This article is dedicated to my angel in heaven, never regretting the short time spent with our dearly beloved Hoover.
In this article I am discussing, Basset Hound Life Expectancy. For me, this is a bit of a hard topic as no one wants to part with their beloved basset hound, and just does not seem fair that they are put on this earth for such a short time. Unfortunately, as many of us know, dogs have an incredibly shorter life span than that of a human, and depending on the breed of the dog, some breeds live longer than others. What is your Basset Hound Life Expectancy?
Characteristics Of A Basset Hound
Looking into the characteristics of thе Bаѕѕеt Hоund we find that it is a unique dоg that has the ability to win the hearts of many, extremely loving and eager to please; however, may have a bit of a stubborn streak.
A Basset Hound’s ѕhоrt lеgѕ hаvе thе hеаvіеѕt bоnеѕ іn rеlаtіоn tо іtѕ ѕіzе, соmраrеd tо аnу оthеr brееd. We always refer to Basset Hounds as a large dog with short legs.
Thе Basset Hound’s bоdу іѕ long, ѕtrоng аnd muscular, compared to it’s height and their hеаd іѕ well prороrtіоnеd to the body. A Basset Hound’s muzzlе іѕ relatively bіg аnd hеаvу, wіth jowls thаt dаnglе and flap in the wind.
Looking into the Basset Hound’s еуеѕ, they аrе vеrу ѕоft аnd ѕаd, making thеm lооk іrrеѕіѕtіblе, leading to total submission of their owner. Thе tаіl аlwауѕ саrrіеd саѕuаllу, gіvеѕ thе truе сhаrасtеrіѕtіс оf the Basset Hound’s nаturе, whісh іѕ, іn rеаlіtу, funny, dосіlе, loving аnd hарру.
Read My Article What Is A Basset Hound
How Long Will Your Basset Hound Live?
How do you determine how long your basset hound will live? What is the Basset Hound Life Expectancy? I would say the answer to that lies in the statistics. In any case, not always are statistics the golden rule as it relates to your specific basset hound. Determining a basset hounds life expectancy is only an approximation based on averages of many basset hounds throughout the years.
An individual basset hound may live a longer life than expected or they may end up a victim of fate, not living as long as predicted.
In determining the exact calculation for the life span of your specific basset hound, many factors need consideration including health, breeding and care and not only determined by the statics.
What Do The Statistics Say?
Whіlе іt’ѕ іmроѕѕіblе tо рrеdісt hоw lоng аn іndіvіduаl Bаѕѕеt Hоund wіll lіvе, as some may develop a long term illness and some are taken from us by total surprise. Thе statistics show the еxресtеd lіfеѕраn fоr a wеll brеd аnd wеll саrеd fоr Bаѕѕеt Hоund іѕ 10 tо 14 уеаrѕ wіth аn аvеrаgе оf 12 short уеаrѕ.
Does Breeding Play A Role Of The Basset Hound Life Span?
I would have to say breeding plays a big role in Basset Hound life span. It is always best to know that your breeder is an ethical breeder and not one just breeding for money.
Many of the pet stores acquire their puppies from puppy mills and you may not know what type of issues that the new puppy will have in the future as an adult dog.
An ethical and reputable breeder adheres to best practices, as not to continue to breed a dog knowing of specific health issues. Reputable breeders know their dogs and understand inherited and common diseases and try to minimize any issues when breeding.
The importance of finding an ethical and reputable breeder may make a huge difference in the life span of your Basset Hound by knowing the breed and their dogs they are likely to help you point out any issues in the future.
Those that adopt Basset Hounds generally do not know any history or background of how the Basset Hound was bred, or what type of issues may occur. In this case it is best to know the sign and symptoms for your Basset Hound, so that you can get them treated right away if an issue develops.
What About Common Health Issues?
Common health issues are seen across many dog breeds. Some dog breeds are more prone to certain common health issues and Basset Hounds are no different. This is not to say that other problems will not appear out of the realm of what is listed, and not all the health issues will affect your Basset Hound. Many times health issues go back to the breeding, affecting the whole litter or affecting an individual dog.
A perfect example is our Missy and Dixie, not Basset Hounds, but coming from the same litter. Missy seems to be relatively healthy with no health issues at three years old, where Dixie, from the same, litter seems to fight dermatitis.
