Got a healthy basset? Seems like there is always something...

Harley is part basset and has only had 2 health problems: hypothyroidism which is very cheap and very easy to maintain and has no effect on his health when he is medicated, and a few tumors, all benign. A few allergies but nothing that requires a change in our routine. He is 11 now and overall is very healthy.

Anabelle has had her share of problems but almost none are genetic. She has a bad neck but we have not had an episode of pain since the first one (knock on wood). The only other thing we deal with is bladder function failing which is due to her being bred too much and easily fixed by natural supplements. A few ear infections but that happens with any long eared dog.

Statistically mixed breed dogs are healthier than the average purebred dog so if health is a huge concern you may want to consider adopting half bassets, etc. Pet insurance for a basset sized mutt is half the price of a purebred basset.

In one landmark study, the effect of breed on longevity in the pet dog was analyzed using mortality data from 23,535 pet dogs. The data was obtained from North American veterinary teaching hospitals. The median age at death was determined for pure and mixed breed dogs of different body weights. Within each body weight category, the median age at death was lower for pure breed dogs compared with mixed breed dogs. The median age at death was "8.5 years for all mixed breed dogs, and 6.7 years for all pure breed dogs" in the study.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed-breed_dog#cite_note-8

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The data they used for the study was from 1980-1990 and vet care has improved significantly since then. I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that dogs live a few years longer now than they did for dogs born in the 70's. It also includes dogs that were euthanized and those that die young for whatever reason, not just those that live long lives.

http://www4.uwsp.edu/psych/s/275/Puppies/PatronekLifespans97.pdf

The first hand experience of a single person does not hold nearly as much weight as a scientific study with a sample size of over 20,000 dogs. And several more scientific studies that show the same result.

Your own experiences may not follow the general statistical trend but you surround yourself will well bred dogs. Unfortunately most dogs don't have the luxury of being born from a good breeder, and your experience doesn't disprove the statistical facts.

Insurance companies base their premiums on the past history of claims in order to make money. Mixed breeds MUST cost less or they wouldn't have a lower premium. Quotes from Petplan with the same exact dog (born Jan 1 2011), just picking mixed medium for one and basset for the other:
Mixed bronze plan: $14.14/mo
Pure basset bronze plan: $24.62/mo