How Long Do Pit Bulls Live? Pitbull Lifespan

As we mentioned, the average lifespan of a pit bull is 13 to 15 years. However, your dog may live up to 20 years or die prematurely from a variety of causes, but you can anticipate at least a dozen happy years with your pitbull.

Pit Bull Life Expectancy – Different Pit Bull Types 

Pit bulls are a relatively healthy dog breed, and almost all pit bull types have the same average lifespan. 

How long do blue nose pit bulls live?

It’s hard to predict the life expectancy of a blue nose pitbull since it doesn’t have any specific health issues and medical conditions that can shorten its lifespan. However, in general, pit bulls with blue noses live about 12-14 years on average.

How long do red nose pit bulls live?

Red nose pitbull types usually don’t have any health issues either, and their lifespan is also 12-14 years. However, like with other pit bull types, it’s important that owners take extra care of the red nose pit bull’s diet and exercise routine, so its weight doesn’t get out of hand and reduce its lifespan.

How long do pit bull mixes live?

If you have a pit bull mix, the average lifespan of your dog can be between 10 and 12 years. As with other mixed breeds, it’s important to provide regular checkups so problems can’t go unnoticed for too long.

Other pit bull breeds live expectancy:

• American Pit Bull Terrier – from 12 to 16 years
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier – from 12 to 14 years
• American Bulldog – from 10 to 16 years 
• American Staffordshire Terrier – from 12 to 16 years
• English Bull Terrier – from 11 to 14 years

How Long Do Pit Bulls Live In Human Years?

An average pit bull lives about 80 human years. However, some of the best ways to help your pet live longer are similar for all breeds, and they’re usually based on a daily exercise routine and a healthy diet full of nutrients that support its immune system and prevent disease. 

Pitbull Outdoor vs. Indoor Average Lifespan

Pit bulls are normally very active dogs, so they need regular walks and opportunities to run around in a yard or park. Also, if provided with a good and nurturing environment indoors, your pitbull will live a longer and healthier life of over 15 years.

However, if pit bulls are kept outside without being taken care of, they can develop some serious health issues that can reduce their lifespan to below 10 years.

Even though pit bulls are a healthy breed, there are several things you can do to help your pet live longer.

Maintain A Healthy Weight For Your Pit Bull

Pitbull obesity is one of the most common causes for pit bulls with short life spans. Maintaining a healthy weight also means that your pitbull will be more confident and happier since they’ll feel lighter on their paws!

If their weight gets out of hand, they can become obese, and obesity is the leading factor to pit bull diseases and medical conditions such as high blood pressure, arthritis, cancer, kidney disease, etc.

So always ensure your pitbull doesn’t go overweight. Provide your puppy with a healthy diet, and plenty of exercise.

Provide Them Regular Exercise And Training

Daily exercises and pitbull training will make your pet happier, more confident, and it’ll also give you a chance to bond with your pitbull. Remember that pit bulls are very social dogs that love spending time with their owners!

Regular exercise helps pit bulls maintain lean muscles, which in turn helps keep them healthier longer. It’s important to make sure you don’t overdo it, though. Pitbulls aren’t meant for extra-long runs or strenuous activity where a lot of physical contact is involved (like football). 

Only Feed Your Pit Bull High-Quality Food

Just like humans, pit bulls need quality food for a longer lifespan (and not junk food). Make sure the ingredients in the dog food meet all of its nutritional needs and provide enough proteins (without too many carbs), so your pet can have strong muscles as well as an active heart. 

Also, avoid feeding your pitbull by-products or corn! And food with real meat (not processed) is always a good idea.

Multivitamin Supplementation

If your pitbull doesn’t get enough vitamins and minerals from its daily food, it’s important that owners provide pit bulls with multivitamin supplements. 

These supplements can include vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and probiotics to boost your dog’s immunity and improve its wellbeing.

Brush Their Teeth

Just like with humans, pit bulls need to have their teeth brushed on a daily basis. This helps in preventing dental problems like tartar buildup, plaque bacteria, and food particles from the pit bull’s tooth surface. 

You should brush your dog’s teeth with special toothpaste and a soft toothbrush.

However, if your dog doesn’t let you brush its teeth, at least give him chewing bones that can help in removing the plaque and tartar from its teeth. These chewing tools can even stimulate their gums, so you can compensate for the brushing.

Choose A Pit Bull Breeder Carefully

A responsible pitbull breeder will provide you with all the information about your pup’s parents, their living conditions, and health history before they’re sent to a new home. 

Reputable breeders will also be available to answer pit bull owners’ questions and provide health guarantees for the puppy.

