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Evolutionary History and Life History Traits Influence Cause-Specific Mortality in Domestic Dogs
Iker Bargas Galarraga1,2, Achaz von Hardenberg3, Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer1
1Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, México.
Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|June 16, 2026
Summary
Dog breed mortality varies due to evolutionary history and life-history traits. Genetic factors strongly influence musculoskeletal and cancer deaths, while body size and reproduction impact other causes, revealing disease vulnerability trade-offs.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Science
- Evolutionary Biology
- Longevity Research
Background:
- Understanding intrinsic mortality factors like disease is key to lifespan research.
- Domestic dogs are valuable models for studying longevity and disease vulnerability due to their diverse evolutionary and life-history traits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze cause-specific mortality across 72 dog breeds.
- To investigate the influence of evolutionary history (ancestry, hybridization) and life-history traits on disease-related mortality variations.
Main Methods:
- Bayesian multinomial models were employed to analyze cause-specific mortality data.
- The study examined the impact of evolutionary history and life-history traits on mortality, controlling for genetic relatedness.
Main Results:
- Mortality from musculoskeletal and neoplastic causes showed the strongest genetic influence; gastrointestinal and metabolic causes showed the weakest.
- Increased body size correlated with higher mortality from musculoskeletal, hematopoietic, and gastrointestinal causes, but lower mortality from endocrine and urogenital causes.
- Higher reproductive investment was linked to lower mortality from congenital, degenerative, and inflammatory causes, while trainability was negatively associated with infectious disease mortality.
Conclusions:
- Specific causes of death in dogs are shaped by evolutionary history and life-history trait trade-offs.
- Incorporating genetic relatedness and evolutionary theory is crucial for understanding disease vulnerability in domesticated animals.
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