European Cream Golden Retrievers, Cancer and the superior health of the European Golden retriever
Cancer is having a great impact on owners of Golden Retrievers here in the US; this is costing dog owners not just huge vet bills, but also time and the care involved in dealing with a dog with cancer; the heartache for most owners is the most costly of all.
The most common cancers found in Golden Retrievers are: hemangiosarcoma, followed by lymphosarcoma. mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma. Cancer was the cause of death, or 71.8% of American Goldens according to
a 1998 health study conducted by the Golden Retriever Club of America, making it the breed's biggest killer. (The Golden retriever Club of America study, 1998-1988)
The health differences between the European Golden and the American Golden are wide apart. The cost over time, not including heartache, is far higher if an individual purchases an American Golden over a European one. The incidence of cancer among European bloodlines is significantly lower than in the American lines. The British Kennel Club did an extensive study and found that cancer was the cause of death of 38.8% of European Goldens. See study here
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/15
63/hsgoldenretriever.pdf
The median age of an English Golden is 12 years and 3 months according to the study, but the median age of an American Golden is only 10 years and 8 months.
Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia are also much more common in American Golden Retrievers than in European Golden Retrievers. The reasons are not completely understood, but it seems the health standards in Europe are far higher and the American gene pool is more closed with fewer stud dogs
being used as compared to the many great stud dogs of Europe. This is from my own research, but it could also be that the popular stud dogs in Europe simply do not carry strong cancer genes.
Once the American kennel Club set the breed standard for the American Golden, the cream color variation and some other standards found in Europe were excluded leaving Americans with a more limited gene pool. I believe this was a bad choice and that if this breed is to be saved, conscientious breeders need to import from the best lines of Europe after doing extensive research into the lines they are purchasing from. I also believe it is the
average puppy buyer's responsibility to do some research of their own and buy only from ethical breeders, so that the unethical ones are put out of business.
The most common cancers found in Golden Retrievers are: hemangiosarcoma, followed by lymphosarcoma. mast cell tumor, and osteosarcoma. Cancer was the cause of death, or 71.8% of American Goldens according to
a 1998 health study conducted by the Golden Retriever Club of America, making it the breed's biggest killer. (The Golden retriever Club of America study, 1998-1988)
The health differences between the European Golden and the American Golden are wide apart. The cost over time, not including heartache, is far higher if an individual purchases an American Golden over a European one. The incidence of cancer among European bloodlines is significantly lower than in the American lines. The British Kennel Club did an extensive study and found that cancer was the cause of death of 38.8% of European Goldens. See study here
http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/download/15
63/hsgoldenretriever.pdf
The median age of an English Golden is 12 years and 3 months according to the study, but the median age of an American Golden is only 10 years and 8 months.
Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia are also much more common in American Golden Retrievers than in European Golden Retrievers. The reasons are not completely understood, but it seems the health standards in Europe are far higher and the American gene pool is more closed with fewer stud dogs
being used as compared to the many great stud dogs of Europe. This is from my own research, but it could also be that the popular stud dogs in Europe simply do not carry strong cancer genes.
Once the American kennel Club set the breed standard for the American Golden, the cream color variation and some other standards found in Europe were excluded leaving Americans with a more limited gene pool. I believe this was a bad choice and that if this breed is to be saved, conscientious breeders need to import from the best lines of Europe after doing extensive research into the lines they are purchasing from. I also believe it is the
average puppy buyer's responsibility to do some research of their own and buy only from ethical breeders, so that the unethical ones are put out of business.
