Study-Based Tables Replace the ‘Seven-Year’ Pet Age Rule With Size-Based Estimates

Overview

• Brazilian outlets G1/Fantástico and A Tarde report that recent studies overturn the one-to-seven rule for dogs and cats.
• Researchers anchor the new equivalences in cellular aging and metabolism, offering a more biologically accurate guide.
• Both species accelerate early, with the first year equating to about 15 human years according to the coverage.
• From the third year, dog aging rates diverge by size: small ≈4, medium ≈5, and large ≈6 human years per year, based on AAFP tables.
• Veterinarians are recommended for individualized care decisions, with ancillary research noting dogs’ cognition roughly matches a two-year-old child and example tables placing a 10-year-old cat near 56 human years.