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It’s a sad topic, but one this blogger has always been curious about – why do big dogs die younger?
According to new research, it’s because big dogs age faster.
Across breeds, body size is strongly positively linked to the absolute speed at which the mortality hazard increases. This relationship was still evident when looking at the aging rate relative to the current level of the mortality hazard (proportional scale); that is, large dogs age at an accelerated pace, suggesting that their adult life unwinds in fast motion. Additionally, size was connected to the baseline hazard, which was higher in large dogs compared to small ones. We found no clear relationship between the age at the onset of senescence and size.
Sounds simple (and kind of obvious), right? Well, the really interesting question is why these big guys age faster. As scientists work to find that out, the results of their research could help dogs and human beings alike.
Read the full story here.