How Long Do Pitbulls Live? The Life Expectancy of a Pitbull
If you have a Pitbull or are considering getting one, you’ve probably asked, “How long do Pitbulls live?”. You must consider a dog breed’s expected lifetime and any health problems the breed is prone to.
Pitbulls are commonly misunderstood as violent dogs who are unfit to be kept as companions, however, this is not the case. On the other hand, Pitbulls are one of the most affectionate and fiercely loyal dogs if nurtured in the appropriate setting.
They are protective, kind, charming, humorous, and highly energetic – everything a great friend should be.
Having a dog comes with the terrifying knowing that you will lose them one day. It’s never pleasant to consider how long a dog that has become a beloved member of the family will live, but it’s all part of the responsibility of owning a pet.
Pitbulls Life expectancy
Any Pitbull can expect to live for 8 to 16 years, with a normal lifespan of 10 to 14 years for a healthy Pitbull. Of course, prospective health issues such as accidental injuries, unanticipated health problems, or inherited disorders account for the wide variance in this lifespan.
Before we get into the details of a Pitbull’s lifespan, it’s vital to note that the term “Pitbull” does not relate to a specific breed. Instead, the name “pit bull” is used to denote a variety of dog breeds as a whole.
American Staffordshire Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, American Bullies, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and American Bulldogs are among these breeds.
As a result, because the term “pitbull” is used to describe a variety of canine breeds, it’s difficult to say how long they’ll live. The lifespans of each Pitbull breed are as follows:
| BREED | LIFE EXPECTANCY |
| American Staffordshire Terrier | 12 to 16 years old |
| American Bully | 10 to 15 years old |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | 12 to 14 years old |
| American Dog Pitbull Terrier | 8 to 15 years old |
| American Bulldog | 10 to 15 years old |
Pitbull’s Health Issues
Because various breeds go under the umbrella name “Pitbull,” below are the common health problems that most (if not all) Pitbull breeds suffer from.
🐾 Obesity
Pitbulls must be exercised frequently to avoid weight gain, as these breeds are prone to obesity. Obesity in dogs may appear cute, but it is associated with many health problems, including arthritis, high blood pressure, joint pain, and diabetes.
These health issues can progress to more severe and sometimes deadly conditions, such as heart disease, drastically reducing the dog’s lifespan.
🐾 Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a genetic disorder that causes pain and discomfort in the dog’s hips because the hips are not correctly formed. This usually begins with lameness and limping in the hind legs and can progress to arthritis.
The problem is that most dog owners will presume their dog is limping due to a minor injury or excessive exercise. While this may be the case, it’s always a good idea to take your dog to the vet if they have been limping for a long time.
🐾 Infections of the Skin
The Pitbull breeds, unlike Labrador Retrievers, do not have thick coats. As a result, their thin coats provide little protection against skin infections and irritants, including sunburn, allergies, rashes, and wounds.
Because of their thin coats, bacteria and viruses have an easy time getting into the Pitbull’s body, resulting in unpleasant diseases.
Because of the pigment in their skin and coat, cream-colored and blue-nosed Pitbulls are the most prone to skin diseases. Pitbulls are prone to dry skin, which is why finding the correct dog shampoo for their delicate skin and fur is critical.
🐾 Allergies
Pitbulls are prone to allergies, much like they are to skin illnesses. Their sensitive skin is thought to be one of the reasons they are so prone to allergies from ticks, fleas, pollen, and grass.
Infections can develop if the dog scratches, licks, or bites the area repeatedly, which is why it’s critical to get a treatment plan in place as soon as possible.
🐾 Cataracts
Unfortunately, cataracts are a common disease that many dog breeds suffer as they age. Pitbulls have a 50/50 chance of acquiring cataracts, which can be genetic or develop over time.
It might also be a side effect of a different medical condition. A treatment plan of pharmaceutical ointments can usually relieve and prevent blindness; otherwise, surgery is the only option.
🐾 Knee Complications
Pitbulls are high-energy dogs who enjoy running around, going for walks, and getting plenty of exercises regularly. As a result, their CCL (cranial cruciate ligament) is becoming increasingly strained.
A partial tear in the CCL (similar to a human’s ACL) might cause limping and pain, but the ligament can also rupture completely, necessitating surgery.
🐾 Heart Issues
Congenital heart disease, aortic stenosis, and valve anomalies are common in Pitbulls. Each heart condition has its own set of symptoms, however, in many cases, your Pitbull may appear sluggish.
