The Norwegian Elkhound is a breed of dog that has served many different purposes in history. From a hunter to a herder, they have become prone to a variety of diseases that have led to, on occasion, Norwegian Elkhound Life Expectancy being reduced significantly from their average of 15 years.
The main health implication that Norwegian Elkhounds suffer from is Progressive Retinal Atrophy. Known more commonly as PRA, it is a disease that develops slowly, affecting the retina part of the eye. If PRA is not diagnosed early enough, or is not treated by the appropriate means - generally considered to be an operation - it can lead to complete blindness in your dog's eyes. This in itself will not directly reduce a Norwegian Elkhound's Life Expectancy, but it will make the dog much more vulnerable, which in turn may lead to a premature death due to an accident.
Whilst PRA doesn't kill, Norwegian Elkhounds are prone to other diseases that unfortunately do, most notably cancer. Affecting various parts of their body, cancer very rarely affects young Norwegian Elkhounds, meaning most have the opportunity to live a perfectly healthy Life until they are into their latter years.
