In a word, the answer is YES! Morkies and generally healthier than most breeds and can live longer!

tiny morkie puppy on pink maribou

This Morkie pup has a long life ahead of him.

Although there are dozens and dozens of factors at play when it comes to predicting the length of your dog’s life,  a recent study indicates that MIXED BREED dogs like the Morkie, are among the Top 10 Healthiest Dog Breeds.

Writer Jessica Remitz of PetMD.com writes that mixed breeds benefit from a lower degree of inbreeding. Plus, they have a lower likelihood of developing one of the common inherited diseases that shorten dogs’ lives. That’s good news for Morkies and their owners.

According to Ms. Remitz, some of these genetically-bases killers include:

  • heart disease – there are two main types, congenital heart defects that the dog may have at birth and acquired heart disease from ‘wear and tear’
  • musculoskeletal problems – muscle and joint problems like hip dysplasia and arthritis
  • allergic skin disease – these problems are very common

    The autoimmune skin disease “Pemphigus foliates” and resultant skin eruptions on this poor dog’s belly.

    among dogs, and may be the result of a food allergy, nutritional deficiency or overactivity of immune responses.  That last one – autoimmune disease – is very hard on animals (and people!)

  • hyperthyroidism – relatively rare, this occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much hormone, which can lead to very serious metabolic problems such as a very high heart rate, diarrhea, excessive thirst and frequent urination.

So how long WILL my Morkie live?

Generally, small dogs live longer.  Now we know mixed breeds tend to live longer.  Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese dogs are renowned for long lives.  So in an ideal world, your Morkie could easily live to 14, 15 and  even 16 years of age.

Learn more about the care of YOUR Morkie in The Morkie Mega Guide … your mega guide to raising a happy, healthy Morkie.  This downloadable e-book is packed with 300+ pages of helpful information, charts, pictures and checklists.

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