| Breed of dog | Most common cause of death | Median age at death |
| Pomeranian | Damage - hit by a car, train or other vehicle | 4.4 years |
| Irish Wolfhound | Tumor | 5.2 years |
| Great Dane | Stomach and intestines | 5.3 years |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | Tumour | 5.5 years |
| Drever | Damage - hit by a car, train or other vehicle | 5.6 years |
| Staffordshire Bull Terrier | The locomotor apparatus | 5.5 years |
| Cane Corso | The locomotor apparatus | 5.7 years |
| Border Collie | Tumour | 5.9 years |
| French Bulldog | The locomotor apparatus | 6.0 years |
| Pug | Neurological disease | 6.1 years |
| Danish Swedish farm dog | Damage - hit by a car, train or other vehicle | 6.2 years |
| Labrador retriever | The locomotor apparatus | 6.3 years |
| Mixed breed | Tumour | 6.9 years |
Dog breeds with a low risk of dying before the age of 7
These tables illustrate the most common cause of death as well as the median age of life expectancy per dog breed. The median lifespan among all dog breeds is 6.9 years. Above, the dog breeds are divided into high or low risk of dying before or after 7 years of age, the calculation is based on the fact that death occurred for 50% of the dogs before this age and for 50% after. The material shows deaths for dogs that have died and where compensation has been paid out from life insurance. Dog life insurance expires at 8,10 or 12 years depending on the breed.
The most common cause of death – problems with the musculoskeletal system
Pain in backs, hips, elbows and knees makes life difficult for many dogs. It is mainly large heavy dogs that generally get more problems with elbows and hip joints. Many dogs don't even have time to experience their seventh birthday before the problems become so great that they lose their quality of life. In some cases, treatments, operations and rehabilitation exercises can relieve the pain, and in the best case, preventive exercises can counteract future problems.
First of all, it is important your dog doesn't become overweight! A heavy body puts unnecessary strain on the joints. It is also crucial to contact the vet quickly if your dog appears to be in pain and stiff, does not want to move, or appears subdued and sad. With the help of medication and rehabilitation, pain can sometimes be alleviated and a higher quality of life extended.
Hit by a car or train
Dogs being hit by cars or trains is a common cause of death. Hunting dog breeds or dog breeds that often run loose at home in the yard are more often than other dogs affected by traffic fatalities. However, the most vulnerable is the small Pomeranian, which is neither a hunting dog nor a farm dog, but often lives in urban environments with a lot of traffic. They have the shortest lifespan of just 4.4 years. In order to save dogs from being injured or killed in traffic, it is important to keep your dog on a lead, not to let them out near busy roads or in urban environments, and to regularly practice recall.
Dogs affected by cancer
Cancer is a common cause of death in dogs and can appear in various forms, such as mammary tumours, skin tumours, testicular cancer, blood cancer and bone cancer. The prognosis varies greatly depending on the type of cancer involved. dog can often be treated with the help of surgery, medicine or radiation, but just like for humans, the chance of recovery increases the earlier the disease is detected.
About Agria Breed Profiles
The Agria Breed Profiles are now updated for the fifth time and include injury statistics for roughly 670,000 dogs during the period 2016-2021. The material is mainly used by breed clubs within the Swedish Kennel Club to identify diseases and injuries within the breed in order to contribute to healthier dogs through breeding work.
