ArticleCanine genetics and epidemiology2018
Longevity and mortality in Kennel Club registered dog breeds in the UK in 2014.
Article in Canine genetics and epidemiology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 55 papers.
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Who cites it
55 citing papers in PubMed.
- A Large-Scale Cross-Population Evaluation of Genetic Risk Variants for Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dobermanns.Animal genetics · 2026Article
- The Dog Aging Project End of Life Survey reveals owners' perceptions of canine death and highlights areas to improve client education.Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · 2026Article
- Giant dog breeds under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, common disorders and mortality.Companion animal health and genetics · 2026Article
- Blood biomarkers and breed genetics of aging in pet dogs.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Development and Testing of an Owner-Reported Outcome Measure of Clinical Signs and Quality of Life in Dogs Treated With Chemotherapy.Veterinary and comparative oncology · 2026Article
- Clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of hypoadrenocorticism in dogs.The Journal of small animal practice · 2025Article
- Yorkshire Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK - demography and disorders.Companion animal health and genetics · 2025Article
- BRAF Mutation Analysis: A Retrospective Evaluation of 8365 Diagnostic Samples with a Special View on Canine Breeds (2018-2024).Veterinary sciences · 2025Article
- Optimizing dog population control strategies in Thailand using mathematical and economic modeling.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Identification of genes associated with longevity in dogs: 9 candidate genes described in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.Veterinary and animal science · 2025Article
- A rapid state-of the-art review of client-reported outcomes measures used to assess dogs' clinical signs and quality of life during chemotherapy.BMC veterinary research · 2025Review
- Beagles kept as companion animals in the UK - demography, disorders and mortality.Companion animal health and genetics · 2025Article
- A new future for dog breeding.Animal welfare (South Mimms, England) · 2025Review
- The Demography, Longevity and Mortality of Bullmastiffs Attending Veterinary Practices in Australia.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- How can we achieve more accurate reporting of average dog lifespan?Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association · 2024Review
- Investigating the Life Expectancy at Birth of Companion Dogs in Portugal Using Official National Registry Data.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Article
- A randomized, controlled clinical trial demonstrates improved owner-assessed cognitive function in senior dogs receiving a senolytic and NAD+ precursor combination.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Differential behavioral aging trajectories according to body size, expected lifespan, and head shape in dogs.GeroScience · 2024Article
- Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death.Scientific reports · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe domestic dog is one of the most diverse mammalian species, exhibiting wide variations in morphology, behaviour and morbidity across breeds. Therefore, it is not unexpected that breeds should also exhibit variation in mortality and longevity. While shorter longevity per se may not necessarily be a welfare issue, a generally foreshortened lifespan in a breed that is accompanied by a high prevalence of a particular cause of death may reveal potentially serious welfare concerns and highlight scope to improve breed welfare. Survey data gathered directly from owners offer useful insights into canine longevity and mortality that can support the overall evidence base for welfare reforms within breeds.
resultsMortality data on 5663 deceased dogs registered with the UK Kennel Club were collected from an owner-based survey. The most commonly reported causes of death were old age (13.8%), unspecified cancer (8.7%) and heart failure (4.9%); with 5.1% of deaths reported as unknown cause. Overall median age at death was 10.33 years (interquartile range: 7.17-12.83 years). Breeds varied widely in median longevity overall from the West Highland Terrier (12.71 years) to the Dobermann Pinscher (7.67 years). There was also wide variation in the prevalence of some common causes of death among breeds, and in median longevity across the causes of death.
conclusionSubstantial variation in the median lifespan and the prominent causes of death exists across breeds. This study has identified some breeds with both a low median lifespan and also a high proportional mortality for one or more specific causes of death that should be considered as both potential welfare concerns as well as opportunities for improvement.
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