How Long Do Corgis Live?

This is a topic that I don’t care to think about too often. As I look at Monty, at the time of writing, about to celebrate his fourth birthday, I just cannot imagine him not being with us forever. At the same time, it’s an important topic to discuss, especially for prospective corgi parents.

Lifespans

In most animals, larger size equates to longer life. Look at blue whales who can reach 90 years of age! With dogs, the opposite is true: larger breeds have shorter lifespans. At one end of the spectrum, chihuahuas can live for 17 years while a larger breed, like a Newfoundland averages 11.

This puts corgis somewhere in the middle, with medium-sized dogs. Pembroke Welsh corgis average a 12-13 year lifespan. Cardigan Welsh corgis have a slightly longer lifespan. [1]

Compared to the average lifespan of other dog breeds, which is around 10 to 13 years, corgis live relatively longer lives. This longevity is one reason corgis are such popular pets.

Common Health Issues

While corgis are healthy dogs, they are prone to certain health issues that can impact their lifespan. One of the most common health problems in corgis is hip dysplasia, a condition where the hip joint doesn’t develop properly, leading to arthritis and mobility issues. Other health issues that corgis may face include intervertebral disc disease, progressive retinal atrophy, and epilepsy.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a heritable and environmental condition caused by improper hip growth. The hip joint is a ball and socket joint comprising the femur and the pelvis. Both the head of the femur and the ball socket of the hip normally grow at the same pace. However, with hip dysplasia, these two do not grow at the same rate.

This results in laxity or looseness in the joint. The loose joint stresses the ligaments and muscles, causing joint instability and pain. With time, this leads to osteoarthritis. [2]

Hip dysplasia usually affects larger breeds and is considered the “…most common and debilitating orthopedic diseases of large- and giant-breed dogs.” However, it also seems to be common in corgis. If you notice any limping or carrying of the leg, talk to your veterinarian.

Becoming Overweight or Obese

“Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder…” in dogs. It’s estimated that 29%-33.5% of dogs in the US and AU are overweight. Another 5.1% - 7.6% are obese. Overweight dogs are at a greater risk of comorbidities, to include orthopedic disorders, cardiovascular disease, respiratory alterations, insulin resistance, and certain types of cancers.

The degree of being overweight or obesity is determined by using a Body Condition Score (BCS). This BCS is based on either a five-point scale (Japan) or a nine-point scale (the USA and EU). The dog’s score depends highly on visual and palpable signals along the ribs, pelvis, and spine. A higher BCS score, such as a 4 or 5 on the Japanese BCS scale, corresponds to being overweight or obese, respectively.

Medium-sized dogs, such as corgis, have an increased risk of experiencing obesity. Their risk is 1.5 times that of a smaller dog. In fact, pembroke welsh corgis are the third most likely dog to be obese, topped only by miniature dachshund and chihuahuas.

Additional risk factors include neuter status, sex, and increased age. Neutered dogs are more likely to be overweight or obese, depending on their overall size (small/medium/large). Female dogs and dogs of older age at a particular risk.

So just be aware of the risk factors. Watch how much you are feeding your little guy or gal. Corgis have an increased risk, so despite how cute they look, don’t give in to the temptation of the feeding them extra.

Intervertebral disc disease

Compared to the rest of their body, corgis have quite a long spine. Between each vertebra in the spine exists a disc (an intervertebral disc if you will) that acts as a cushion between the bones and allows your pup to do things like twist and turn. Normal disks are quite flexible and gel-like.

However, with IVDD, the disks become either hard and rigid or rupture completely. The former tends to occur with older age where the cartilage calcifies. The latter can occur because of trauma.

Either way, the results aren’t great. The disease may first manifest as slight discomfort that can be managed with medication and low-impact exercises. At its worst, it can lead to paralysis and may need surgical treatment.

Common symptoms include lethargy, difficulty moving, inability to drink from a water bowl on the ground due to flexing of the next, or a wobbly gait. If you see any of these signs, consult a veterinarian.

You can improve your corgis odds of preventing IVDD by keeping them lean and active. Avoid high-impact sports or impacts from jumping caused by leaping off the couch or bed. For corgis, especially avoid or minimize the times they’re going up and down stairs. For Monty, we always carry him.

Though Dachshunds are the most frequent to experience IVDD (they account for approximately 75% of all cases!), about 14% of corgis will experience this in their lifetime.

Increase Corgi Longevity

We’ve listed off some scary diseases and conditions that you should watch out for, but life is not all doom and gloom — and a lot of them are avoidable! Here are some things that are within your control to increase the health of your corgi.

Diet

Keep your corgi on a proper and nutritious diet. Feed them an appropriate amount for their size. If you’re concerned about your corgi’s size, consult your vet about their current BCS and where they should be at. Vets can often give very detailed feeding plans to add or lose weight.

Take it easy with the treats when training. For routine training, make sure the treats are lower calorie. Reserve rich and fatty treats for high-reward situations. If you’re interested, we’ve gone over our favorite treats, both low-calorie and high-reward in a recent blog post.

Exercise

Like people, a lot of dogs are quite sedentary. Make sure they get plenty of low-impact exercise, like walking. Avoid activities like leaping for toys, quick changes in direction, and sprinting.

Since corgis are herding dogs, they may have tons of energy. We burn off all of Monty’s energy with daily three to four-mile walks. Without the statistics to back it up, I would say that he walks more than most people!

Keep Going to the Vet

This should go without saying! Like humans with annual physicals, bring your pup to the vet once a year for a checkup. For convenience, consider scheduling around vaccination times. A great opportunity is during the annual flu shot period.

Concluding Thoughts

Corgis, on average, live a bit longer than the average breed. However, because of their physiology, they have unique conditions that affect their breed more than others. We covered the common incidents of hip dysplasia, obesity, and intervertebral disk disease.

Despite those conditions, there are still lots of ways you can mitigate these risk factors to enjoy more time with your corgi. Keep the diet under control and the exercise levels high. Hmm, sounds like we, as people, should take the same advice?

What are your thoughts? Consider leaving a comment below if you’ve encountered any of these problems and how you dealt with them. Until next time.