The most common health issue we seem to fight with our Basset Hounds is also the battle with dermatitis due to environmental allergies; which, seems to get progressively worse as the Basset Hound gets older.
Researching common health issues for Basset Hounds, I compiled the list below to you be aware of health problems that may occur in your Basset Hound. This may seem like a long list of health issues; however, the experts generally consider the Basset Hound to have good health compared to other breeds.
Von Willebrands Disease and Canine Thrombopathia – These are both an inherited disease causing bleeding disorders, where the blood does not clot, causing excessive bleeding.
Glaucoma – Is generally an inherited disease causing pressure on the eye and can rapidly cause eye damage resulting in blindness.
Ears and Eyes Infections – Basset Hounds may ѕuffеr from еаr рrоblеmѕ, due to their long ears retaining moisture and dirt causing an infection of the ears. Many of the same problems cause a Basset Hound to become ѕusсерtіblе tо еуе іѕѕuеѕ duе tо thеіr drоору еуеѕ thе аrеа undеr thе еуеbаll саn соllесt dіrt аnd bесоmе сlоggеd wіth muсuѕ.
Dermatitis – Normally inherited and in most cases caused by allergies affecting the skin. Dermatitis is extremely itchy for your dog and may
result in redness or bumpy areas and if left unattended sores may develop from excessive scratching and licking the area.
Epilepsy – Is know across many breeds and the consensus is moreso, an inherited disease that may affect your Basset Hound between the ages of 6 months to 5 years of age. Epilepsy is due to a brain disorder resulting in an abnormal electrical disorder within the brain causing seizures.
Elbow Dysplasia – Most likely an inherited disease; however, non-conclusive, happens when the elbow joint develops abnormally in an adolescent dog.
Hip Dysplasia – Like with Elbow Dysplasia, Hip Dysplasia may cause arthritis in joints or lameness due to abnormal bone growth.
Intervertebral Disc Disease – Is more of a preventive disease caused by trauma or age and is due to the Basset Hound supporting a long spine. What happens in the case of Intervertebral Disc Disease, is generally a spinal disc will become herniated or rupture.
Luxating Patella – Usually an inherited disease, is a condition where the kneecap moves or dislocates from the normal location resulting in a leg that will not return to the proper position.
Panosteitis – Is what my vet calls growing pains causing a Basset Hound discomfort and may shift from on limb to another. Most common for ages 6-24 months and most often, no long term side effects after your dog is fully developed.
Hуроthуrоіdіѕm – Is hard to diagnose without blood testing and most likely inherited. Hypothyroidism is the result of the Basset Hound not producing enough of the hormones T3 and T4 which controls the metabolism.
Obesity – Many Basset Hound are prone to obesity due to not enough exercise or improper feeding. Bаѕѕеt Hоundѕ may dеvеlор mаnу ѕеrіоuѕ hеаlth іѕѕuеѕ due to obesity, іnсludіng bоnе аnd jоіnt іnjurіеѕ, Gаѕtrіс Dіlаtаtіоn-Vоlvuluѕ аnd раrаlуѕіѕ.
Yeast Infections – Common to Bаѕѕеt Hоundѕ аrе рrоnе tо уеаѕt іnfесtіоnѕ, caused by drooling and excessive moisture іn thе fоldѕ аrоund thе mоuth.
Bloat (Gastric Dilatation) – Is commonly known as a twisted stomach, resulting in the dog swallowing too much air during exercise, eating or drinking. Bloat seems to happen when a dog is not able to express the gas build up in their stomach causing their stomach to twist. When this happens, it cuts off the blood supply and if not treated promptly can result in death.
Causes of Death In Basset Hounds
What can affect Basset Hound Life Expectancy? In a UK Kennel survey back in 2004, they conducted a study of 142 dogs that died that year and came up with the top diseases affecting the death of our Basset Hounds with the oldest living to almost 17 years of age.
Cancer – 31%
Old Age – 13%
Gastric Dilatation – 11%
Cardiac – 8%
Tірѕ Fоr A Lоng Hеаlthу Lіfе
As you may have noticed in most of the common diseases that affect a Basset Hound result in inheritability or trauma, most diseases may be avoidable when getting you Basset Hound from an ethical and reputable breeder using the proper breeding technique; unfortunately, in many cases, one may not know what diseases exist in the blood line of your Basset Hound.