Get Regular Vet Care And Wellness Check

Even pit bulls are prone to medical conditions, so make sure you take your pet to the vet for regular checkups – at least once a year.

Vets can find out about pitbull weight problems or pitbull illnesses before they worsen and affect their health condition. This will also help in identifying pitbull diseases early on, which is why it’s important pit bull owners to take their pit bulls to the vet regularly.

Spay And Neuter

Spaying and neutering can help in preventing pitbull diseases and infections that are related to reproduction. 

The surgery can be beneficial since it prevents pit bulls from marking their territory (peeing on your furniture or clothes), prevent unwanted dog population, cancers, or aggression towards other animals or humans. The benefits outweigh the risks here, so you should consider this procedure at some point.

The good news is, your dog will recover quickly from the surgery, so it won’t be in a lot of pain.

Pit bulls usually die from diseases or medical conditions, but there are also some other unfortunate circumstances from which pit bulls may pass away.

Cancer

Cancer is pit bulls’ most common medical condition, so pitbull owners should be aware of the symptoms, such as lumps or tumors. Pitbulls can develop cancer due to bad breeding practices (genetics) or environmental hazards (including cigarette smoke).

So to reduce the likelihood of cancer you should always make thorough genetic screening before buying a pitbull puppy, limit the exposure to harmful chemicals and consider spaying and neutering.

However, it’s important to mention that cancers in pit bulls usually are NOT terminal, and can be easily treated with chemotherapy and surgery. The best thing is, your pitbull will respond well to this treatment and will live a cancer-free life afterward (without side effects).

Obesity

Another pitbull medical condition that is similar to ours is obesity. 

Pit bulls are not slim dogs, so it’s important to make sure your pit bull gets regular exercise and eats healthy food (high-fiber dog food), which will help in preventing weight problems.

So to avoid weight problems, your pitbull should eat healthy meals and dog food that is specially designed for pit bulls. This will help in preventing pitbull diseases related to obesity and excessive weight gain.

Car Accidents

Many pit bulls die in car accidents, so pit bull owners should consider using a fence where their dogs will run and explore, and keep them away from getting hit by a car.

If your dog is outside the safe, fenced area, it should always wear a collar and a leash, especially if it’s a young and energetic dog.

Heart Issues

Heart pitbull problems are very common, especially due to genetic heart conditions from the parents.

The most common heart condition is aortic stenosis, a birth heart malformation where the puppy’s heart aortic valve is narrow so its heart must work harder to pump blood. If this condition is diagnosed, you should limit your dog’s exercises and consult with your vet about possible treatments (which can include beta-blockers).

So, if your pitbull has a good vet and you do everything possible in terms of pitbull care, they will likely live a healthy life without heart problems.

Skin Disease

Pit bulls are prone to skin conditions, including irritations and allergies. Their coat is shorter so they are more resistant to itchiness caused by environmental irritants. Also, they can develop skin allergies due to poor nutrition and nutritional deficiencies.

Sometimes, pit bulls can develop skin rashes and sunburn, especially if their coat is white-ish. However, pit bulls with a red-ish coat are less likely to suffer from sunburn.

To treat a pit bull with a skin condition, it is important you consult your vet about the best treatment options (which usually include antibiotics).

Also, you should always check for ticks on them after going outside because they are very common in pit bulls.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia in pit bulls is a hereditary condition in which the femur doesn’t fit properly into the pelvic socket, so it has to work harder. This will cause abnormal wear of the hip joints that may lead pitbulls to arthritis or worse. This condition is more common in large and older pitbulls.

Pitbull owners should catch the hip dysplasia signs on time (such as difficulty at walking) and consult their vet about the best pitbull care.

So, to prevent worsening this medical condition you should avoid overfeeding your pit bull since it can cause them to be overweight or obese. Also, do not let them jump up on high surfaces because it puts too much pressure on the pit bull’s hips and joints.

Stress And Trauma

Pitbulls are prone to injuries and trauma, so pit bull owners should always supervise their pit bulls while playing with other dogs or playing outdoors.

When playing outdoors, protect them from falls, car accidents, and collisions because pit bulls have a very short nose which does not allow pit bull’s airways to transport enough oxygen when they get hurt or injured. So if you notice your pitbull has a pitbull broken leg or pitbull broken arm, do not waste any time and take him to the vet immediately.

A dog with a pit bull fracture should be kept calm because stress can cause their blood pressure to increase, leading to internal bleeding. Also, make sure they are breathing properly by checking for labored pit bull breathing.