How Long do Pit bulls live?

Pitbulls are a breed of dog that has been bred for many years. But have you ever wondered how long do pit bulls live? They are known to be one of the most aggressive breeds globally.

Do pet owners generally want to know what the life expectancy of a Pitbull is? We will be covering how long do pit bulls live in detail in this article.

The average lifespan of a pit bull is about 12–14 years. Additionally, the life span of a pit bull depends on its size, and hence, the small-sized pit bull lives longer than the large-sized pit bull.

Pit bulls have a long history of being used in dog fights, but in recent years they have become more popular as therapy dogs. Moreover, pit bulls are very loyal and loving dogs, and a pit bull’s life span differs from breed to breed.

For example, there are different breeds of Pit Bulls:

American Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
American Bully

Moreover, the average lifespan of an American Pit Bull Terrier is 12–16 years. However, pit bulls can live up to their twenties only if they are active and their owners take good care of them.

What are the Causes of Early Age Mortality in Pitbulls? – How Long Do Pit Bulls Live

Pitbulls are one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States, and they are used as family pets and as guard dogs. Pitbulls are tough and aggressive, so they are often used in illegal dog fighting rings.

Unfortunately, pit bulls have a high rate of mortality even when they’re not being abused or fighting other dogs. The cause for this is unknown, but there are many theories about what might be causing early age mortality in pit bulls.

What are Different Factors that Affect the Life Expectancy of a Pit Bull?

Pit bulls are not a breed known for their long lifespan. Many factors affect the life expectancy of pit bulls, including lack of exercise, hereditary, lack of essential nutrients, obesity, and veterinarian care.

Lack of Exercise:

As Pit bulls do not have a longer life span, you can still take your pit bull to its twenties. Consequently, exercise is a significant factor in contributing increased life span of the pit bull.

Your pit bull might get a little lazy over time. Hence exercising and outdoor activities are suitable to keep your dog active and healthy.

Hereditary:

Hereditary plays an essential role in telling you how long do pit bulls live. For example, if the ancestors of your pit bull lived an average of 14 years, then your pit bull is very likely to live only that long.

Additionally, if you do not know the ancestor history of a Pitbull, you cannot estimate the lifespan of your pit bull.

Lack of Essential Nutrients:

A diet rich in essential nutrients indicates your dog’s good health, and pit bulls need proper nourishment. Ultimately, lack of nutrients will make your dog sick and shortens its lifespan.

Obesity:

Obesity is very much a contributing factor in decreasing a lifespan of a pit bull. The increased weight of a pit bull will affect the joints and bones, and additionally, the extra fat will affect the functioning of the organs.

Veterinarian Care:

A frequent visit to the vet is essential. Hence, neglecting vet follow-up will pose a severe health problem, especially when a pit bull is senior.

What Health Problems are Pit Bulls Prone to?

Pit bulls are prone to many health problems. Moreover, there exist common pit bull health problems. Generally, pet owners are concerned with some issues, i.e., Are Pitbulls prone to cancer, or do pit bull genetic disorders exist.

Here we will discuss the most common health problems that Pit bulls are prone to.

Pitbull common health problems:

Hip dysplasia
Allergies
Heart disease
Thyroid disease
Parvovirus
Canine distemper virus
Leptospirosis

As pit bulls are prone to such diseases, it is essential to take good care of them in diet and health. Additionally, the weekly follow-up with the veterinarian is essential to check your pit bull’s health.

How to Increase Your Dog’s Lifespan with Diet and Exercise?

Dogs are one of the most loving creatures on Earth. They are always there for you, and they provide unconditional love. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t need care.

Diet:

It is essential to know what to feed your dog for longevity and make sure that you have the best dog food possible. Just like humans, dogs also age as time goes on, and diet contributes to significant health issues in any dog.

They need more protein in their diet for their muscles to stay strong, and they need more calcium for their bones to stay healthy. Hence protein and calcium can be termed the best dog food for long life.

AAFCO has established several guidelines for food intake for your pet. Hence, feeding your dog food recommended by AAFCO helps maintain your dog’s good health.