As a reason, you must take your dog to the veterinarian regularly for health checks so that they can check for irregular heartbeats or labored breathing.
Accidental Causes of Lifespan Shortening
One of the primary drawbacks of owning a Pitbull is that it brings one of the most damaging aspects of people’s perceptions of the breed. People quickly think that your Pittie is aggressive, but this is not the case with proper care and training.
If a dog hasn’t been properly raised, it can become violent. Even yet, dog fights do happen, and if your Pitbull gets involved in one, they are likely to be put down. This is all due to common misconceptions about Pitbull breeds.
Car accidents, injuries, contracting a virus from another dog (such as parvovirus), and exposure to chemicals and poisons in food are all examples of unintentional causes of a shorter lifetime.
The easiest approach to avoid these mishaps is to teach your dog how to walk correctly off the leash. They can easily go into the road or discover a dirty water source if they aren’t trained to return when you call their name.
What You Should Do To Keep Your Pitbull Healthy
There may appear to be a slew of terrible health issues that your Pitbull could develop or inherit, but there are ways to prepare yourself for these issues.
There are matters you can do to support your Pitbull life longer. While reading the large list of possible health conditions your dog could face may make you feel down, it’s vital to remember that prevention is key. Pitbulls have been known to live for up to 20 years in perfect health!
Here’s how to keep your Pitbull healthy so it can last a longer life.
✅ Medical Records And Genetic Testing
Everyone understands the value of purchasing a dog from a reputable breeder. It’s not simply to avoid contributing monetarily to a puppy farm or backyard breeder; reputable breeders will also provide medical data for the litter and its parents.
These records reveal any health issues or potential hereditary disorders that should inform any puppy owner to provide the best care possible.
Backyard breeders will not have access to this information, partially because they don’t care about their dogs’ health. They know the medical records will reveal many health issues that will prevent their litters from being marketed.
Genetic testing should also be a priority for reputable breeders. Genetic testing of the litter’s parents will reveal any inherited disorders in the family’s genes. Because most of the health problems that a Pitbull may face are hereditary, DNA testing is necessary.
Of course, genetics will not cause many health issues, but it’s always good to prepare!
✅ Exercise And Diet
You must commit to training your Pitbull regularly and feeding them the proper nutrition to keep them as healthy as possible. Your Pitbull could develop arthritis, obesity and die young if you don’t take them for daily walks/runs/hikes and provide them with healthy food.
Pitbulls enjoy variety in their exercise, so switch it up! You should take them for a walk every day, but you should also treat them (and yourself) to a river swim, a mountain hike, and fetch games. However, avoid overworking your Pitbull, as they are prone to having knee and hip problems.
A protein-rich, low-carbohydrate diet is the ideal choice for a Pitbull. Each Pitbull breed has its own dietary needs, but as long as you avoid buying cheap commercial food that’s full of preservatives and fillers, your dog will be happy and healthy.
✅ Neutering And Spaying
Most respectable breeders will only sell their puppies if they are not to breed from to avoid health issues, which is why spaying or neutering your dog is so crucial.
Not only would spaying or neutering reduce pregnancy, but it will also avoid prostate cancer, intestinal disorders, and pyometra.
✅ Dogs in the House vs. Dogs in the Yard
There are advantages and disadvantages to possessing a dog in an apartment or a house with a yard.
While indoor dogs may not have the freedom to go out for exercise anytime they want, they are not exposed to various dangers such as traffic accidents, extreme weather, or dog fights.
Because of these factors, outdoor dogs have a much shorter lifespan – but that is the risk you must accept when keeping a dog.
In general, keeping your dog in the backyard is not a good idea. Dogs are intended to be companions and family members, so putting them in a cage outside isn’t the most humane option.
Instead, set healthy boundaries with your dog and your furniture (if you choose to keep your dog outside for that reason). To keep their joints from stiffening up, they’ll need a comfy and warm place to sleep.
✅ Health Checkups regularly
When it comes to having a healthy dog, prevention is vital. To keep your dog happy and healthy, schedule frequent health checkups with your local veterinarian.
Regular vet visits will also aid in the development of a positive relationship between the veterinarian, the practice, and the dog. It’s normal for dogs to negatively associate with veterinarians, leading to anxiety and even hostility, so early visits should help fight this.
