Re: [PyrNet-L] Longevity of Pyrs

["Donna Coffman" <dcoffman@erols.com>]

To determine the longevity of Pyrs for statistical purposes, you need to
include all dogs and give the reasons they died.  (The tabulator could then
determine what percentage died accidentally, and what percentage died from
health problems with specifics for both categories.)  I would not include
the 6 month old who died accidentally (or, for that matter, any other dog
who died accidentally) in a survey on "health" issues.
Donna

----------
> From: Carol Brescher Boyle <carol@NaturalDogFood.com>
> To: pyrnet-l@gamerz.net
> Subject: [PyrNet-L] Longevity of Pyrs
> Date: Monday, March 23, 1998 12:02 PM
> 
> Dear Fellow Pyr Lovers,
> 
> Mea Cupla. My husband, whose undergraduate degree was math,
> accused me of watching too many Figure Skating Competitions, 
> where they throw out the high and the low scores. And that
> is how I came up with the longevity of my Pyrs. But including
> my old boy and excluding the young accident, my average still
> comes up to less than 9 years. But this includes the dogs I
> lost to cancer and other diseases.
> 
> If you just want to count the ones who lived out their lives
> with us, or had to be euthanized due to quality of life issues,
> we are probably looking at 10 to 11 (I will not even attempt
> the math ;-).)  But if a dog succumbs to a disease, such as
> cancer, should not this included in the count? Or do we just
> say that a healthy Pyr should live to age 12, provided he/she
> doesn't get cancer, or bloat or...? Seems to me that eliminating
> those who get sick and die prematurely skews the results.
> 
> And Joe, I can't agree with you more.
> > 
> > Joe wrote:
> > 
> > >I wish some of the dogs did not live as long as they do.  When they
get so
> > >old, some of them have a very poor quality of life and we get into the
> > >impossible situation of trying to determine when the poor quality of
life they
> > >endure no longer is good for them.  I feel we alway error on the side
of life.
> 
> But if you err on the side of life, you can change your mind later.
> If you err the other way - its over. 
> 
> There are times when it is not an issue and things are
> crystal clear. Most times it is not. It is probably one
> of the toughest things you have to do, and I don't envy
> what you are facing right now. 
> 
> Good luck, Joe.
>  
> 
> -- 
>   Carol
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>  Carol Brescher Boyle                Improving the health of our dogs,
>  carol@NaturalDogFood.com                          one meal at a time.
> 
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