Giant dogs could be ‘up to 118 times more likely’ to develop rare form of bone cancer

A new study has found giant dog breeds are up to 118 times more likely to develop a rare form of bone cancer than their cross-breed counterparts.

RVC researchers hope their analysis of osteosarcoma will help vets to recognise clinical signs associated with the disease and would-be owners to avoid acquiring dogs bred with more extreme features.

Analysis of more than 905,000 records in its VetCompass programme, consisting of all breeds under first opinion veterinary care during 2016, found only 331 osteosarcoma cases.

The figure equates to just 0.0357% of the total sample.

Higher risk

But the research also found several giant dog breeds including Rottweilers (27 times more likely), great Danes (34 times), Leonbergers (56 times) and Scottish deerhounds (118 times) were at much higher risk of developing the disease than cross-breeds.

In contrast, breeds including English cocker spaniels, shih-tzus and Jack Russell terriers were found to have a much lower risk.

Dogs with the disease also weighed much more, an average of 33.04kg, than those without it, while breeds with dolichocephalic skulls were found to be at greater risk than their brachycephalic or mesocephalic counterparts.

‘Responsibility’

Lead author Dan O’Neill said: “Given that dogs are recognised as man’s best friend, every dog owner in return has a responsibility to be a dog’s best friend.

“We can fulfil this responsibility by ensuring that no pet dog is born into a body shape that puts them at substantially increased risk of disease.

“This new study once again flags the costs that dogs pay for our human drive to own dogs with extreme body shapes that do not occur in nature.

“By choosing instead to own pet dogs with natural body shapes, we can each do our bit to put the health of the dog above our human whims.”

Priority strategies

Bill Lambert, The Kennel Club health, welfare and breeding services executive, said his organisation, whose charitable trust part-funded the study, would draw on the findings to help develop new health priority strategies for the most affected breeds.

He said: “Causes of cancer are largely unknown, making prevention extremely difficult, but if owners are aware of possible signs of disease, this can help early detection, ensuring appropriate care for recovery.”

Co-author Grace Edmunds said the similarities between canine and human osteosarcoma mean there is a possibility that information drawn from dogs can also help human patients in the future.