Lifespan and Causes of Death in the Irish Wolfhound - Vetsuisse ...

Some breeders are currently employing the technique of using frozen sperm of dogs
that are known to have lived to a certain age in the hope of increasing the lifespan of
the progeny produced. This is an interesting approach, given that it removes the
uncertainty associated with the use of a young stud dog. Again, its concrete effects
on the lifespan of progeny depend on the heritability of longevity, as well as the ability
to reconstruct the dogs' life medical history in order to be able to select for vigour and
to omit hereditary diseases.
Depending on the heredity of lifespan in itself, it would be possible to establish
Estimation of Breeding Values (BLUP) for lifespan and vigour parameters, based not
only on the longevity of a particular sire, but also on the longevity of its parents,
siblings and offspring. However, the chance of success of this approach largely
depends on the heritability of lifespan itself, which remains to be assessed.
Given the currently prevailing theory of decreased lifespan in large dogs being
caused by an "oxidative burst" during the rapid growth phase (see chapter 7.1.1),
another approach with the potential to increase lifespan may be the selection towards
a slower growth rate early in life. However, there is a chance that this may conflict
with the desired end height.
7.4.4 Conclusion
While it will probably be impossible to entirely eliminate every hereditary disease from
the Irish Wolfhound gene pool, it seems feasible to diminish their frequency by an
important degree if breeders are willing to select against them. It seems likewise
possible to increase average lifespan in the breed back to the levels where it was in
the 1960s if appropriate selection for vigour traits is also included in breeding
strategy. There is little evidence to suggest that the breeding population is too small
for rigorous selection to be possible, but individual breeders' motivation to use their
particular bitches and/or stud dogs for breeding may pose a problem.
Establishing an international open pedigree-linked health database would be an
invaluable means of selection to improve health and longevity in the breed, but would
need coordinated international cooperation as well as openness from the breeders'
part concerning health problems in their dogs. Ultimately, coordinated breeding
efforts imply a decrease of personal autonomy in selection, which, given its
contradiction to some breeders' interests, will likely result in practical problems in
establishing such efforts. Nevertheless, it currently seems to be the only way through
which health and lifespan could be potentially improved within the breed and thus
warrants further efforts to be undertaken in this direction. As demonstrated in the
study at hand, it is possible to accumulate in-depth pedigree and health information.
Getting permission to publish the health-related parts, however, poses some practical
difficulties.
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