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Scientists Working To Extend Lifespan of Pets (sciencemag.org)
sciencehabit writes: Scientists have explored the mysteries of aging in humans for hundreds of years, but now they're beginning to turn their attention to our pets. Why do cats live longer than dogs? Why do small dogs live longer than big ones? The answers could help us prolong the lifespans of our favorite companion animals, as well as shed light on the mysteries of aging in humans.
"The same things that allow us to live longer also apply to our pets," says João Pedro de Magalhães, a biogerontologist at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom who maintains AnAge, the world's largest database of animal life spans. "I don't think there's a set max. longevity for any species," he says. "The real question is, 'How far can we go?' Maybe a thousand years from now you could have a dog that lives 300 years."
"The same things that allow us to live longer also apply to our pets," says João Pedro de Magalhães, a biogerontologist at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom who maintains AnAge, the world's largest database of animal life spans. "I don't think there's a set max. longevity for any species," he says. "The real question is, 'How far can we go?' Maybe a thousand years from now you could have a dog that lives 300 years."
Every dog person knows it's because cats steal the souls of their owners. I kid! I kid!
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
When pets die it is like a practice run for the children in the family to learn to cope with death. If a child has been through the process of grieving for a pet they will have that experience to help them get through the much more traumatic effects of the death of human family member.
Stop selectively breeding them. Look at bulldogs. They've basically been bred to have the most pronounced defects possible, and suffer comparatively short lives as a consequence.
The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
Wow, and I thought cockatoos were bad. My wife's parents had a couple of cockatoos. One died young due to illness, but the other is going strong at around 20. The life expectancy is 60+ years so we might wind up inheriting the bird (if it doesn't go to my wife's brother) and could even wind up passing it down to my kids.
A 300 year old dog? Fido was my great-great-great-granddad's dog, passed down from generation to generation. Someday he'll be my kid's dog also.
My sci-fi novel, Ghost Thief, is now available from Amazon.com.
Just like humans, the size is a determining factor. The bigger an animal (or human) is, the more stress it puts on key organs such as the heart. Of course there are other factors.
We have 2 cats.. and I bet they will live to be 20 since they both annoy the shit outta me. One chews wires and the other only wants food and can't cover her shit in the litter box which stinks up half the house.
"Action without philosophy is a lethal weapon; philosophy without action is worthless."
Not to mention the fact that in 50-100 years we would only know that a dog could have a lifespan of 50-100 years. It would take at least 300 years before we would know a dog could have a 300 year lifespan.
I have a 13 year old larger dog now, and it's hard to see her aging because she's starting to have the typical old age ailments that will eventually get us all. Lots of exercise all her life has helped stave off the aches and pains until recently. I would have paid quite a bit to delay the aging process for her and keep her health. Obligatory Oatmeal reference...
"False hope is why we'll never run out of natural resources!" - Lewis Black
I guess all the world's problems have been solved now. Let's turn our attention to our pets.
There are millions of unwanted pets sitting in shelters. Before you worry about making your poodle live for 300 years, maybe go down there and adopt a couple.
You are welcome on my lawn.