Any Progress at All?
Review of information provided to the IW health database (LCS II study) for 2025 is misleading as there were only 22 reported deaths
for the year. Looking at past data, this is less than 30% of usual reported deaths.
Longevity or average age at death for a population is error prone and difficult to tabulate. In the LCSII data collection part of the
population of course, is still living and most deaths are from euthanasia, adding a personal bias. Often the age at death is not reported to the exact month. However, the data is in agreement with the IWDB estimates for lifespan and has demonstrated consistency.
The age at death was 7.45 years in 2000 and 7.57 years in 2015. Tabulated yearly it has been remarkably consistent between 7.5 and 7.8 years. This year average age at death was 8.14 years but is based on only 22 data points and so is misleading.
Efforts to improve lifespan have included better vet care and medical options for our hounds, improved nutrition, and increased attention to body weight and exercise, as well as breeding with attention to health and longevity. There is a large population of 9- 10-year old hounds active and well but this is offset by increased deaths in 4–5-year-olds. Review of data from 2000-2015 compared with data from 2015-2025 shows minimal change in age of death for the Irish Wolfhound in this North American population.
Causes of Death Continue Unchanged
The number one killer of Irish Wolfhounds overall is cancer and the most common cancer is osteosarcoma which continues to kill 20% of North American Irish Wolfhounds. This is true for all age groups and for all years of formal data collection starting in 1966. Cardiac disease has been number two and in some European data collections number one. This has been followed by rear weakness and in recent years rear weakness has climbed to the number two spot. 2025 data show cardiac and rear weakness tied for first and osteosarcoma and pneumonia tied for second. Twenty-two deaths is an exceedingly small number. As more deaths are reported
it seems likely osteosarcoma will reclaim first place. Even with these small numbers the top 4 causes of death remained the same. The greatest decrease in cause of death is for bloat. This was noted in data from 1966-1986 compared to 2000-2015 when deaths from bloat (not incidences of bloat) dropped presumed secondary to earlier diagnosis, better vet and anesthesia care. There are still deaths from bloat but in the past 10 years it is responsible for 2-4% of deaths only.
What About Bleeding?
Bleeding deaths have been sporadically reported but the entire data base contains only 15 hounds with this cause of death. This category does not specify the cause of the bleeding but includes all bleeding deaths. The average age for bleeding deaths is 6.51 years and 10 of the 15 are female. In over 100 tested IWs, 24% were homozygous for the Depohgen mutation which is associated with hyperfibrinolysis (early breakdown of clots and delayed bleeding after surgery or trauma) in the Scottish deerhound. A recent publication described an Irish Wolfhound dying from delayed postoperative bleeding after a routine spay. She was homozygous
for this mutation. Information on the incidence of bleeding in the IW is needed. Owners of any hound with any bleeding problem can
add to the data base by taking part in the LCSII study. Further discussion of this topic can be found in the research reports.
Hemangiosarcoma continues to kill older hounds (mean 8 years) while lymphoma usually targets younger hounds (mean 5.8 years).
These cancers claimed 2-8% of hounds yearly for the last 10 years.
Rear weakness results in euthanasia at a mean of 9.25 years and claimed the second leading cause of death spot starting in 2020.
Pneumonia was a rising cause of death in older hounds (6-10 years) with a steady increase from 1.5% of deaths in 2003 to 4% in
2017 to 5.9% in 2024 and 8.7% in 2025.
So, What About Health Problems?
In 2025 65.9% of 299 responding reported their hound had no health problems the past year. The number has varied from 50-64%
over the past 10 years suggesting many of our hounds are quietly robust and living healthy lives with vet visits for only routine exams and vaccinations. However, that leaves a considerable number living with chronic health conditions.
The number one health problem owners and hounds live with continues to be cardiac disease. More hounds are surviving longer with
heart disease thanks to effective treatment, affordable drugs, and earlier diagnosis. This has been the number one health problem for the past 10 years except 2023 when there were a few more families coping with rear weakness.
The many forms of rear weakness are reported as the second most common health problem. Owners change flooring, use acupuncture, laser therapy, exercise of all types that might help and diet and supplements to delay euthanasia.
Five percent of owners live with hounds fighting cancer.This group includes osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma and “other
cancer.”
Arthritis was reported by 5% of responding owners.
Although conversations suggest there are a substantial number of male hounds with difficulty emptying their bladders, weak streams,
difficulty starting urination and incontinence only .3% of owners returning forms in 2025 noted this as a problem.
The IW tendency to recurrent pneumonia was again documented as 4.7% of respondents cared for a hound with pneumonia in the past year.
Allergies afflicting hounds peaked in 2020 and began to taper in 2023 and are now affecting only 3% of hounds per owner reports.
Hounds with chronic diarrhea and poor appetites were reported by 1.3% of responding owners. Before 2020 there were NO poor eaters reported but since COVID it has been 1.6-1.3% of all reports. Chronic diarrhea was reported with highest numbers in 2020 has also decreased.