Thе саrе thаt a dоg rесеіvеѕ thrоughоut іtѕ lіfе span саn have a mаjоr іmрасt оn hоw lоng Basset Hound lіvеѕ. Thе fоllоwіng аrе ѕоmе рrоасtіvе ѕtерѕ thаt уоu саn tаkе tо іnсrеаѕе thе lіkеlіhооd that уоur bеlоvеd Bаѕѕеt Hоund wіll lіvе fоr mаnу уеаrѕ tо соmе:
Wеіght checks: Mаіntаіn уоur Bаѕѕеt Hоund’ѕ іdеаl wеіght. Prеvеnt еxсеѕѕіvе wеіght gаіn аnd оbеѕіtу can really cut down on many of the diseases associated to your dogs health and well-being.
Adеquаtе nutrіtіоn: By providing рrореr nutrіtіоn thrоughоut уоur Bаѕѕеt Hоund’ѕ lіfе will definitely help as it helps to build the immune system warding off many of the diseases that may affect your dog.
Protecting Musculoskeletal: Protecting your Basset Hound from trauma is of upmost importance due to their heavy boned nature and long backs resulting in less arthritic abnormalities and lameness in your dog. I always advise taking precautions, especially in young puppies, when getting down off furniture and trying to manipulate stairs as this may cause trauma to young growing bones that will only get worse as your dog ages.
Dеntаl hеаlth chесkѕ: Mаіntаіn hеаlthу tееth аnd gumѕ not only prevents gum disease and tooth loss, it keeps your Basset Hounds immune system healthy resulting in a healthier, happier life for you dog.
Ovеrаll hеаlth cаrе: Overall health care for your Basset Hound is a must. Vіѕіting уоur vеt fоr rеgulаr hеаlth сhесkuрѕ аnd соntасting уоur vеt аt thе fіrѕt ѕіgn оf an іllnеѕѕ оr dіѕеаѕе can avoid prolonged disease and other health issues that may result.
My Thoughts on Basset Hound Life Expectancy
In the statistics a Basset Hound is most likely to have a life span of 10-14 years with 12 year being the average; however, we had a very beloved Basset Hound taken from us at the young age of 7 years suddenly due to an aneurysm that had gone unnoticed, bursting in his abdomen, while I was at work.
On a positive note, finding an ethical and reputable breeder and applying their knowledge, as related to your Basset Hound and a lifetime of good care, your Basset Hound, may just beat the odds. I have heard of many Basset Hounds living to the ripe old age of 16 or 17 years and beyond.
Take good care of your Basset Hound and love them dearly while you have them, as they are only put on this earth for a short time and remembered for years to come.
How long did your Basset Hound live? Let me know in the comments below.
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Thanks for the info. Queen Gertie had her 15th birthday in June. She’s slowing down a bit but still runs to the door & refrigerator. Her biggest health issues are a chronic cyst & congestive heart failure.
I had one bassets boy named Spikey that lived to 16 years and 3 months. He passed of old age. My 2nd Basset is a girl named Lola, she was diagnosed with last stage of colon cancer and passed away one year after her diagnose. She lived til 10 years and 11 mongths. My remaining basset named Jasper is a rescured dog, age unknown – best estimated at around 8-9 years, still alive.
hello, are beloved charme (female basset) died sometime this morning (4/4/21) in the A.M. over a month ago she was eating fine then started to throw up and diarrhea, she would not eat after that. Our other bassets also got sick diarrhea etc. but they got over it. after about 2 weeks, charme would just drink water and my wife had to put food in her mouth and use syringe to put chicken both in her mouth. a few weeks ago we took her to the vet because she just would not try to eat her food. vet did lab work, ultra sound, xrays etc. did not appear any blockage anywhere, no cancer noted, kidney liver seemed ok. she was having bowel movements and urine ok. the only thing he noted from what i could understand was that from the xrays her stomach would not contract and i guess stayed in the full position which he said made her throw up, always feeling full. he gave her antibiotics, pills to keep from throwing up , pepcid type pills etc. we gave for about a week or so and she would at times throw up her food, but still had to be hand fed and use of syringe for feeding, she was slowly losing weight. yesterday on 4/3/21 she would barely open her mouth for food, she also in last week would not lay on her bed but lay on the carpet floor and last night she laid on carpet floor, this morning we found her not breathing. this is just gut wretching for us, she was our first basset we got. does anyone have any kind of idea what could have been wrong with her. sometimes i would have to pick her up from outside when using the bathroom and she had not made any sounds of pain. any ideas would be comforting.
