Why aren't these dogs living longer - Page 5

I think we are all in agreement genetics do play apart but are what we feeding and today's enviroment weakening these genes? Thanks again everyone, this has really been a good converstation TIG, I totally agree with the hormones and antibiotics issue. Feeding raw is good but only as good as we can get without these toxins. I happen to be able to get some more organic meats but it's expensive. I also agree it's a mixture of things happening to our dogs but over time with exposure to all these chemicals and pollutions in food, vaccines and water, I believe it's weakened the gene pool. Now I know that is just my opinion but as a whole BESIDES breeding what are you doing to ensure the longevity of your dog? Karmen

Karmen, I feed a good quality kibble (Royal Canin currently, years ago I fed Abady but their formula changed and was not amenable to my dog at the time). I try to supplement with raw when possible. My other problem with the raw diet is I do not know enough about it to ensure I am feeding a balanced diet to my dog. I do limit vacinations especially in older dogs, sometimes based on titer levels sometimes not and in younger ones I will space them. I.E. I will not give rabies at the same time as another shot. I will also not give rabies before 6 months of age regardless of what the law says. A big component that has not been talked about here is the absolute necessity for the dogs to 1. have time to be dogs and 2. they need to get some flat out go for it types of exercise - take them to the river and let them jump in and swim; find a huge field and instead of tracking let them go hell bent for election chasing each other and nattering at each other. That kind of unstructed extended exercise I feel revs up the immune system. I have horse friends who will go out in the field w/ gallon milk jug as a shaker can to make the horses gallop and buck and free run because they also feel those natural types of motion are essential to health. You will see from other threads that while I am happy to use western medicine it's not always the first thing I reach for 'cause often today the vets are far to quick w/ steriods and antibiotics and mis-diagnoses etc. If a dog has diarehha - first let it run its course(keeping an eye on the dog of course), 2nd fast it for a day , won't hurt it, slowly add back in using the old standbys of cottage cheese, chicken and rice with a few probiotics thrown in. My dogs have taught me much about the use of more natural remedies - they don't have a belief system about what you give them - it either works or doesn't. And lastly like all of us I'm sure I pray and I hope for a good outcome.

@harley: what do you mean is here the difference between mutts and gsd if you say this: "are you talking about german shepherds or mutts. our mutts used to eat table scraps, COOKED bones and whatever else and live forever"... German shepherds are dogs like other dogs and need the same things in eating like other dogs... ... or perhaps I misunderstand it? I think - long life or not - our dogs can eat all what they need and want to eat but: the measure makes the poison. And please don¿t forget: the mutts can do what they want to do and have not to do what human want from them. That is one of the basics for a long healthy life, isn¿t? ... without any stress and obligations, without often vaccinations, without the hard life in kennels, without the hard life in protection, breed and so on - the immunsystem has to help most time itself and has to learn it itself. Nobody care for the mutts. For our valuably and "high priced" shepherds - perhaps we do to much when I read this posts about what people try to feed them, with all the allergic reactions, what a lot of vaccinations against all what lives on this planet, with bathing the gsd¿s ... and about what shampoo could be the best.... my thoughts are: to much means here the poison... I guess.

"I also think the stress plays a huge roll. I think the dog sports can take their toll on many dogs. Not they they do not enjoy doing it but that I find many of them are dying far too young." (Karmen) --------------------- "A big component that has not been talked about here is the absolute necessity for the dogs to 1. have time to be dogs and 2. they need to get some flat out go for it types of exercise - take them to the river and let them jump in and swim; find a huge field and instead of tracking let them go hell bent for election chasing each other and nattering at each other. That kind of unstructured extended exercise I feel revs up the immune system."(TIG) --------------------- Sometimes some of the best answers are hiding in plain sight. I think both the above statements deserves a lot of consideration. The idea of stress and how we handle it having an affect in our own health is not new, but these days more & more doctors are recognizing it as a major factor in our overall ability to stay healthy and ability to recover from illness. I agree with the posters who say there is no one magic bullet. I think it behooves us to seriously consider all the issues we have discussed thus far. I'm sure there are others, so I hope this thread stays alive so that we may hear from others on this important issue.

Harley, I agree with you about the food. Yes good health needs a good diet as well as good breeding. But Longevity depends on so many other factors as all would agree. And senta, I guess we will disagree. Without natural selection we are left with human selection and I am sure that good or bad our selections have effect. I dont think anyone here would argue that. We breed everyday for one thing or another, I just think maybe we could add something else to the criteria to breed for. In fact there are many things a breeder could be looking for besides the status quo. New thinking, new idea's, improvement across the board. Nature or nurture.

Hemangiosarcoma is such a nasty cancer. Lost my GSD mix at 9 to it. It scares the crap out of me. My older female is 11, and I'm just about to take her in for a geriatric workup, including xrays. :) I do think that environment plays a part. But I just lost a near 17 year old Dobie mix in August, that lived next to a refinery her entire life. So go figure! Also ate crap food most of her life until she met me through marriage. Granted I improved her diet and stopped giving vaccines, but makes you wonder how much of it is just in their genetic makeup. Lost an oversized Sheltie at almost 16, he too ate crap food most of his life until I knew better.

Hmmmm......I don't know....dogs enter my relm and seem to live FOREVER......they'll be old, blind, deaf, and toothless and they keep on kicking.....dang old geriatric dogs! LOL...just kidding