The Dog Aging Project: Translational Geroscience in Companion Animals

The researchers outlined a long-term project to study how genes, lifestyle, and surroundings affect aging in pet dogs. They planned to follow thousands of privately owned dogs, using health records, questionnaires, and biological samples. The project also proposed testing rapamycin, a drug that affects aging-related processes, in a smaller group of dogs. This paper described the plan, not results from completed experiments.

What this means for you: This does not show that rapamycin, supplements, or other treatments extend dogs’ or people’s lives. It is a promising research plan, but there was not yet enough evidence to guide a purchase or treatment decision.