An unusual way to estimate a dog’s life expectancy has been named

A major study published Thursday examined data from more than 584,000 dogs across the United Kingdom and found that muzzle length, along with body size and gender, can influence how long a dog is likely to live, CNN reported.

“A medium-sized, flat-faced male, such as a bulldog, is three times more likely to live a shorter life than a small, long-faced female, such as a miniature dachshund or Italian greyhound,” says data scientist Kirsten McMillan at Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog breeding company, and lead author of an article in Scientific Reports.

The study authors looked at data from 155 breeds plus mixed breeds. While the average lifespan of a typical Labrador Retriever or Border Collie was just over 13 years, the researchers found that flat-faced or brachycephalic dogs fared worse on this metric in almost every metric. This short-nosed group includes large mastiffs (9 years), muscular English bulldogs (9.3 years) and French bulldogs (9.8 years).

“This paper shows people that on a population level these dogs are not doing well,” McMillan said.

Some of the highest average life expectancies – approximately 14 years – apply to Shiba Inus (14.6), Papillons (14.5), Miniature Dachshunds and Italian Greyhounds (14).

Most results were consistent with expected patterns. Females live longer than males, and small dogs live longer than large ones. Small and medium-sized dogs with pronounced noses live on average more than 12 years, while flat-faced dogs of all sizes fell short of that mark, CNN notes.

The Brachycephalic Working Group, a consortium of veterinary organizations, breeding associations and non-profit organizations in the UK, has declared a “health and welfare crisis” for flat-faced breeds.

“This new study highlights these serious health concerns, showing that flat-faced dogs live 1.5 years shorter than normal dogs,” Dan O’Neill, associate professor at the Royal Veterinary College in London and chair of the working group, said in a statement. . “We urge anyone considering purchasing a flat-faced breed to ‘stop and think’ and make sure they are purchasing a dog with the best chance of a long and happy life.”

Esme Wheeler, dog welfare expert for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, agrees. “We completely understand why there is such a love for these breeds, but breeding for body characteristics that compromise the health and welfare of pets is wrong,” she said. “Health and well-being should always be a priority, not fashion or aesthetic trends.”

Although the study is limited to Britain, the results would likely be similar in the United States, especially for purebred breeds, since they are fairly standard around the world, notes veterinarian Dr. Sylvan Urfer, an expert on canine lifespan at the University of Washington who was not involved in the study. research. However, he suggested there may be more differences between crossbreeds there and in the US.

“This is an excellent study that makes a very good point about the breeding of short-nosed dogs,” Urfer emphasizes. “I’m not at all surprised that brachycephalic breeds don’t live that long.”

One of the more surprising findings of the study was that purebred dogs were found to outlast mixed breeds by about eight months. This finding is inconsistent with the conventional wisdom that mixes tend to be heartier and healthier than their kennel club counterparts. But the current study may not provide the full picture, says Kirsten McMillan.

Data collected by veterinarians, breed registries, rescue organizations and pet insurance companies divided dogs into two categories: purebreds and crossbreds. Within the category of crosses, the data did not differentiate between genetically diverse mongrels and intentional crosses, or “designer breeds.”

These are not random mixtures or products of natural selection. “We’re talking about strategically bred dogs, and this has been a game changer,” explains McMillan. Scientists are already working on new research to determine whether these popular crosses have longer or shorter lifespans than the breeds from which they originated.

“Designer dogs are a relatively new phenomenon, so you have a population that is youthful,” Urfer notes. Studying the population as it grows and ages should provide a better understanding of the health and longevity of these fast-growing breeds.

The study includes millions of data points, but it doesn’t necessarily reflect the full spectrum of life for companion dogs, McMillan says. For example, not everyone has pet insurance or visits the vet regularly.

The study also did not take into account the cause of death, which is often euthanasia. “Ethical and welfare issues associated with dog breeding have become one of the most important issues – if not the most important issue – in the field of dog welfare,” states McMillan. “I hope this report will serve as a catalyst for policymakers, government, veterinarians, owners, everyone to ask the question, ‘Why are these dogs dying?’ This will be very difficult to answer, but every time we answer even a small part of the question, we are moving towards creating a much healthier dog population.”