Early-life factors associated with all-cause mortality in UK Labrador Retrievers: analysis of the Dogslife longitudinal cohort

Abstract Domestic dogs provide valuable companionship and benefit human health and wellbeing. Advances in veterinary care have increased opportunities to manage disease and support healthy ageing. However, associations between mortality and many aspects of dogs’ lifestyles and care remain poorly understood. Evidence linking diet and exercise to all-cause mortality in dogs is limited, while associations with neutering remain difficult to interpret because its timing is rarely considered. Using data from Dogslife, a longitudinal cohort study of UK Labrador Retrievers, to investigate associations between characteristics measured during the first two years of life and subsequent all-cause mortality. Survival analyses included 2,540 dogs that survived to two years of age, of whom 888 reported deaths during follow-up. Higher mean body mass index between 12 and 24 months was associated with a higher hazard of death at age ten (Hazard ratio HR = 1.25, 95% confidence interval CI = 1.06–1.47). Reported consumption of raw food during the first two years (HR = 1.33, CI = 1.05–1.68), neutering before 448 days compared with later neutering or remaining entire (HR = 1.19, CI = 1.04–1.36), and male sex (HR = 1.18, CI = 1.03–1.36) were associated with a higher hazard of death. Except for sex, these factors are potentially modifiable by owners and should be considered in the management of their dogs. Although these associations do not establish causality, they identify priorities for replication and targeted causal investigation, with the potential to inform future evidence-based guidance that supports healthy ageing and longevity in dogs.