German Shepherd Health: Joints, Mobility and What the UK Records Show
UK German Shepherds lived a median of 10.3 years in one records study. Joint problems and being unable to stand were the commonest recorded causes of death.
Written by thecanineledger
A study of UK vet records found that among German Shepherds, “The most common causes of death were musculoskeletal disorder (16.3%) and inability to stand (14.9%).” (O’Neill et al., Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2017). Musculoskeletal means bones, joints and muscles.
While the breed’s median lifespan was 10.3 years, the way many German Shepherds died points to mobility. This page sets out what the records show.
1. The study
The dogs. Researchers used VetCompass, a database of anonymised UK primary-care records. Of 455,557 dogs under care in 2013, 12,146 were German Shepherds, or 2.7%. The team read the records of 1,660 of them at random for disorders.
Old data. The records are from 2013, and the paper from 2017.
Fewer German Shepherds. The breed fell from 3.5% of puppies born in 2005 to 2.2% in 2013.
Funding. The lead author was supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.
Our note: The data are more than a decade old.
2. What was most common
| Disorder | Share of German Shepherds in 2013 |
|---|---|
| Outer ear infection | 7.89% |
| Osteoarthritis | 5.54% |
| Diarrhoea | 5.24% |
| Overweight or obesity | 5.18% |
| Aggression | 4.76% |
Hips. Hip dysplasia was recorded separately, in 2.65%.
Aggression. It was recorded more often in males, at 6.75%, than in females, at 2.78%. A note of aggression in a vet’s record isn’t the same as a dog that bites.
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3. How they died
Mostly euthanasia. Of deaths with information available, 87.2% involved euthanasia.
Causes. Among 221 deaths with a recorded cause, the most common were:
- joint, bone and muscle disorders, 16.3%
- inability to stand, 14.9%
- cancer, 14.5%
- spinal cord disorders, 13.6%
Taken together, problems with moving and standing account for a large share.
Our note: The paper doesn’t break “inability to stand” down by cause.
4. Shape and the back legs
Size and growth. The authors suggest the breed’s size or fast growth may play a part in joint disease.
Sloping backs. They also write that “Exaggerated breed-related conformations such as selective breeding towards lower hindquarters could also increase the probability of osteoarthritic conditions further”. Hindquarters are the back end.
Seen as normal. They warn that “some breed-typical abnormalities such as poor hindlimb conformation or gait may be considered as normal for the breed and therefore not warranted for inclusion in the veterinary clinical records”. So the records may undercount.
5. If you have, or want, a German Shepherd
- Keep your dog lean, to spare the joints.
- Don’t accept a wobbly or weak back end as normal for the breed. Ask your vet.
- Ask a breeder about hip scoring of the parents and the slope of their backs.
Our note: Asking about hip scores is our suggestion. The paper doesn’t discuss it, and schemes differ by country.
Our note: These points are ours.
→ Choosing a Breed or a Mix: The Health Data Breeders Don’t Lead With · → When Behaviour Change Is Really Pain
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “German Shepherds all get hip dysplasia” | No. It was recorded in 2.65% in one year. |
| “A sloping back is just the breed look” | Not settled. The authors suggest it may add to joint disease. |
| “German Shepherds die of old age” | Not usually, in these records. Mobility problems and cancer led the recorded causes. |
Sources
- O’Neill DG, Coulson NR, Church DB, Brodbelt DC. Demography and disorders of German Shepherd Dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. Canine Genet Epidemiol 2017: VetCompass study, 12,146 German Shepherds in 2013. Lead author supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.