A vet noticed that Golden Retrievers were living shorter lives over time, and he wanted to find out why. Other people were curious too.
Michael Lappin, known as “the golden retriever man,” has loved Golden Retrievers since the 1970s. These dogs are famous for being calm, friendly, and eager to please, and they’ve always been one of the most popular dog breeds in the U.S., according to the AKC.
Even though life has gotten better for dogs (many now sleep in beds instead of living outside), Lappin noticed that his Golden Retriever patients weren’t living as long as they used to. In the past, they often lived into their teens, but now they pass away younger.
The main reason? Cancer. Golden Retrievers have one of the highest rates of cancer among dog breeds. Many die from cancer before they turn 13.
To learn more and find a solution, a huge study called the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study started in 2012. It costs millions of dollars and has been running for years.
But Lappin and others think there’s more to the story. He believes Golden Retrievers’ lives are getting shorter, even in healthy dogs.
The problem goes back to people. We want dogs with specific traits, like intelligence, good looks, and a nice personality. To meet these demands, breeders often use inbreeding (or line-breeding).
Inbreeding happens when closely related dogs are bred to make sure they pass on certain traits. While this can create the “perfect” look or personality, it also increases the chance of health problems.
Every animal has some harmful genes, but usually, these genes are canceled out when two unrelated dogs breed. However, if the parents are closely related, their puppies are more likely to get two copies of the same bad gene. This can lead to diseases like cancer because the puppies don’t have a healthy version of the gene to protect them.
It’s not just cancer, and it’s not only Golden Retrievers that face health problems. Bernese Mountain Dogs, which have been around for thousands of years, started having more cases of blood cancer in the 1970s. Now, 1 in 7 of them dies from it.
Many people also prefer dogs with short noses, like Pugs, Pekingese, French Bulldogs, and English Bulldogs. But these smooshed faces can cause breathing problems and other issues. Some experts even worry that breeding English Bulldogs may be unethical because of their health problems.”The Heartbreaking Truth Behind Why Some Dogs Are Dying Younger”
Like Michael Lappin, other researchers are studying if inbreeding is one reason dogs aren’t living as long as they used to.
In 2018, the Dog Aging Project began, funded by the National Institutes of Health. It studies aging in dogs, using data from nearly 30,000 large-breed dogs. It looks at their genetics, environment, lifestyle, and nutrition.
Dogs have evolved over thousands of years, but dog breeds are mostly created by humans. Hopefully, in the future, people will focus less on how dogs look and more on what makes each one special.
Reasons Golden Retrievers Have a Shorter Lifespan
Here are five main reasons why many Golden Retrievers die young:
1. Cancer
About 60% of Golden Retrievers get cancer, which is higher than almost any other breed. A study of 655 Goldens over 15 years found that 1 in 5 died from a type of cancer called hemangiosarcoma. Other common cancers include lymphoid cancer, bone cancer, and mast cell tumors. Some cases are genetic, but environmental factors also play a role.
2. Obesity
Obesity is another big reason for early deaths in Golden Retrievers. Dogs that are overweight live shorter lives, sometimes by 15–20%. For every extra pound a dog carries at age 10, their lifespan gets even shorter.
3. Heart Disease
Golden Retrievers can develop heart disease, especially if they eat grain-free dog food with cheap fillers instead of healthy ingredients. Low levels of taurine, an important nutrient found in meat, can lead to heart problems. Other heart issues include aortic stenosis, heart-related cancers, and fluid buildup around the heart.
4. Hip Dysplasia and Arthritis
Golden Retrievers often suffer from hip dysplasia and joint diseases, which can make it hard for them to move. A large dog that can’t stand up or go outside won’t live long. They also face other joint problems like bad knees and arthritis, which get worse if the dog is overweight.
5. Other Less Common Diseases
Some less common health issues in Golden Retrievers include:
- Patellar luxation: A knee problem that makes movement painful.
- Hypothyroidism: A condition that causes weight gain and other health problems.
- Bloat: A life-threatening stomach problem.
- Skin and ear infections: Chronic issues that are hard to manage.
- Cataracts: These aren’t deadly, but they can make it harder to care for a blind dog.
- Epilepsy: A condition that sometimes causes other health issues.
- Degenerative myelopathy: A spinal cord problem that can paralyze the back legs, usually in older dogs.
While some of these conditions aren’t deadly on their own, they can make life very hard for large dogs, leading families to make tough decisions.
Conclusion
The declining lifespan of Golden Retrievers is a multifaceted problem rooted in genetics, lifestyle, and environmental elements. Despite their endearing tendencies and reputation, Golden Retrievers face alarming fitness challenges, mainly most cancers, which claim the lives of 60% of the breed. Factors like obesity, coronary heart disorder, and joint troubles similarly make a contribution to their shortened lifespan.
The upward thrust in these problems displays a broader situation in canine breeding practices, such as inbreeding and prioritizing physical development over fitness. Initiatives like the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study and the Dog Aging Project spotlight the urgency to cope with those demanding situations and emphasize the want for accountable breeding practices and complete care.
By specializing in fitness, variety, and nicely-being over aesthetic perfection, we hope to increase the completely happy years we share with these liked companions.