Thank you for all this information. My precious Cherry was 2 months off her 17th birthday when I had to make the heartbreaking decision to have her put to sleep. She was in serious heart failure. She went to sleep in my arms. She was such an amazing pup who knew and loved everyone and everyone knew and loved her. It’s been just over 3 years now and we all still miss our fur baby. Her ashes are planted under a Cherry tree in our garden.
Hi
We have a rescue Bassett named Bentley. He is 13, last July 2020, catches frisbees in mid air and very active.
We call him a freak of nature.
No health problems, just lumps all over him which the vet has said no issue. We lost our Benson the Basset at age 12 from cancer 8 years ago. Thank you for all of you wonderful information.
My brother in laws Bassett named Harley just turned 17 a couple of weeks ago. He has slowed down a lot but is still getting around.
Thank you for the information. We have two Basset Hounds, Bruno and Bonnie, brother and sister, born in May 2008. Bruno is very sick now and I think he will not make it. He has had a cyst and a Cancer removed this past year, and we think he has Kidney cancer now. the last week he has been off his food and is drinking a lot of water, but is not urinating very much. We will take him to the Vet today and get a final diagnosis and then bring him home to spend time with . Bruno has had a good life and has traveled many places. Our main concern is his sister Bonnie, who may not take the loss very well, they have been together all their lives. Thank you for the site and all the information you provided.
Thanks for getting in touch, I am so sorry to hear about Bruno and yes it can be a bit of an issue when you have other fur babies that are bonded, I know when we lost our beloved Hoover, our other fur babies seemed to search for him for a while. It is just heartbreaking as I feel they do not understand where they went. Love them while you have them, as it never seems to be long enough.
Ashwagandha herb (Indian Ginseng) has amazing calming affects on dogs and promotes a sense of well being. Look for organic powder and sprinkle a tip of a teaspoon over food or into their water .. very sorry to hear about your Bruno. ❤
You make learning about your dogs so fun and easy, I must admit the more I read your posts the more I get interested in the hound breeds for my next dog.
My youngest son always loved Basset Hounds, your post today reminded me of him when he was a little boy.
Jeff
Thanks for leaving a comment and I am so happy that we were able to bring back memories of your children when they were young.
Hound dogs are a special breed and Basset Hounds can be quite the little clowns, just earlier today my Abby had her front paws up on the window ledge trying to catch sky raisins (flies) in the window. I always love watching her as she is very persistent at trying to get them.
I would recommend a Basset Hound especially if you want entertainment to go with their lifetime of love.
This is a beautiful post. It touches on some sad points but they are the truth. I think every dog owner wishes for their doggy friends to live as long as possible. I know I was one of them.
While I knew the expected life span of a mini schnauzer is about 10 to 12 years, I held on to the hope that my Perdita would live longer. And she did. She lived till the wise old age of 13. And I am grateful. All this talk about death made me miss her.
It is sad to see that the highest cause of death is cancer. Is it the same for every dog breed?
And thank you for the tips to give a long and healthy life to our doggy friends. I will keep them in mind when I am ready to have a new doggy friend.
Thanks for leaving a comment, I am always happy to read what my readers have left for me.
Sorry to make you sad, we all miss those hounds that have passed before us.
Looking at the studies that have been completed cancer is the #1 cause of death in all dogs. Is this because we have domesticated them and exposed them to all sorts of toxins? I feel the answer is yes; however, sometimes it is an inheritable disease. The best way to overcome the odds of cancer is keeping them on a good diet, plenty of excersize and to try to keep them away from as many toxins as possible. Will this help? I would like to believe it will.
Thanks again for the comment and when you get your future doggie friend so what you can to keep it healthy, happy and well-adjusted and hopefully you can beat those odds.
