How old is your dog in “dog years”?
You might have heard 1 dog year is 7 human years, but the truth (and science) is more complicated.
Let’s break it down on The Super Pawesome Science Thread! #TSPST
The truth is, dog are just older than we think. This isn’t based on looking at dog or seeing their physical decline, it’s sneaking a peek into their DNA. Inside their DNA, a better picture of aging develops.
One interesting thing about dogs is they live in literally the same environment as humans AND have a similar lifestyle. There are few environmental factors that differ between dogs and humans, so DNA can be compared fairly!
According to both physiology and DNA, a dog ages rapidly, then slows down. Dogs under one can have puppies, so obviously the 1=7 rule falls apart, and DNA-wise a 1 year old puppy is roughly equivalent to a 30 year old human. 😮
In a study, a team looked at methylation marks (wrinkles in the genome) in over 100 dogs. The dogs ranged in age from puppies to old dogs up to 16 years in age. These methylation marks were compared against a human selection with a similar spread of ages.
The team came up with a formula that you can use that scales the age compared to what they found in their study.
16 x ln(dog age) + 31
For Bunsen’s age, we went 5 then ln (natural log), we took that number and multiplied it by 16, hit equal and then added 31.
We got 57!
It was a bit shocking to see that Bunsen is nearly 60 compared to humans.
For dogs after 5, their age really slows. If you put in 12 for dog age you get 70 in human years. So from 5 to 12 dogs age (based on DNA wrinkles) only 10 human years.
Beaker is 42!
All of this seems shocking, but many dogs start to have similar joint issues from 6-10 that humans in their 60-70s do. After 12 years, just like humans, most dogs are beating the odds.
It should be noted that this is based on Labradors. Smaller dogs usually age slower after 1.
If you liked this thread- give us a follow! @bunsenbernerbmd and retweet the FIRST post in the thread!
If you love science and dogs- check out the @sciencepawdcast, a podcast that mixes science and dogs weekly!
This could be a touchy subject for some, but the facts don't lie.
Here are FIVE reasons, based on science, that you should keep your cat inside
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1. Your cat won’t get killed by stuff
Outdoor cats are at risk to be hit by cars, mauled by dogs, eaten by coyotes, and other predators.
Cats could be poisoned by humans OR eat stuff that could kill them.
Or shot.
Outdoor cats die all the time from being outside.
2. Your cat won’t get diseases.
Outdoor cats will come in contact with other cats that are known to carry dangerous diseases.
Even a tiny bit of contact can transmit parasites and diseases like Feline Leukemia and Distemper.
Not great.
The advice in this thread will make you unrecognizable in 30 days.
You owe it to yourself to read it. Trust us.
🧵
Pet One Dog:
Petting a dog will release feel good hormones, decrease your heart rate, and bring a sense of calm into your life.
You will become 10% more efficient.
Pet Two Dogs:
Petting two dogs will release feel good hormones, decrease your heart rate, and bring a sense of calm into your life.
You will be 17.2% more efficient and you will be able to hold your breath for 1 minute.
What makes a dog so friendly?
Is it training?
Is it the breed?
One theory is....love.
Find out why on The Super Pawesome Science Thread!
#TSPST
This story and theory are from the book Dog is Love by Dr. Clive Wynne (@caninecognition) and research by Bridgett vonHoldt.
Shoutout to the scientists that made this wholesome thread pawsible!
Let’s get into it! clivewynne.com/book-1
@caninecognition Science is pretty unanimous when it comes to dogs.
They are unique in how they interact with humans.
A good many scientists feel dogs can understand us in ways other animals can’t.
They can follow a point and hold our gaze.
This is coded in their DNA.
A fluffy giant puppy was the happiest thing in our lives.
One day he had an injury.
Everything turned out ok but we learned harsh lessons.
We hope this story gives potential pet owners some advice.
Bunsen was this adorable, happy puppy.
Every single day was the BEST day of his life.
He was adventurous, always smiling, and attracted a crowd.
Then he broke his toe.
Badly.
To this day we don’t know HOW he broke his toe.
He just started limping and crying.
The happy go-lucky little fuzzball was in pain.
Hey!
Can you tell if you cat is happy?
YEP!
Here are FIVE ways to tell if your cat is happy!
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1. What your cat sounds like!
If you’ve ever had a conversation with your cat, it’s a sign that they are happy!
Sure, they may be DEMANDING things of you, but it shows they are content and comfortable to be vocal with another species!
While the pitch of a meow is TOUGH to make a conclusion about, a higher pitched meow is associated with a happier cat, while a low pitched meow could be annoyance or frustration.