumulative nutrition and the life-course perspective for healthy ageing.
