The conventional method of calculating a dog’s age in terms of humans’ age is multiplying it by seven. But a new research published in the Cell Systems journal debunks this method.
The scientists behind the new study say that dogs and humans don’t age at the same rate.
In fact, the new formula created by these scientists suggests that the ratio of a dog’s age and human’s age is 1:30. This means 1 dog year is equivalent to 30 human years.
This updated calculation method is based on studies in the emerging field of epigenetics conducted by the researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.
Talking about the research, Trey Ideker, a Bio Engineer from the University of California San Diego, said:
This makes sense when you think about it – after all, a nine-month-old dog can have puppies, so we already knew that the 1:7 ratio wasn’t an accurate measure of age
This particular study took Labrador Retrievers into consideration and scientists are now planning to test their findings on other dog breeds, too.
These scientists also concluded that dogs accumulate more methyl groups in the first year of their life as compared to humans. As they grow old, accumulation of methyl groups slow down, reducing their ageing rate.
This study will probably be useful for veterinarians while diagnosing and treating dogs for various diseases.