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	</div><p>Posts in our <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/tag/inside-science/"><strong>Inside Science</strong></a> series provide you with the ins and outs of doing scientific research. We hope that understanding the process will get you excited about the cutting edge research being conducted by the Dog Aging Project team.</p>
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<h1><strong>What is a cohort anyway?</strong></h1>
<p>A <a href="https://dogagingproject.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360061980233-What-is-a-scientific-cohort">cohort</a> is a group of individuals that share some common feature or features. In the Dog Aging Project, our different cohorts are different groups of dogs with characteristics that allow us to ask and seek answers to specific scientific questions.</p>
<p>For example, if we wanted to know how daily exercise affects health, we might want to compare dogs who engage in different daily physical activities such as leash walks, swimming, or playing fetch. If this were our scientific question, the research cohort would include dogs who participate in the mentioned activities, but it would exclude dogs who do not participate in these activities. This doesn&rsquo;t mean the second set of dogs aren&rsquo;t interesting to study; it just means they aren&rsquo;t the right dogs to study for that particular question.</p>
<p>The Dog Aging Project consists of <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/one-study-or-many-cohorts-in-the-dog-aging-project">multiple scientific cohorts</a>. Currently, these include <b>the Dog Aging Project Pack, the Foundation Cohort, the Precision Cohort, </b>and <b>TRIAD, </b>each of which provides unique and valuable insights into the aging process.</p>
<p>Currently, the largest and <b>most diverse</b> cohort in the Dog Aging Project is the <b>Dog Aging Project Pack,</b> which includes <i>everyone</i> who completes the Health and Life Experience Survey. This large cohort gives us the statistical power to understand what happens as dogs age, how those changes are affected by the breed, size, sex, and past health events in the dog, and by the environment in which the dog lives. What we learn from this cohort can help us understand important questions about aging not only in dogs, but also in their human companions.</p>
<p>The aim of the <a href="https://dogagingproject.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500001690262-What-is-the-Foundation-Cohort"><b>Foundation Cohort</b></a> study is to provide a foundation (hence the name) of genetic information about a wide range of dogs. The Dog Aging Project has completed low-pass sequencing of nearly 7,500 dogs. Genome sequence data for these dogs will be compared and contrasted with survey results and medical records to identify the specific genes that influence how aging unfolds for each dog. Dogs are invited to the Foundation Cohort from within the Pack.</p>
<p>The aim of the <a href="https://dogagingproject.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500001585281-What-is-the-Precision-Cohort"><b>Precision Cohort</b></a> study is to obtain a more precise look at how canine biology and physiology are related to aging. The Pack and Precision cohorts help us identify the environmental factors and genes that influence aging. The Precision cohort allows us to &ldquo;look under the hood&rdquo;, identifying the biological mechanisms that link genes and environment to aging. The Dog Aging Project performs in-depth laboratory analyses of blood, urine, fecal, and hair samples from almost 1000 dogs. Using this information, we will identify molecular biological predictors of disease and longevity. Then, we can develop tools that look at environmental and other factors to predict biological age in dogs. We are happy to report that recruiting for this cohort is complete, which means that as we continue to collect samples, we can actively look at data and answer scientific questions.</p>
<p>The aim of the <a href="https://dogagingproject.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500001690382-What-is-the-TRIAD-Cohort"><b>Test of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD) Cohort</b></a> is to conduct a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of a drug called rapamycin. This cohort is not yet complete, and we are actively recruiting!</p>
<p><a href="https://dogagingproject.org/?p=3549&amp;preview=true"><b>Go to Part II: A Closer Look at the TRIAD Cohort</b></a></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3563 size-full" src="https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cohort-Images-Oct-DAP-Newsletter-7-x-5-in.png" alt="A diagram that shows how cohorts are pack members selected within the DAP Pack." width="2000" height="1428" srcset="https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cohort-Images-Oct-DAP-Newsletter-7-x-5-in.png 2000w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cohort-Images-Oct-DAP-Newsletter-7-x-5-in-300x214.png 300w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cohort-Images-Oct-DAP-Newsletter-7-x-5-in-1024x731.png 1024w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cohort-Images-Oct-DAP-Newsletter-7-x-5-in-768x548.png 768w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Cohort-Images-Oct-DAP-Newsletter-7-x-5-in-1536x1097.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px"></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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Inside Science: Consorting with Cohorts

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	</div><p> Our <strong><a href="https://dogagingproject.org/blog/category/inside-triad">Inside TRIAD </a></strong>series focuses on the Test of Rapamycin In Aging Dogs, our clinical trial. The goal of TRIAD is to assess the effects of the medication Rapamycin on health and aging in dogs. This study is designed to test if Rapamycin treatment leads to any of the following benefits:<br>
* Better Heart Health<br>
* Improved Mobility<br>
* Prolonged Cognitive Function<br>
* