INTRODUCTION

There has been a paradigm shift in the way people treat their dogs. We have become a nation of pet lovers—more than a third of U.S. households keep dogs. According to the 2009-2010 American Pet Products Association survey, there are 77.5 million dogs kept in 39 percent of U.S. households, a number expected to rise. No longer are they thought of as mere pets. No longer thought of as mere pets, 70 percent of owners consider their pets to be part of their family. Consequently, there has been a greater focus on wellness care extended to furry family members.

A lifetime of better care means dogs today live longer, healthier lives than ever before. In the past 50 years, the average lifespan of small dogs has nearly tripled—they used to live to be only 6 or 7 years old, but today many Toy breeds live into their late teens or early twenties. Even large breed dogs, which age more quickly, have doubled their lifespan in the past few decades. For example, today it‘s not unusual for a German Shepherd to reach 10 to 13 years of age, whereas in the past a 7-year-old shepherd was considered ancient.

Today, 50 percent of all pet owners have an animal aged seven or older. What has prompted this shift to an aged pet population? For one thing, dogs used to spend most of their time outside with little or no supervision. Consequently, dogs became victims of extremes of temperature, malice from disgruntled neighbors, exposure to disease and accidental injuries that cut their lives short.

For example, dogs of the past were typically infested with a variety of disease-causing parasites, which also made them more susceptible to other illness and less able to recover. Viral diseases such as distemper and parvovirus killed 50 percent or more of dogs before their first birthday. Repeated pregnancies without proper nutritional support also caused early death to the mother dogs, and produced offspring that often were unable to survive past puppyhood. Roaming and squabbling over breeding issues resulted in debilitating fight injuries among adults, and if a dog's behavior became a problem, he was put to death. Being hit by a car was also a top cause of early canine death. Even when dogs survived, owners often were unable or unwilling to treat the injuries, in part because dogs were considered to be replaceable. People simply put the injured or sick dog to sleep, then got another pet and didn't think much about it.

Until the last decade, few dogs lived long enough to suffer from old dog conditions such as arthritis or cataracts. Those that did were rarely treated either because owners weren't interested, or the veterinary community hadn‘t yet developed the ability to diagnosed and treat such things on a routine basis.

Today, dogs are living longer primarily because owners take better care of them. Most pet dogs live at least part of the time inside the house with their human family, and when outside, they are supervised or kept safe inside fenced yards. Many dogs receive at least some basic training, and owners seek behavior help if problems develop.

Secondly, dogs are living longer because better veterinary treatments now are available, and are routinely sought by owners. Dogs receive preventive medications to guard against deadly pests such as heartworms, intestinal parasites, ticks and fleas. Highly effective vaccinations for distemper developed in the 1960s, and for parvovirus in the early 1980s prevent the early deaths of dogs from these diseases. Highly palatable and nutritious dog foods support the animal's physical health to develop healthy bones, muscles and immune system.

Modern breeders study the science and genetics of reproduction to ensure that they produce healthy ped