Dogs And Humans Are More Alike Than We Thought, Texas A&M Study Finds
New university findings highlight potential implications for dogs, animal health, and veterinary practice.
The same biological signals that help predict lifespan in humans also appear in dogs, according to new research from the Dog Aging Project — a finding that could help scientists better understand aging in both species.
In a study recently published in The Journals of Gerontology, researchers found that patterns of metabolites — small chemicals and molecules produced during normal bodily processes — were associated with earlier or later death in dogs in much the same way they have been shown in humans.
“The molecules that are risky for dogs or protective against a sooner death are very similar to those in people, showing that we share important features of aging biology, which is really interesting and rewarding,” said Dr.
Kate Creevy , chief veterinary officer for the Dog Aging Project and a professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences , where the work of the Dog Aging Project is generously supported by the WoodNext Foundation .
“Our findings also highlight the value of pet dogs as a model for studying long-term health and lifespan.” Because metabolites reflect what is happening at the cellular level, researchers can use them to study patterns associated with health outcomes.
In this project, the team analyzed blood samples from dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project, a community science study that asks owners to share detailed survey information and submit physical samples from their dogs over the course of the dog’s lifetime.
These blood samples were examined for metabolic patterns associated with lifespan — specifically, whether dogs died sooner or later.
“Death is an easy outcome to understand,” Creevy said.
“It is very easy to tell when a person or a dog has died, whereas other features of aging health are a bit more nuanced.” By starting with that clear outcome, researchers can begin to work backward to identify the biological processes that influence aging, such as metabolism, inflammation, or how cells respond to stress.
“If we understand why something happened, we have a greater chance of identifying ways to change it,” Creevy said.
To better understand those patterns, researchers examined thousands of metabolites at once to identify broader signals that could predict risk.
The report adds to ongoing university-led research relevant to veterinary medicine, animal health, and clinical decision-making.
Source university website: Texas A&M VMBS
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/dog-aging-project-lifespan-metabolites/
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