Why do bigger dogs die sooner

That has yet to be definitively determined. Kraus speculates that because large breeds grow faster and age quicker than small breeds, that abnormal cell growth found in cancers would be more likely.

Another possibility is that larger dogs start aging at an earlier age, thus developing age-related diseases earlier. Kraus also postulated that larger dogs may simply live riskier or more dangerous lifestyles than dogs carried in handbags, thus leading to earlier mortality. My own suspicion is that in addition to accelerated cell division and growth, researchers will also discover more genetic abnormalities in large breeds due to fewer breeding pairs and smaller geographic distributions.

Not exactly Great Dane and mastiff-sized canines. In fact, of the large breeds Rottweilers ranked ninth in , Dobermans peaked at 12, Great Danes reached 17, and Mastiffs topped out at All the rest of the most popular breeds are smaller. And that difference holds for most dogs—the bigger they are, the shorter their lives. Some very large animals live quite long lives.

Elephants stick around for 70 years, and blue whales can live to So why do bigger dogs die sooner? A study in the American Naturalist drew data from the Veterinary Medical DataBase that covered 74 breeds and over 50, dogs and looked at when and why they died. The American Society of Naturalists writes :.

They age more quickly because they grow faster. This can lead to earlier incidence of tumors and other abnormal tissue developments, including cancer. It can also contribute to abnormal development, leading to physical conditions impacting health. June 18, Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest. Prev Previous Case Study: Aggression. More From Cesar's Way Videos. Recommended Videos. Related Posts.

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