Along with diet, you also need to consider that your dog might be allergic to some foods. So, you should keep an eye on your dog while having any new food. Also, avoid overfeeding, even if the food is healthy, as it can pose serious health issues like obesity, arthritis, etc.

Supplements:

Supplements are not only for humans but also for dogs. While introducing supplements to pit bulls, make sure that no fancy ingredients are present. Ideally, the dog supplement should contain:

MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane)
Chondroitin
Glucosamine

Exercise:

Pit bulls require a lot of exercise as they are high-energy breeds. Because pit bulls are strong and muscular, they need physical activities to stay fit.

Take your dog to the park and play with him. Frisbee can be a fun game to play that helps to keep your dog healthy and fit. Additionally, fetching is also a muscle-strengthening game.

Running and walking are also constructive activities for your dog to fit physically and mentally. The life expectancy of pit bulls can be judged by the number of activities they engage in.

While taking your pit bull on a walk or run, you might need a supportive harness for them. If you want to have piece knowledge for best harnesses for pit bulls. Please look at our reviews on pit bull harnesses and buying guides.

How to Increase the Lifespan of a Pit Bull?

How long do pit bulls live? The section summarizes it all. It is essential to take care of your dog’s health with regular checkups and vet visits. There are also some simple things you can do to help increase the lifespan of a pit bull:

Feeding them a high-quality food
Maintaining proper weight
Giving them plenty of exercises
Keeping them out of extreme heat or cold
Providing plenty of freshwaters
Avoiding any toxins that might harm their liver or kidneys

Feeding High-Quality Food

The quality of food matters to humans and dogs, and inadequate food intake will directly compromise health. Other than that, we know that pit bulls are more prone to different diseases, and inadequate food intake will ultimately leave them to suffer.

So, a portion of good and healthy food is necessary to protect your dog from diseases.

Also, read our guide on Can dogs eat cooked mushrooms? Since mushrooms are high-quality food. Our guide will help better understand whether your dog can have mushrooms or not.

Maintaining Proper Weight

Without a doubt, maintaining weight is an essential part of a pit bull’s life span. An average-weight pit bull is healthy and is unable to fall ill. On the other hand, overweight or obese dogs can quickly have arthritis or other diseases.

Ultimately, an increase in weight can be fatal to your dog.

Giving them Plenty of Exercise

Pit bulls need exercise to burn off their calories, and exercise can also enhance their mental and physical health. Take your dog out daily for a walk or jog. Additionally, engage your dog in some fun-to-play activities so he never gets bored.

Keeping them Out of Extreme Hot or Cold

A sudden increase or decrease in temperature is not suitable for pit bulls. Keep them at moderate temperature.

Young pit bulls are active and can withstand cold temperatures, but old pit bulls are lazy. Cold temperature can cause a slowing down of metabolism. Ultimately, you have to be extra careful with your old dogs.

Similarly, hot temperatures can be harmful to your dog. Keep an eye on your dog when out in the heat. Excessive panting, difficulty in breathing, sweating, and ultimately unconsciousness are the symptoms your dog can have.

Be aware of such symptoms as they can lead to the death of your dog. Keep in mind that young dogs are resistant to temperature change, but old dogs cannot withstand this temperature change.

Providing Plenty of Freshwaters

To prevent your dog die from dehydration, you need to give them water to drink.

Avoiding any toxins that might harm their liver or kidneys:

Foods that you introduce to your pit bull’s diet should be free of toxins. Hence, reading labels and getting the source of purchase will effectively remove doubts about toxins.

In the above discussion, we learn about how long do pit bulls live?

Conclusion

Pit bulls are one of the most popular dog breeds in America, and they are known for their strong jaws and muscular bodies. Generally, the common concern of people is how long do pit bulls live?

The average pit bull’s lifespan is 10–12 years, which is quite good for a dog breed. This means they can be with you for a long time and will be your loyal companion.

Moreover, the life span and quality can be increased by adopting healthy lifestyle changes for your pit bull. Since an old pit bull can be lazy, special attention is needed for such dogs. On the other hand, the small breeds are always active and moving from place to place.