Pet Boomer Fast Facts

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Is your Cat
or Dog a
Pet Boomer?

Pet Boomer Fast Facts

5 Common Health Conditions in Aging Pets

Behavioral Issues in Aging Pets

More Pet Health Info
from The Merck/Merial
Manual for Pet Health


$15.61 at
Amazon.com

Did You Know...

• Americans spend approximately $41 billion a year on their pets, which is more than the gross domestic product of all but 64 countries in the world. As a comparison, Americans spend about $10 billion on movies. With better care and nutrition, pets today are living longer.
  
  
  
• On average, pets age seven times faster than humans. Consequently, the potential for age-related disease also progresses seven times as fast. Here�s a glimpse of what that looks like:
  
  
  

  Dogs age approximately seven times faster than humans:
  	Puppy	1 year = 7 years old	5 years = 35 years old	10 years = 70 years old
  If humans aged at the same rate it would look like this:
  	Infant	First Steps	Kindergarten	4th Grader

  
  
  
• While senior status is often characterized by age, other important variables include your animal's breed, size and history of care. In general, the larger the breed, the more quickly they become "Pet Boomers." In fact, most veterinarians consider the following aged pets to be in their "golden years" based on weight:
  
  
  

  Giant dogs (over 90 pounds)	Large dogs (51-90 pounds)	Medium dogs (21-50 pounds)	Small dogs (less than 20 pounds)	Cats (most breeds)
  6 to 9 years	7.5 to 10.5 years	9 to 11.5 years	9 to 13 years	8 to 10 years

  
  
  
• More than 40 percent of pet owners have an animal that is seven or older, meaning there are as many as 45 million pets exhibiting signs of aging. The entire population of South Africa is also 45 million. Source: The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
  
  
• Many pet owners don't recognize the signs of aging... do you know what to look for? Click Here to see 5 common health conditions in aging pets.
  
  
• Not only are pets living longer, they are also becoming more important than ever to their owners. Nearly 70 to 87 percent of pet owners consider their canine or feline friends to be full-fledged family members.
  
  
• Pets can have a positive impact on an owner's health, too. In fact, studies show that pets help owners relieve stress and reduce blood pressure. Additionally, pets encourage owners to get out and exercise, which is also good for stress management and overall health.