On nearly all parts of the world, humans are living longer.1 Centuries of success combating causes of death in the young, such as infectious disease, malnutrition, and trauma, have allowed more of us to grow old. However, this demographic shift has led to an increase in chronic, age-associated diseases.Many veterinarians believe that our patient populations are undergoing a similar demographic shift, though reliable data are difficult to come by. Periodic analyses of the medical record systems for the national veterinary organization Banfield Pet Hospital suggest that life expectancy is increasing in pets. In 2002, the average life expectancy for dogs was 10.5 years; by 2016, it was 11.8 years.2,3 For cats, the average life expectancy in 2002 was 11 years; by 2016, it was 12.9 years.2,3 Other sourcesof data also suggest increasing longevity, but there are no prospective studies designed to assess changes in life expectancy over time in cats or dogs.
展开▼
