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CHARLIE Labrador chocolate was not the cheapest dog.
At the time, he needed a human MRI to properly diagnose a fungal infection at the nose – it cost $ 5,000.
And then, he needs the medications he has to take daily to treat his itchy skin, which costs $ 300 every two months.
He also had more than the average number of ear infections.
And it turns out that Charlie's chocolate coat could be the cause of his misfortunes.
New research has revealed that the life expectancy of chocolate labradors is significantly lower than that of their black and yellow counterparts.
They also have a higher incidence of ear infections and skin diseases.
The study, involving more than 33,000 labradors based in the United Kingdom and led by the University of Sydney, found that non-chocolate Labradors live more than 10% longer.
The prevalence of ear inflammation was twice as high among chocolate labradors and they were four times more likely to have suffered from a type of dermatitis called hot spot.
This is surprising news for the owner, Kathryn Morgan, who had never thought that Charlie's problems could be related to his color.
"I find the news very painful, it could die sooner than others," she said.
"I love his color and his muscular face. I do not know if we will find one as beautiful as Charlie, I think it is unique and unique. "
The relationship between coat color and disease was a surprise to the researchers, who said it could be an accidental consequence of breeding some pigmentations.
"Because the color of chocolate is recessive in dogs, the gene of this color must be present in both parents so that their puppies are chocolate," said lead author Professor Paul McGreevy.
Breeders targeting this color may therefore be more likely to breed than Labradors carrying the chocolate mantle gene. The resulting reduced gene pool may include a greater proportion of genes that are favorable for ear and skin conditions. "
The research is replicated in Australia, where Labradors are the most popular dog breed.
The results were published in the open access journal Canine genetics and epidemiology Monday.
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