(ORDO NEWS) — The authors of the new study compiled a table of life expectancy for dogs of 18 purebred breeds and mestizos. In addition, they found out who lives longer – females or males, neutered or not.
Scientists from the UK have presented new estimates of the life expectancy of known dog breeds. According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports , Jack Russell Terriers and Yorkshire Terriers can be considered centenarians, but brachycephals (that is, owners of “flat” muzzles) were not so lucky.
The team looked at data from 876,039 pets that had been entered into databases of veterinary clinics across the United Kingdom.
The final sample included mestizos and 18 “purebred” breeds recognized by the English and American Kennel Clubs, as well as the Australian National Canine Council. Based on this, the authors were able to calculate life expectancy from birth and the probability of death.
From January 1, 2016 to July 31, 2020, more than 30.5 thousand dogs died. Of these, 47.7% (14,574) were females, 78.4% (23,963) were purebreds, and 21.3% (6,511) were mestizos.
During this period, 126 American Bulldogs, 171 Beagles, 938 Border Collies, 831 German Boxers, 861 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, 453 Chihuahuas, 1063 Cocker Spaniels, 476 English Bulldogs, 229 French Bulldogs, 1097 German Shepherds, 153 Huskies, 1,614 Jack Russell Terriers, 2,481 Labrador Retrievers, 196 Pugs, 635 Shih Tzu, 785 English Springer Spaniels, 2,347 Staffordshire Bull Terriers and 1,039 Yorkshire Terriers.
The highest life expectancy, up to 12.72 years, turned out to be in Jack Russell Terriers (the maximum recorded age of death is 19 years), followed by: Yorkshire Terriers (12.54 years), Border Collies (12.10 years), springer spaniels (11.92 years) and mestizos (11.82 years).
By contrast, French Bulldogs had the lowest life expectancy at just 4.53 years, about three years shorter than other brachycephalic breeds, with English Bulldogs estimated at 7.39 years and Pugs at 7.65 years.
According to scientists, such a short age is due to high health risks due to the shortened facial part of the skull. In particular, these dogs are known to experience breathing problems (brachycephalic syndrome).
“Life expectancy at birth for British companion dogs averaged 11.23 years and declined with age. The probability of death in each annual interval increased with age, except for the period from one to two years to two to three years.
The risk of death within each annual interval remained at or below 0.02 until five years, and the increase in this indicator became noticeable after about six to seven years, ”the scientists add.
In bitches, life expectancy was slightly higher than in males: 11.41 versus 11.07 years. This trend continued until the age of 12, after which the survival rate became the same for both sexes.
Most importantly, castrated animals lived longer, especially females: 11.98 years for females and 11.49 years for males in the first case versus 10.50 years for females and 10.58 years for males in the second.
As the researchers note, castration not only provides benefits in terms of pet health, but also demonstrates the responsibility of the owners.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.