Exceptional longevity and potential determinants of successful ageing in a cohort of 39 Labrador retrievers: results of a prospective longitudinal study

Table 5 Cause of death for 34 dogs by gender and lifespan category as of 31 July 2014

Cancer	Expected: ≥9 to ≤12.9 years		Long: ≥13 to ≤15.5 years		Exceptional: ≥15.6 years		Total
Female	3 =	Haemangiosarcoma unspecified type/location Haemangiosarcoma splenic with metastasis Lymphosarcoma	3 =	Plasma cell tumour Haemangiosarcoma Osteosarcoma	2 =	Haemangiosarcoma splenic Adenocarcinoma pulmonary	8
Male	4 =	Haemangiosarcoma prostate/bladder Prostatic cancer Mast cell tumour metastasis Urinary tract cancer—TCC	1 =	Urinary tract cancer bladder	0		5
Sub-total	7 (54 %)		4 (27 %)		2 (33 %)		13 (38 %)
Other
Female	4 =	Intervertebral disc disease Mega-oesophagus causing chronic vomiting Seizures—unresponsive to medication Osteoarthritis (CHD)	7 =	Gastric dilatation volvulus Chronic kidney disease (asymptomatic)^a Progressive seizures Septicaemia Osteoarthritis (2) Quality of life	4 =	Osteoarthritis (2) Quality of life (2)	15
Male	2 =	Osteoarthritis	4 =	Found deceased in kennel (enteritis, colitis and PLE)^b Gastro-intestinal inflammation^c Chronic kidney disease (end stage) Myocardial fibrosis	0		6
Sub-total	6 (46 %)		11 (73 %)		4 (67 %)		21 (62 %)
Total	13 (100 %)		15 (100 %)		6 (100 %)		34 (100 %)

33 dogs underwent euthanasia due to deteriorating quality of life and one dog found dead in the morning^b
^aHistopathology revealed inflammatory process in kidney indicating chronic infection (asymptomatic)
^bPost-mortem examination revealed enteritis and colitis with evidence of protein-losing enteropathy and mild multifocal glomerulosclerosis
^cHistopathology revealed inflammatory changes in gastro-intestinal tract