The world's tallest dog has tragically passed away at just 3 years old

Zeus was the title holder for the tallest living male dog. He had been dealing with complications after undergoing treatment for bone cancer and passed away in his ‘loving owner Brittany’s lap’ on Tuesday 12 September, Donnie Davis wrote of his daughter on the Guinness World Records website.

Zeus was a Great Dane, and he stood a whopping 3ft 5in tall. To give some context, the average Great Dane reaches just over 2ft in adulthood. He would have turned 4 in November.

Zeus struggled with health issues

Zeus was gifted to owner Brittany Davis, and she was amazed to see how tall he grew to be. She described him as ‘gentle, loving, very stubborn but always happy to see his family and many, many friends on his adventures around Dallas and Fort Worth. Zeus packed a lot of life into three short years and was primed to beat cancer’s butt’.

Earlier this year, Zeus’s owners were told he would die from cancer if he didn’t get his leg amputated.On Friday 8 September, Zeus underwent the surgery which removed his entire front leg. It weighed 11 pounds. On a GoFundMe page set up by Brittany to help with the medical expenses, she wrote:

The doctor said it couldn’t have gone better. He did so well!

After surgery they put a T-shirt on patients, but they didn’t have one big enough for Zeus. So his oncologist literally gave Zeus her shirt.

However, Zeus quickly developed pneumonia as a result of the amputation and tragically passed away on Tuesday morning.

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Zeus had a very happy life

The loved pet was awarded ‘top dog’ by Guinness World Records in 2022 and since then fans have learnt a lot about this canine’s curious habits.

Big dog, big appetite: Zeus ate 12 cups of food per day, with the occasional fried egg as a snack, reports the New York Post. He loved to nibble on an ice cube and demanded to hydrate at the kitchen sink - as he was tall enough to reach the tap!

Zeus loved to go out for walks, and people would often ask Brittany if kids could sit on him like a horse. She’d explain that he was as stubborn as he was lovely, and that there was no way he’d be having any of that nonsense.

Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, spoke fondly of Zeus after his passing:

Zeus always brought a smile to our faces — he was such a larger-than-life character and spread joy wherever he went. That’s why it was so sad to hear that he was unwell, and now we’re heartbroken to learn of his untimely passing. I just hope that his family look back over his star appearance in the GWR books with fond memories — a fitting tribute to a very special pet.

In a strange coincidence, the former tallest dog was also a Great Dane named Zeus. He died in 2014 at 5 years old.

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Sources used:

New York Post:Zeus, world’s tallest dog, dead at 3 after cancer battle: ‘He brought us so much joy’

New York Post: Zeus, the world’s tallest dog, has front leg amputated due to cancer