How Long Do Huskies Live?

As you may know already, smaller dog breeds live longer while bigger ones live shorter. Huskies live similarly long to other breeds of similar size like German shepherd, Labrador, and some others. How long do huskies live is a bit more complex and we will answer it completely in this article.

How Long Do Huskies Live?

On average, most Huskies live between 12 and 15 years, which is common for a dog of this size. It is important to know what health problems Huskies can have and how you can help them live longer.

Known Health Problems

In order to know how long huskies live you need to know something about their health issues. All purebred dog breeds have these issues that are known as Achilles heel. Husky is not different and we can see a few health issues that are known today. 

• Hereditary cataracts

These are common in huskies and it means that your dog may lose vision. Cataracts affect the lens of the eye and make it cloudy. As you can deduce already, this isn’t a life-threatening disease but huskies are extremely active dogs. Without their eyesight, their life becomes a nightmare and indirectly this issue affects the lifespan. 

• Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a condition in which pressure will build up behind the eye and cause the eye to stretch. It is an extremely painful condition that can be hard to treat. An interesting fact is that the condition isn’t possible to cure. You will treat symptoms only. Sadly, the treatment isn’t always effective. 

• Hip dysplasia

This is another issue that affects many huskies. It can be treated with pain medications but in some cases, it will require a complete hip replacement surgery. 

• PRA

PRA stands for Progressive Retinal Atrophy and it is another issue that affects eyesight. It affects light-sensitive cells and will make a dog go blind. Sadly, this issue affects puppies and has an even worse effect on their life than cataracts. 

Cancer is a common issue, but only for senior dogs. Younger Huskies almost never have this problem, which is good to know. You may know that many dog breeds suffer from cancer at some point, and that this is a huge problem nowadays. The best example is Golden retriever where most individuals suffer from cancer at some point in their life. 

In general, huskies are very healthy dogs who live long and are not affected by severe health issues like many other dog breeds. As you were able to see, they are not affected by heart issues or similar.

How Your Husky Can Live Longer

This is one question that all owners would like to get an answer to, and they would like to make this a real possibility. There are a few points we would like to discuss here. They are not 100% effective or successful, but they do work and can increase life expectancy without any issues.

• Help him maintain a proper weight

Huskies are extremely active dogs who don’t tolerate excess weight well. What this means is that you should look at his waistline on a regular basis. Help him maintain a proper and healthy body weight and give him plenty of physical activity to enjoy. A husky who has a proper weight will generally live 2-3 years longer than an overweight dog.

• Give him a lot of physical activity

Your dog needs a lot of physical activity, and in this scenario, he needs a tonne of it. What this means is that you must allow your husky to exercise on a daily basis—walk, run, jump, and so much more. A husky without physical activity will probably run away or become impossible to live with. These can cause other issues and problems. 

• Spay the female dogs

Female dogs will generally live longer than males. Those who are spayed will live longer than the ones who are not. As such, if you want your pet to live as long as possible, you should spay your pet. Of course, this should be done only if you don’t want puppies.

• Regular vaccines

Yes, vaccination is mandatory in this scenario and something all husky owners must worry about. It will keep your dog safe and help him live as long as possible. 

• Keep him safe from parasites

These are huge issues for most dog breeds, not just huskies. What this means is that some parasites are life-threatening. The best example is a heartworm. Luckily, it can be prevented with a proper vaccine, so this is something you should do.

Huskies Grow Fast

You will want to know that huskies grow very fast. They grow the fastest at ages 0–6 months, and you can see their progress. After the sixth month, they will grow slowly until one year. At this age, they will reach their full height. Some can grow up to 3 years of age. A female husky should not have a litter before age 1, despite the fact that she is ready at age 6 months.

Get A Puppy From A Healthy Husky

It is mandatory to add that you need to get a puppy from breeders who know what they are doing. This simply means that their dogs must be checked for any genetic issues or potential problems. If everything is fine, you will have a puppy who will live as long as possible. If you are planning to get a husky, this is something you should do. Only a healthy dog will be able to live a long time and reach the mentioned lifespan.

Some huskies can live much longer than the lifespan we have mentioned here. The longest-living husky at the moment is almost 20 years old. Of course, these are not 100% checked or tested claims, but it is a nice thing to know that your pet might be with you for a long period of time.

Conclusion 

How long do huskies live? Now you know the answer and you also know all the details and related specifics with this matter. We hope this will help you determine if this dog breed is ideal for you and your family. In most cases, it will.