HI Dena,
Thank you for sharing your story and your thoughts on this important topic. In our society we don’t always talk about death and dying, but alas it is part of our life cycle. I am glad that you touched on this important topic with so much compassion and caring. Thank you.
Thanks for leaving a comment, I too agree that this is a compassionate topic as many dog owners get so attached to their fur babies and love them just like they are family. When people lose there fur babies, many people will grieve as though they lost a family member. I know I still miss my beloved Hoover, so much, as he meant so much to our whole family and several other fur babies before him. It really would be nice to waive some fairy dust that would let them live as long as humans.
Hello Dena,
This post is packed with information not just for Bassets owners but for anyone who is concerned or interested in keeping the environment safe for dogs. One thing I think about all the time is the constant use of pesticide used to maintain the grass and kill off the weeds.
If I can feel my skin itch just walking through some of the parks, I can imagine what it’s like for dogs that are low to the ground like Bassets. I think we can contribute to giving amazing animals like Bassets hounds longer lives by saying something when strong pesticides are used where these creatures may like to roam.
You did an excellent job of making me aware the role that ethical breeding makes in how long your Basset Hound will live. I had a vague idea of the importance of ethical breeding in producing health dogs, but you have gone into very helpful specifics. Thank you.
Thanks for leaving a comment and you bring up a very good point. Pesticides and bug killers are really harmful for any animals, I had a friend that her basset hound was out in the back yard when a neighbor treated their yard with weed killer and they lost their precious fur baby from it, their four year old daughter was devastated as they had bonded when she was a baby. I am real finicky about what I use around my dogs and try to keep everything as natural as possible. To remove weeds around our house we use a long handled torch which works well and for insects we use diatomaceous earth. Read more about diatomaceous earth here.
Ethical and reputable breeding is the best practice when breeding dogs as they do watch for any health issues and try to breed healthy puppies; however, we have to keep in mind the poor babies at the shelters that need homes too.
Thanks again for leaving a comment and helping to keep our fur babies healthy, happy and well-adjusted.
Thank You Dena,
I have noticed our dogs of all breeds are experiencing more health issues just like we are, I really feel the chemicals in their doggy food, treats and even in their flea and tick meds could contribute to early death due to cancer. What is your thoughts on their lifespan by using natural products instead of chemical loaded products?
Jeff
Thanks for leaving a comment and a great question!
As we know they are filling everything full of chemicals and fillers to cut cost and many people thinks it taste better. I try to really watch what I eat and have become picky about what my hounds eat as well, or I try to some times they eat things they should not as hounds will eat just about anything.
The more organic you can go with your dogs I feel the better. I had someone tell me the other day in a Facebook group that the flea and tick medicine killed their 10 year old basset hound, so it really makes you want to take a step back and evaluate what we are giving our dogs. The only time I ever give my dogs any kind of pharmaceuticals is at last resort and I have found for pain the CBD Oil works so well for them. You can read my article on CBD Oil and Dogs for find out more just click here.
Thanks again for leaving you comments and question and keeping your dog healthy, happy and well-adjusted.
Very much enjoyed your article, but it is a little sad. I have lost so many of my fur babies around the age of 12, even though none have been Basset Hounds. It seems that 12 is an average age for most larger breeds while small breeds seem to live a little longer. No matter the age, when we lose them it is heartbreaking. Thanks for pointing out that “reputable” breeders are the only way to purchase a purebred.
Hi Brenda, so glad you had a chance to read my article and I am so very sorry I made you sad.
I too had a rough time getting through writing this article as it brought back so many memories of my beloved Hoover. It really is hard when we lose a fur baby as they really do leave a pawprint on your heart. 12 years does seem to be the average for most larger dogs and some averages, depending on breed are even shorter.
It really is a good idea to know the reputable breeder and know what types of issues you might face in the future, It is basically the same as with family genetics in humans. Many times trying to find out the history is difficult especially with recues; however, they need love to so we just take our chances.
I always say love them and give them the best life you can as they are only with us a short time, make that time truly special for you and your fur baby.
We are on our 3rd basset. Our current girl is a dream and I hope every day that she will make that 12 year mark or farther. We walk twice a day and she loves to swim! She has been cross country with us in our camper and is a great hiker! Best breed ever!!
