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New research shows that chocolate collectors in Labrador are more likely to suffer health problems and die younger than their black and yellow canine compatriots. According to scientists, a likely reason is a bottleneck of genetic constriction due to consumer demand.
Labrador chocolate Labradors have a life span 10% shorter than that of black or yellow Labradors, according to a study published today in Canine Genetics and Epidemiology. Chocolate labs are also more prone to health problems, such as ear and skin infections and joint problems. Labrador retrievers are the most popular dog breed in the United States. These discoveries will be of great interest to owners and breeders, alerting them to the potential health problems of this beloved breed.
The chocolate-colored gene, unlike the black and yellow genes, is recessive in Labradors, which means that mom and dad must be chocolate-colored to produce the characteristic trait in puppies. This greatly reduces the gene pool, resulting in a loss of genetic diversity and the appearance of genetic bottlenecks. The authors of the new study, led by Paul McGreevy of Royal Veterinary College London, suspect this is why Chocolate Labs is in poorer health.
"We were interested in the association with coat color because chocolate pigmentation is recessive in dogs," write the authors in the study. "So, if the color of the chocolate coat is desired in litters, breeders may be motivated to breed from certain lines that may inadvertently increase the predisposition of puppies to certain diseases."
The researchers say that the limited genetic pool of Chocolate Labs has subsequently resulted in the proliferation of genes responsible for skin and ear infections, among other health problems.
For this study, researchers examined the data collected as part of the VetCompass program, which collects electronic data from patients on dogs introduced to a veterinarian in the UK (this study is limited to Labradors in the United Kingdom). United, variations may exist in other countries). . The team examined data from 33,320 people carrying out extraction activities in Labrador, of which 2,074 were randomly selected to assess health problems and mortality. Of the Labrador retraders studied, 44.6% had a black coat, 27.8% were yellow and 23.8% were chocolate.
The average life span of Labrador retrievers was 12.1 years (which is lower than the 12.5 years previously estimated), but the chocolate-colored Labradors had a life span 10% shorter than that of black or yellow Labs. , usually living at around 10.7 years old. Color aside, the most common causes of death were musculoskeletal disorders and cancer. The researchers also found that ear infections and skin diseases were more common among chocolate Labradors than others.
For example, a painful skin condition called pyro-traumatic dermatitis, or hot spot, was observed in 4% of chocolate laboratories, compared to 1.1% in black laboratories and 1.6% in yellow laboratories. External ear infections were observed in 23.4% of the chocolate laboratories, compared to 12.8% and 17% respectively in the black and yellow laboratories.
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"We also found that 8.8% of people who were recovering from Labrador were overweight or obese, which is one of the highest percentages among the dog breeds in the VetCompass database." said McGreevy. "There were more overweight and obese dogs among sterilized male Labradors than in those who had not, but this did not occur for female Labradors."
This observation is consistent with the 2016 research showing that Labrador retrievers have a genetic mutation that makes them eat excessively. Obesity can trigger health problems in dogs, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but this can also lead to other problems.
"[Labrador retrievers] are often stocky and tend to eat beyond their physiological needs, perhaps because of a [missing gene]and may be subject to obesity, a feature that contributes to the clinical manifestations of orthopedic problems, including elbow and hip dysplasia, "the authors of the study write.
The researchers cautioned that the data used in the study only pertained to dogs being taken to the vet, and that it was perhaps difficult to infer from the demographics of a whole population rather than the veterinary population as clinical data. researchers do not have a complete picture, because labrador retrievers who are not regularly taken to the veterinarian could have a health that varies significantly.
As noted earlier, breeding practices and consumer demand in chocolate labs could be responsible for the observed health deficits. As a result, researchers say that a similar analysis should be done on the pugs and spaniels of Cavalier King Charles, these breeds being also favored according to the color of their coat. In terms of what can be done to remedy the situation, Labrador waste pickers from other parts of the world could be introduced to diversify the gene pool. Or more concretely and humanly, future owners and breeders should stop focusing on chocolate-colored labs – or simply give up the purebred.
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