Furry Aging - Resources for Senior Dog Parents

Photo by Hannah Lim on Unsplash To answer this question, I found a study conducted in the US that analyzed 20,970 dogs to determine factors contributing to a dog’s lifespan. The researchers collected data from 3 independent primary care veterinary hospitals, representing various breeds, sizes, ages, genders, etc. Let’s find out what were the results. Table of ContentsLifespan of the Top 10 Most Common BreedsLifespan by Breed GroupsKey Findings: Dog Lifespan Factors Lifespan of the Top 10 Most Common Breeds 1. Yorkshire Terrier Yorkies are a toy dog breed. They are affectionate, full of energy, and have adventurous personalities. According to this study, they have the longest lifespan, with a median survival time (MST) of 18 years. They are generally healthy but prone to eye abnormalities and knee injuries. Photo by Vitalii Khodzinskyi on Unsplash 2. Shih Tzu Shih Tzus are also a toy breed. They are known for their beautiful silky coats, which can grow long, and their affectionate and playful personalities. Common health complications are related to hip dysplasia and eye problems (such as cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, and dry eye). They had the second-longest lifespan in the study, with a median survival time of 16.5 years. Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash 3. Dachshund Dachshunds, members of the hound breed group, had the third longest lifespan in the study, with a median survival time of 16.3 years. They are known for their long sausage-shaped body and short legs. Common health problems for dachshunds include intervertebral disk disease, which can lead to paralysis, as well as obesity, and ear infections. Photo by Dan Smedley on Unsplash 4. Beagle Beagles, part of the hound group as well, had a median lifespan of 16.1 years. Common health problems in this breed include epilepsy, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and ear infections. They are known for their curious and joyful personalities and extraordinary scent-tracking abilities👃. Photo by Kostiantyn Li on Unsplash 5. Chihuahua Chihuahuas, the smallest dogs in this list, had a medium lifespan of 16 years in the study. They are little and healthy dogs but can be prone to heart disease, eye problems, and joint injuries. Chihuahuas make up their small sizes with their big personalities: they are are bold, confident, and sassy. 6. Labrador Retriever Labrador retrievers share the 6th place spot, with a median lifespan of 14.3 years. Labs are the most popular breed in the United States. They are friendly, energetic, and excel at obedience training. Some common health problems faced by this breed include hip dysplasia, obesity, bloat, and eye conditions. Photo by Siep van Groningen on Unsplash 7. Greyhound Greyhounds also have a median lifespan of 14.3 years. These super skinny guys are known for their speed and agility. Some of the common health issues for them include bloating, gastric torsion, cardiac disease, and eye conditions. Photo by S J on Unsplash 8. Golden Retriever Next on this ranking are the Goldies, with a medium lifespan of 14 years. They belong to the Sporting AKC breed group and are best known for their friendly and loyal personalities. They can be prone to hip dysplasia, heart disease, and various eye conditions. Photo by Faber Leonardo on Unsplash 9. German Shepherd German Shepherds belong to Herding dogs, though some may argue they are also working dogs as we often see them with the police, in the military, or as service dogs. This is because they are very smart, eager to learn, and willing to put their life on the line to protect their human companions 🥹. In this study, they had an average lifespan of 13.4 years. They can face health complications such as hip and elbow dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy, and can be prone to bloat. Photo by Rafael Hoyos Weht on Unsplash 10. Boxer Boxers are last on this list with a median survival time of 13.2 years. They have cute wrinkly faces and fun-loving personalities, but unfortunately, this breed is prone to many health complications like hip dysplasia, heart conditions, degenerative myelopathy, and certain types of cancers. Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash Lifespan by Breed Groups Breeds can be classified based on commonalities. For example, the American Kennel Club (AKC) groups them into 7 categories based on their original purpose and physical characteristics, while the ancestral group is based on their common genetic heritage. This study also revealed differences in lifespan across these groups. AKC GroupMSTToy16.2Terrier15.8Hound15.6Non-sporting15.4Herding15.2Sporting14.6Working14.2*MST: Median Survival Times Ancestral GroupMSTModern16Ancient15.6Mastiff-Terrier15.1Herding-Sighthound14.9Mountain11.4*MST: Median Survival Times Key Findings: Dog Lifespan Factors Smaller breeds generally live longer than large breeds. Spayed or neutered dogs outlived intact dogs, especially female dogs. They didn’t find much difference in how long purebred and mixed dogs live. However, when looking at specific purebred dogs, those with larger populations (with more genetic diversity) and less inbreeding (when related dogs mate) tended to live 3 to 6 months longer than those with smaller populations or more inbreeding. Mountain dogs such as Berneses, Saint Bernards, Great Pyrenees, etc lived 3.5 to 4.6 years less than other purebred dogs, even after normalizing for body size (which means it’s not just because they are big but something specific about this genetic cluster of breeds might cause them to live shorter lives). The most common condition causing death was neoplasia (45.5%). Large and giant dogs were the most affected group by this condition. References Urfer, S.R., Kaeberlein, M., Promislow, D.E.L. et al. Lifespan of companion dogs seen in three independent primary care veterinary clinics in the United States. Canine Genet Epidemiol 7, 7 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-020-00086-8

Resources for Senior Dog Parents.

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