The Short Lifespan of a St. Bernard…
It makes me very sad that the large-bodied dogs live for the shortest time…why? Is a creature’s life-span indirectly proportionate to his size? Well it seems like it. A Havanese can easily live for over 17 years, while a St Bernard or a Bernese Mountain Dog doesn’t live longer than 8 years in general! I think this is one of the cruelest tricks of nature…no matter what anyone says.
Some health issues that a St. Bernard may suffer from include the following: Hip Dysplasia, bloating, tumors, skin conditions, heart disease, eyelid problems, albinism, bone problems, Epilepsy, skin allergies, laryngeal paralysis, temperament problems and Osteosarcoma which is a bone cancer which has been shown to be hereditary in this breed. Some of these diseases are hereditary and nothing much can be done. With other problems, you CAN do some things to alleviate his problems in the short- and long term.
With bloating for instance: don’t feed him more than 2x a day. Keep him comfortable after a meal. Excessive energy will flip his stomach, due to the deep chest cavity. Try to go on a all natural organic diet, called the BARF diet. It has been known that large dog breeds react well to the BARf diet and it helps to alleviate joint and bone problems as well as bloating. You can help in this way…
Look after your St Bernard. He will love you back ten-fold….even for a short time….
