Do mixed breed dogs get sick less than purebred dogs? A study conducted by researchers at the Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom has tried to clarify a debate that has always divided experts and enthusiasts. According to researchers at the Royal Veterinary College, who worked closely with colleagues at the EviVet Evidence-Based Veterinary Consultancy in Nottingham, the answer to the question is no. Here is the study conducted by the British team that took into consideration one of the breeds most involved in the hybridization process: the poodle.
The study
The study, coordinated by Professor M. A. Rowena, involved 10,000 owners of one of the purebred breeds crossed with poodles or one of the three hybrids. The animals taken into consideration were all under five years old, therefore very young. By cross-referencing all the data, the researchers verified that hybrid dogs and purebreds shared the same state of health in 87% of cases. Dr. Mia Cobb in an article published in The Conversation expressed her opinion on the results of the study: «Crossbreeds were more likely to experience a small number of disorders (7%). But they were less likely to experience a small number (6%) of other disorders. Overall, there was no convincing evidence in these poodle crosses of “hybrid vigor”.
There was also no evidence that purebred dogs were significantly healthier than dogs derived from a cross». Therefore, according to the study, contrary to what many breeders claim, hybrid breeds do not have a greater chance of not getting sick than purebreds.
This article is originally published on corriereadriatico.it
