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Japanese dogs live longer

Fri, 24 Mar 2006

Chieko Ushiyam goes to see a doctor every two weeks and spends £114 on medical costs. However the treatment is not for her it is for her 12 year old Shih Tzu called Pepe, who suffers from heart disease.

It is now believe that nearly half of the canine population in Japan are elderly canines. As a result new products and services have become available to help the elderly dog population.

Ushiyama who is 56 said, "Pepe is one of the family so of course I'll take care of him until the end.

"But the medicine and trips to the hospital cost money, and there's the worry about him. So things can be hard."

Looking after her dog is a priority regardless of the cost and there are now many options for care. Diapers are now available for dogs that are incontinent. Spas and hot springs are also available as are special kinds of food. There are also dog wheelchairs available, which is a type of frame for dogs whose hind legs can’t hold the dog’s weight.

Eriko Kanazawa, senior researcher at Yano Research Institute in Tokyo said, "Just the way services are evolving to take care of ageing humans, many of the same things are developing, or will, to take care of ageing animals.

"The amount of money people spend on their pets is increasing and more people want to be with their pets until the very end."

According to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association an average household in Japan with one dog can spend up to £585 a year on their pet.

Guide dogs that become too old can spend their final days in one of two specially built homes. However there are no facilities for other pets.

Times have changed in Japan when dogs were mostly kept tied outside and used as guard dogs. Now because more people are living on their own due to a change in family structure and people living longer, many treat dogs as part of their family.

Munenori Ito, a veterinarian in western Tokyo said, "In the past, three generations lived together in the same house, but this is rare. So now more people have pets, to bring back a warm feeling to the house."

In 2005 Japan had a population of 127 million with 13 million dogs as pets.

Katsuo Mochizuki, of the Pet Food Manufacturers Association said, "As people age, the number of dog’s increases. The largest number of dog owners in Japan is in their 50s and 60s."

Many of these dogs are aged seven or more years old which many vets consider old. Animals that live to 15 year or more are not rare. It now the case that like the owners the dogs are old also.

Yukiko Ando, a 58 year old who’s Alaskan Malamute died at the age of 13 said, "I've known some aged couples who care for their dog like a child. But eventually they get to the point where they wonder who will go first, themselves or the dog."

The main reason dogs live longer is because they receive better food. There is an array of specialised food aimed for every type of dog. Another reason is regular check ups by the vet.

Ito, a veterinarian said, "Animals are just like people -- as they age, they have kidney problems, heart problems, and liver problems."

With any elderly being, care costs can be expensive and they often come at a time when they are least affordable. Pet insurance has been developed as a result and can cost 49,000 yen a year for big dogs.

Ando nursed two dogs during their final illnesses aged 12 and 13. She now has another dog that is five and said, "When you spend a decade with a dog, you grow older together.

"And if the dog walks more slowly - well, I walk more slowly too."
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