Expected life span for Golden Retrievers -- and how to help YOUR Golden Retriever live longer.

Health problems in Golden Retrievers that affect quality of life and/or how long a Golden Retriever lives:

Orthopedic diseases in Golden Retrievers:

  • hip dysplasia
  • elbow dysplasia
  • luxating patella
  • osteochondritis
  • cruciate ligament rupture
  • panosteitis

Eye diseases in Golden Retrievers:

  • cataracts
  • entropion
  • eyelash abnormalities
  • glaucoma
  • PRA
  • retinal dysplasia

Heart disease in Golden Retrievers:

  • subaortic stenosis
  • cardiomyopathy

Tumors and cancer in Golden Retrievers:

  • hemangiosarcoma
  • lymphosarcoma
  • mastocytoma
  • osteosarcoma

Neurological/neuromuscular diseases in Golden Retrievers:

  • epilepsy
  • laryngeal paralysis
  • megaesophagus
  • myasthenia gravis

Endocrine diseases in Golden Retrievers:

  • cushing's disease
  • diabetes
  • hypothyroidism

Skin disorders in Golden Retrievers:

  • allergies/pyoderma
  • sebaceous cysts/lipomas
  • seborrhea
  • lick granuloma
  • sebaceous adenitis

Other health problems in Golden Retrievers:

  • bloat (gastrointestinal)
  • blood-clotting disorders
  • ear infections

How Long Do Golden Retrievers Live?

By Michele Welton. Copyright © 2000-2010


The typical life span for Golden Retrievers is 10-12 years old, though some are fortunate enough to reach 13 or 14.

However, many Golden Retrievers today live less than 10 years.

These unfortunate dogs are struck down in middle age by inherited cancers, tricuspid valve dysplasa (heart disease), bloat, epilepsy, or neuromuscular or autoimmune diseases.

Indeed, health problems have become so common in Golden Retrievers that it can be difficult to find an individual you can count on remaining healthy for a normal lifetime.


There are two causes of health problems in Golden Retrievers:
  1. GENETIC. Your puppy inherits these health problems from his parents.
  2. ENVIRONMENTAL. Your puppy's health is affected by everything he puts in his mouth (food, water, chew toys), by everything he breathes (fragrances, smoke, fumes), by everything put into or onto his body (medications, drugs, chemicals, vaccines, ointiments, sprays, cleaning products on your floors) . . . virtually everything he comes in contact with. Many of these things cause health problems in dogs.

To find a healthy Golden Retriever and KEEP him healthy. . .

Book cover

I wrote How To Buy a Good Dog to help you find a puppy that has the best chance of growing up healthy. Genetic health problems have become embedded in the Golden Retriever gene pool by unwise breeding practices.

In How To Buy a Good Dog, you'll learn how to find knowledgeable, responsible sources of Golden Retrievers that are genetically healthy.		 Book cover

I wrote a 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy to help you KEEP your Golden Retriever healthy for a lifetime. Environmental health problems can be avoided by raising your Golden Retriever in all the right ways.

In 11 Things You Must Do Right. . ., you'll learn 11 "Golden Rules" for preventing health problems throughout your dog's life. By doing just these 11 things, you will minimize your Golden Retriever's chances of developing health problems and maximize his lifespan!