Hi Cheri, Thanks for leaving a comment and I have to agree, Basset Hound’s are one of the best breeds.
It sounds like you are taking great care of your basset and keeping her active, which is great for them as it keeps their weight down. I am so glad you are enjoying the time you have with your fur baby and giving her a quality life as they give so much back to us. I had a comment earlier that their basset lived to 23 1/2, so there really is hope of them living a long life and beating the average life expectancy.
Thanks again for leaving a comment and taking great care of your girl, love them and cherrish them while you have them as they always return that love with much gratitude.
Mine is 11yrs old recently before I had to leave on a trip, he lost movement in his front legs. My wife carried him to the vet who said it was a slipped disc the surgery would need to be done at Virginia Tech. I said use your best judgement but I don’t want to go over $5000. Since I was at sea there was not contact that week. I returned home the day he would be picked up so we did. On the way up she confessed the cost was $8000. Best decision she ever made. Everyday I think how glad My wife knows me better than myself. My guy is a blessing to our household.
Hello James, so glad you left a comment and I hate to hear your little guy had a hard time.
I really wish it was cheaper for health care for our fur babies and for the humans too. I am sure that was a hard decision for your wife to make and it sounds like she made a good choice for you and your family. It really shows how much you both love him and want him to have a good quality of life. I am sure he knows too.
I know my fur babies are part of the family and we do the best we can to make sure they have the best lives.
Thanks so much for sharing your story and for giving your fur baby the best life you can.
I have to say, I do rescue as well as having the odd litter, I rescued Bert who was 10 yrs old I felt it would be too stressful to rehome him so be became part of the gang and lived to an amazing 23 1/2 years
Hi Julia, thanks so much for sharing your awesome news. A Basset Hound living for 23 1/2 years is amazing, I am wondering if that is some kind of a record. Everyone I have talked to so far I believe the oldest has been 18 years. I would say you definitely did a great job with him. This really gives me hope that my babies can live longer than the average. Did you do anything special like with food you fed him?
My first Basset Hound Molly lived till she was 12. She passed from cancer. 😢 I still miss her everyday. Its been 6 yrs she has been gone. I now have a male , Buster is 6 yrs old. Love him to pieces.
Hi MaryAnn, so glad you left a comment, I sure wish they would find a cure for cancer as it takes so many.
I really understand missing our fur babies even after all the years that pass, I am not sure we ever get over it. I know I still morn for my beloved Hoover after 2 1/2 years. What is funny is we got our youngest basset Abby and she is so much like him we believe he sent her to us. She has so many of the same characteristics that he had right down to stealing my husbands tools when he is working on something.
Thanks again for leaving a comment and do what you can to keep Buster healthy, happy and well-adjusted and enjoy him throughout his years.
Mine is 12 years old. Still walks 2 miles everyday.
and still loves to run
Only issue has been bad teeth. Is turning gray
Hi Clayton, thanks for leaving a comment I really enjoy the interaction with my readers.
I am so excited to hear that your fur baby is 12 and still going strong, that is awesome. How do you get a basset hound to walk two miles a day, mine would be flat out and I would have to carry them home….LOL. Teeth can really be an obstacle even as hard as we try as they get older many of them have issues with teeth, good thing there is soft food for our babies and turning grey is inevitable just like for us humans as we age.
Thanks again for leaving a comment and thanks for keeping our bassets healthy, happy and well-adjusted.
I have two Bassets that are both 15 years this year..Lolly I have had since 2005 probably born in 2003..Buford is had since 2013 and he was probably born the same year…both are rescues..good food and the right weight has kept them both happy and moving forward..most of the time I make their food with cooked ground turkey and veggies (carrots, green beans and peas)..they get yogurt sometimes..fruit and fresh veggies for treats..yes, there are packed treats but on a limited basis..the baby is Harvey age 4 in December, 2018..he gets the same things the other two get..there is longevity at my house as my Lab Sasha lived to be 16 and Winner to 13.
Thanks for the comment, sounds like you are doing everything right for your fur babies.
I am so glad to hear that there is longevity in your home that is awesome. It can really make a difference when you are feeding the right foods and aware of their weight. With rescues you never really know what their background is so I would say you are breaking the odds.
Thanks again for your comment and thanks for keeping your fur babies healthy, happy, and well-adjusted.