LOS ANGELES — If a golden retriever gives birth, gets stung by a bee or sprayed by a skunk, veterinarians want to know.
Scientists are studying the popular breed to find out why their life spans have gotten shorter over the years and why cancer is so prevalent.
The Colorado-based Morris Animal Foundation recently got the first lifetime study of 3,000 purebred golden retrievers up and running after signing up the first dogs in 2012. The nonprofit says the review of health conditions and environmental factors facing goldens across the U.S. can help other breeds and even people, because humans carry 95 percent of the same DNA.
“Canine cancer has become a dog owner’s greatest fear,” said Dr. David Haworth, president and CEO of the foundation, which invested $25 million in the study. “You don’t see dogs running loose that much anymore, we don’t see a lot of infectious diseases, and the vaccines we have today are very good, so our concerns are warranted.”