Longevity and Dog Size

name        Fernando
status       other
grade        other

Question -   Ok, we know smaller dogs live longer
than big dogs. but why is that? Usually bigger animals live longer
than smaller ones,due to their metabolism. Why when it comes to
dogs it's the opposite?
---------------------------------------
Oi Fernando!
what a good  surprise seeing a brazilian around here!
I am not a vet or a zoologist so cannot answer
rigidly your question. But just for the pleasure to
satisfy you i went to look at Encyclopaedia Britannica
that has a table comparing different (maximum)
longevity for animals in captivity.
It seems that are not a direct relation between size
and longevity.


Look:
Grizzly bear:  31 years   cat: 21
elephant:57;   squirrel : 15     canary:24
dog: 34 (!!!)   pigeon: 35     frog: 15
box turtle: 123     giant tortoise: 177


See? Hope somone else  gives you a more precise
ansuer.
Thanks for asking NEWTON!
Mabel
(Dr.Mabel Rodrigues)
====================================================================