The cancer risk disparity between purebred and non-purebred dogs

The cancer risk disparity between purebred and non-purebred dogs


Every year, U.S. pet insurance companies categorize and tabulate annual claims for pets they insure. One of the largest of these companies just published 6 years of cancer claims from over 1.5 million dogs, and the analysis contains some eye-opening findings.

For example, number crunching showed that purebred dogs are almost twice as likely as non-purebred pooches to develop cancer. Among the most popular dog breeds, those most commonly affected by different types of cancer are boxers, golden Retrievers, and beagles. What’s more, across 25 of the most popular breeds, skin cancer was by far and away the most common cause for first-time cancer claims.

As for the disparity in cancer risk between purebred and non-purebred dogs, the analysis didn’t speculate about possible reasons. However, the results warrant further scrutiny.

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