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A best friend for longer?

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It’s the oldest calculation in the dog-owner’s manual: For every year we age, our beloved pups age seven. For author Ted Kerasote, this morbid math presented a question he was determined to answer.

In his new book, “Pukka’s Promise,” Kerasote exhaustively examines canine evolution and our modern environment to find out just why our beloved canine companions’ lives must be so short, relative to our own and to other animals’.

He concludes that dogs inherited a “fateful genetic legacy” from wolves, who naturally evolved to have shorter lifespans because of their dangerous environment. But, he also believes there are a number of other factors shortening the lives of our dogs that can be managed.

“I’m not trying to fight evolution, but saying how we can work with what we have been given to increase our dogs’ lifespans,” he says. “We’re talking here about [adding] 3 to 5 years [to a dog’s life] which is a ‘significant accomplishment.’ “ He talked with The Post and offered these tips to help keep Fido around longer:

FEED BETTER

Forget the cheap kibble, Kerasote says. Dogs need protein — and not just hamburger patties. Raw meals “need to include things like innards and kidney, not just muscle meat,” he says. For the squeamish, Kerasote suggests buying microwaveable, commercial, certified frozen raw food. A cheaper and easier option is to buy high-grade wheat, corn and rice-free kibble. Though upgrading can double your dog food costs, Kerasote says it can prevent diabetes and obesity. For a cheaper improvement, he suggests adding green leafy and orange vegetables to your dog’s diet to help prevent cancer. “The science on that is pretty seamless.”

VACCINATE LESS

Kerasote believes that vets “in bed” with the pharmaceutical industry advocate vaccinating dogs more often than is needed — or healthy. The American Animal Hospital Association, he notes, recommends core disease vaccinations, like rabies and distemper, only every three years. “Giving them more vaccines can make them allergic or cause serious adverse reactions,” he cautions. Additionally, he suggests avoiding “pesticides” like heartworm and flea-and-tick medication, especially during cold winter months when these parasites die anyway. Instead, he recommends sprinkling your dog’s back with “diatomaceous earth,” a single-cell algae that naturally kills parasites.

DETOX

Dog owners should be aware of the carcinogens in everyday household chemicals and materials. For starters, “Don’t let your dog tread on herbicide-treated lawns or gardens,” says Kerasote. “Dogs who do this have a higher risk of getting lymphoma.” Switching from plastic food bowls to stainless-steel or glass ones can reduce exposure to chemicals that cause thyroid and adrenal disease. While you’re at it, install a water-filtration device on your tap, and stay away from toxic dog toys treated with chemicals like vinyl. Also avoid “anything made in China,” he says. “I don’t believe any food or toy product made in China can be trusted.”

LET ’EM RUN

According to Kerasote, it’s imperative that even city dogs get some off-leash time each day for both mental and physical health. “Prospect Park is a shining example of what people in urban centers should look for,” he enthuses. “What a grand place for a dog! To be off-leash smelling all those wonderful smells, and learning about the world.”

DON’T GET SNIPPY

While spaying and neutering is widely accepted and advocated, Kerasote says new research has found that the practices might do more harm than good. “[Neutered or spayed] dogs are at a higher risk of developing cancer,” he claims. “Intact dogs have less endocrine dysfunction, less urinary incontinence and fewer orthopedic injuries like hip dysplasia and tears of the ACL.” He suggests tubal ligations and vasectomies instead to prevent pregnancy without depriving dogs of their genitals and sex hormones.

What about male aggression at the dog park? “I think this is a myth that has been created by the animal-welfare community and the vet profession,” Kerasote counters. “Are they sometimes going to fight?” Of course, he says. They are dogs after all.