Veterinarians have long relied on their own experience to assess which breeds are at risk of dying from certain conditions.
Now, a team at the University of Georgia has created the first comprehensive database on breed-specific causes of death in dogs. The database included over 80 breeds, from the Afghan Hound to the Yorkshire Terrier.
Cancer was the most common cause of death for all breeds.
Those with the highest rates of cancer death were the Bernese Mountain Dog, Golden Retriever, Scottish Terrier, Bouvier des Flandres, and Boxer.
Researchers also classified cause of death based on organ system, the most common being neurologic, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and urogenital.
Gastrointestinal disease runs the strongest in the Great Dane, Akita, Shar-Pei, and Weimaraner.
Breeds affected by neurologic disease included the Dachshund, Pug, Miniature Pinscher, and Boston Terrier.
The highest proportion of cardiovascular causes of death was in the Newfoundland, Maltese, Chihuahua, Doberman Pinscher, and Fox Terrier.
The St. Bernard, Great Pyrenees, Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, and Greyhound tend to suffer the most musculoskeletal diseases.
As expected, the Bulldog most frequently succumbed to Respiratory disease.
Athletic breeds, such as the Australian Heeler, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Jack Russell Terrier, were prone to traumatic causes of death.
The study confirmed what most vets know from experience - smaller breeds tend to outlive larger breeds. However, smaller dogs had higher death rates from metabolic disease, such as diabetes.
The Larger breeds of dogs suffered disproportionately from cancer.
The study authors called for more research into the cause of the breed differences.
