Research at the University of Sydney has revealed the life expectancy of chocolate Labradors is significantly lower than their black and yellow counterparts.
The study of more than 33,000 United Kingdom-based Labrador retrievers of all colors shows chocolate Labradors also have a higher prevalence of ear infections and skin disease.
In the UK, the average longevity of non-chocolate Labradors is 12.1 years, which is more than 10 percent longer than those with chocolate coats. The frequency of ear inflammation was twice as high in chocolate Labradors and they were four times more likely to have suffered from hot-spot.
Across the entire Labrador populace, the most common health illnesses found were obesity, ear infections and joint conditions.