We are often asked “which dog breed is the healthiest?”. It is not an easy question to answer as we have to factor in many things to be able to answer that question. Vets know more about the dog breeds that are unhealthy and more commonly have problems and can often answer based on the experiences they see on daily basis. What vets do know is that brachycephalic breeds have the lowest life expectancy and are the most frequent visitors to a veterinary practice.

Research into life a dogs life expectancy has been done around the UK and researchers hope findings in a massive study on dog life expectancy could be central to helping vets steer owners away from brachycephalic breeds.

What is a brachycephalic breed and why is research showing such a low life expectancy? 

Click here for an article regarding brachycephalic breeds and why vets see many health problems in the breeds.

How do brachycephalic breeds life expectancies compare with other breeds?

French bulldogs having the shortest life expectancy at 4.5 years and Jack Russell terriers the highest at 12.7 years. The average age life expectancy for UK dogs was calculated at 11.2 years. After French bulldogs, three other brachy breeds had the lowest life expectancy – English bulldogs at 7.4 years, pugs at 7.7 years and American bulldogs at 7.8 years.

But at the other end of the scale, after Jack Russell terriers, border collies would be expected to make 12.1 years and springer spaniels 11.92 years. Read the full article here.