✅ Grooming
Pitbulls have thin coats, but that doesn’t mean they don’t require care regularly! Because of their sensitive skin, Pitbulls are prone to skin illnesses, therefore it’s critical to keep their skin and coats free of bacteria, pollen, grass, and fleas.
Invest in a high-quality, organic dog shampoo that is gentle enough for individuals with sensitive skin. Once a month, you should wash your Pitbull.
Grooming also entails brushing their coats to remove parasites, trimming their nails, and providing sufficient dental care.
Dental snacks are excellent for this, and you should also purchase a dog toothbrush and toothpaste to avoid gum disease and tooth loss. Oral hygiene is critical because tooth loss causes malnutrition. After all, the dog is unable to eat its food.
Life Stages of Pitbull
The age of your pitbull dictates how frequently you should take them to the veterinarian to guarantee a long and healthy life.
⬇️ Puppy
When you get a pit bull puppy, they are usually around four months old and have already received their immunizations.
If your pitbull is under the age of four months, immunizations and essential checkups are required every three to four weeks. Puppies require vaccinations and tests for common ailments, so make sure they have access to a veterinarian.
Within the one year of your puppy’s life, be sure to take them frequently as directed by your veterinarian to ensure average growth and development.
⬇️ Years of Adulthood
After your pitbull reaches the age of one year, you should take him to the vet once a year to ensure that everything is in order and that his vaccines are up to date.
If you feel something wrong with your dog, you can take him to the vet more than once a year so the vet can take care of it immediately rather than waiting for the yearly checkup.
⬇️ Years of Seniority
Pit bulls, like people, require more medical attention as they age. Pit bulls reach senior status around the age of ten. Once your pitbull reaches this age range, we suggest that you take him to the vet twice a year.
When visiting the veterinarian with a senior pit bull, make sure to inform the veterinarian of any changes in your pit bull’s health or behavior so that they may provide the best care possible.
Taking Care Of An Elderly Pitbull
A senior Pitbull, like any living being, will require extra attention to avoid developing health problems.
At roughly 8 or 10 years old, a dog is consider a senior dog, and it’s critical to monitor their behavior – both physical and emotional.
Lethargy, limping, loss of appetite, bad feces and urine, and overall disorientation are all signs of reducing their energy levels.
Here are some of our best recommendations for owning and caring for an elderly Pitbull:
- Increase the frequency of vet visits compared to when the dog was younger.
- Slow down with the exercise and know when to return home with your dog.
- Increase your dog’s grooming and dental hygiene.
- Keep your dog hydrated and warm.
- If you have any concerns, show them much love and leave them alone for long periods.
- Decrease the number of treats you offer them, as this can lead to weight growth.
Saying Goodbye to Your Pitbull
Unfortunately, it is unavoidable that your dog will age and die at some point. What matters is that you provide the most comfortable conclusion to your companion’s life to avoid any unwanted and unneeded stress – for both the dog and yourself.
Understandably, losing a pet is compared to losing a family member, so try to make the transition as painless as possible for your dog.
When faced with the choice of allowing your dog to die naturally or putting it to sleep, it’s usually preferable to choose the latter.
Having your dog put down is a terrible thing to do, but if the vet says it’s the best option due to the amount of pain the dog is in, it may be your only alternative. It’s critical to recall the beautiful life you gave your dog during this time and vice versa.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: When should my pitbull go for a walk?
Pit bulls require daily exercise regularly. Whether you go for a stroll with your pitbull or play tug of war with him, you must keep him active, or he may acquire an unhealthy amount of weight or even be destructive in the house, ruining furniture.
Q: How much should my pitbull eat daily?
Adult pit bulls should consume 3 cups of dry dog food three times a day, usually at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Make sure your pitbull isn’t overfed. This might lead to your pitbull getting overweight, which can put his health at risk.
Q: What should my pit bull’s weight be?
A healthy weight for a pit bull can range from 30 to 60 pounds, depending on the breed.
It’s tough to weigh a pit bull on your own, so take them to the vet to ensure they’re in good health.
Final Words
The truth of owning a pet is that you must embrace the possibility of losing it. Pitbull breeds are wonderful additions to any household, which is why it’s critical to provide them with the best possible health to extend their lives.
Pitbulls can live up to and beyond 16 years if they are in good health, so don’t let this guide discourage you! Just remember that prevention is vital.
