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| Year : | 2003 |
| Tome : | 154 |
| Volume : | 2 |
| Pages : | 127-132 |
| Title : | Comparative study of causes of death and life expectancy in carnivorous pets (II) |
| Authors : | D. MOREAU, P. CATHELAIN and A. LACHERETZ |
| Summary : | The authors report a comparative study of causes of death recorded during one year, respectively among 785 dogs and 259 cats.Observed differences appeared to be correlated with the animals’ way of life rather than with constitutional factors. Cats’ free wandering preponderantly exposes them to road accidents, poisoning and infectious diseases. 50 % of the cats under study met their death in such ways before the age of 8 years, whereas the mortality rate for dogs for the same period was 18 %. Chronic organ disease and cancer were associated to a 12 year life expectancy in both species. This corresponds on average to a 3 year reduction in life span.Usually, identical tissue locations were found for these diseases, although renal failure appeared to be significantly more frequent among cats, whereas locomotor system diseases such as osteoarthritis/paralysis and cardiac diseases especially affected dogs. Thus, carnivorous pets’ health essentially rests on regular follow-up of vaccination protocols and early detection of age-related diseases as of 8 years of age. Nonetheless, the prevention of straying remains an essential life-expectancy factor. |
| Keywords : | epidemiology - mortality - pediatrics - geriatrics - dog - cat |
| Correspondence : | Antoine Lacheretz |
| Adress : | École Nationale Vétérinaire de Lyon, 1, avenue Bourgelat, B.P. 83, F-69280 Marcy l’Étoile |
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