A peer-reviewed veterinary study of Bullmastiffs found a median lifespan of just 8.5 years, with cancer responsible for well over a quarter of all deaths — this breed's short lifespan and real jowl-drool are two things buyers drawn to its imposing, protective look are rarely told upfront.
10.2years, median
2.3 years below the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 3,357 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 9.9 to 10.5 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, large breeds as a group had a median of 11.9 years and flat-faced breeds 11.2. This breed is large and flat-faced.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0No VetCompass paper of its own yet, but the breed was one of 29 in a 2026 giant-breeds study.
In 2019, 1,802 Bullmastiffs were among 28,345 giant-breed dogs under veterinary care in the UK, 6.36% of that group. Median age at death for the breed was 9.09 years, from 85 deaths.
Across all 29 breeds pooled, 73.8% of the 4,316 dogs reviewed had at least one disorder recorded that year. The most common were Ear infection (otitis externa) 8.16%, Overweight or obese 8.02%, Aggression 5.56%. Pooled median age at death was 8.94 years (middle half 6.96 to 10.9). The paper gives no disorder figures for this breed on its own.
Health tests to ask the breeder for
American Bullmastiff Association sets the tests a Bullmastiff needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Hip Dysplasia (OFA Evaluation or PennHIP Evaluation)
- Elbow Dysplasia (OFA Evaluation)
- Cardiac Evaluation
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis (OFA evaluation)
When to spay or neuter: the guidelines split at 45 pounds grown, five to six months under it and after growth is complete over it, and the UC Davis study gives a guideline by breed for 35 breeds. The spay and neuter page has both, and the two weeks after.
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Bullmastiff near you
Shelters and rescues list Bullmastiffs and Bullmastiff mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Bullmastiff
Bullmastiffs were bred to physically pin, not maul, poachers on English estates at night, so they combine real bulk with a protective, territorial streak that needs firm, early socialization and training. They're surprisingly low-energy as adults — short walks are usually enough — but they're strong-willed and can be hard to physically control on a leash if not well trained, and heavy jowl drool, especially after drinking, is a constant feature of life with the breed.
Health you should know about
- Cancer, especially lymphoma — a 2024 veterinary mortality study found mass lesions/neoplasia caused about 28% of Bullmastiff deaths, the single leading cause identified.
- Hip and elbow dysplasia — hereditary joint malformation common in large, heavy-bodied breeds.
- Gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat) — a sudden, life-threatening stomach twist in this deep-chested breed.
- Heart disease, including subaortic (valvular) stenosis and dilated cardiomyopathy — inherited cardiac conditions that can be silent until advanced.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Bullmastiff? British dog and cat names, 89 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.