Beagles will on average live between 12-15 years. A beagles lifespan will depend upon trauma, their genetics, and neurological problems. Some beagles have lived beyond this age range, reaching just over 20 years old.
How can I keep my beagle healthy?
When caring for a beagle it is important to be taking them to the vets for regular checkups and other services.
When your beagle is a puppy you should be keeping them up to date with vaccinations. Vaccines are given to your pet to help prevent diseases and to give them a longer healthier life. A vaccine is a type of medicine that trains the body’s immune system so that it can fight a disease it has not come into contact with before. Vaccines are designed to prevent disease, rather than treat a disease once you have caught it. Beagles can be prone to few common health problems, such as ear infections, in growing eye lash and worms. These issues can be solved by going to your vets and receiving medicine and/or vaccines. Sadly, there are also much more long term health conditions commonly found with beagles. Some of these include Musladin-Lueke syndrome, Factor VII Deficiency, Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome and Neonatal Cerebellar Cortical Degeneration. These exact conditions stated above are the exact reason why it is important to be having your regular check ups with your local vets.
Your beagle’s diet and meals play a major role in their health. An adult beagle should be eating 1 cup of dry food split between the morning and evening. However, a puppy should be eating more with 2 cups a day.
Grooming is another important aspect to your beagle’s health. A beagle sheds year round. Brushing of their hair on a weekly basis will see the best results when removing loose hair. Baths do not need to occur on a regular basis, unless you have taken your beagle on a particularly dirty walk. Regular trimming of nails also needs to be taken into consideration.
What are the leading causes of death in a beagle >1 year?
The most common casue of death in a beagle who is under the age of 1 includes:
- Infection
- Trauma
- Congenital disease
- Cancer
- Neurological disorders
What can I do to prevent infections in my beagle?
One of the most common infections a beagle can contract are ear infections. The most effective way to prevent ear infections is to regularly clean your beagle’s ears. To clean your beagle’s ears you must use a solution and cotton balls to remove dirt and excess wax.
How to prevent trauma in a beagle
The best ways to prevent and heal a beagle with trauma issues would be to have daily exercise, play sessions and positive reinforcement training.
How to prevent your beagle from getting cancer
One method would be to keep your beagle in a smoke free zone. If a beagle is exposed to environmental tobacco their chances of contracting cancer increase.
Keeping check on your beagle’s weight is also important. Obesity can help lead to cancer in some cases. You need to be feeding your dog a healthy and balanced diet to decrease the chances.