A University of Washington study of more than 25,000 dogs and 238 breeds has linked dog size to varying patterns of risk for health conditions throughout a dog’s lifespan. Overall, larger dogs in the study were more likely to have faced certain health conditions at some point in their lives, including cancer, bone-related disease, gastrointestinal problems, ear/nose/throat issues, neurological and endocrine conditions and infectious diseases. Meanwhile, smaller dogs were more likely to have experienced ocular, cardiac, liver/pancreas and respiratory diseases.
Source: Vet Practice Magazine, February 12, 2024. Link.
Evidence suggests that larger dogs do not tend to have more health conditions, but that dogs of different sizes may face different levels of risk for different conditions.”
Also see: Study results from the Dog Aging Project, PLOS ONE, January 17, 2024. Link.