There was much excitement recently about Tizzie, a cat in Burnley, England, believed to have reached the age of 36, which put her in the running for the world's oldest cat title. The same report had a dog in Germany reaching 38. But before we could get into a tizzy over Tizzie, other reports surfaced pointing out that the cat’s veterinary records had been lost, making it impossible to confirm her age.
Still, even if these two animals are not nearly as old as claimed, there’s no doubt that today’s cats and dogs are living longer than ever. With advances in veterinary medicine, technological investigative diagnostic and treatment tools, plus highly specialized veterinarians, a pet can receive top-notch care equal to that of humans. Actually, it’s sometimes better.
Brian Voynick, owner of American Animal Hospital in Randolph (New Jersey), points out that when a person sees his doctor for a checkup, it usually means going somewhere else for blood work, X-rays, MRIs or dental work. Most vets, however, can perform those functions under one roof.“For example, many of us have our own digital X-rays, blood pressure monitoring, pulse oxymetry, our own blood tests and we perform laser surgery and dental work.” Kind of one-stop treatment for pets, you could safely say.
Medicines administered to pets mirror those given to humans, utilizing the same drugs in many instances. The pharmaceutical industry pops up with newer and better products every day. Keeping pace, today’s pet food industry products are far superior nutritionally, with an array of enticing holistic foods appearing on the scene all the time.
Our pets are living longer thanks to the combined efforts of veterinary medicine, pet products and pharmaceuticals. Remember when a “treat” for a pet was any kind of leftover or a product loaded with tenuous ingredients? Three of the best nutritious treats to come along are Yummy Tummies and Durango Chiplets, which come in various tantalizing flavors, and Furminator’s triangular treats actually inhibit shedding. Timber, my fussy husky, has pronounced all three delish.
While it’s still cause for celebration, it’s no longer inspires shock and awe when a cat reaches 21 like Voynick’s contented cat adopted at 7 weeks. Healthy for her age, no one has told Moonstruck that she’s past her prime. She may not chase after birds anymore, but she still enjoys watching them from her own perch on the couch overlooking a cluster of bird feeders through the window.
The dowager had a special visitor last week when a bear cub stopped by to enjoy Voynick’s array of bird feeders. Moonstruck calmly watched the 4-foot toddler and Voynick snapped a few humorous photos.
Voynick advocates preventive care stressing the importance of annual urinalysis for cats of any age. “We can pick up early signs of diabetes, kidney problems and urinary disease. Not many dogs reach their 20s, but the rule of thumb — or paw — is the smaller the dog, the longer the life. Years ago, large breeds seldom made it past 12.
Today the larger breeds are reaching 15 or more, and smaller canines are closing in on Moonstruck. Great Danes are the exception and seldom live beyond 7 or 8. In the cat kingdom, size really doesn’t matter that much in terms of longevity.
Source: nj.com
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