Landmark study reveals breed-specific causes of death in dogs
April 19th, 2011 in Biology / Plants & Animals  Dog owners and
veterinarians have long relied on a mix of limited data and
anecdotal evidence to assess which breeds are at risk of dying
from various conditions, but a new University of Georgia study
provides a rare and comprehensive look at causes of death in
more than 80 breeds.  The study, published in the current
edition of the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, can be
used to create breed-specific health maintenance programs and is
a starting point for future studies that will explore the
genetic underpinnings of disease in .  "If we can anticipate
better how things can go wrong for dogs, we can manage their
wellness to keep them as healthy as possible," said study co-
author Dr. Kate Creevy, an assistant professor in the UGA
College of Veterinary Medicine.  Creevy and her co-authors
examined data from the Veterinary Medical Database to determine
the cause of death for nearly 75,000 dogs o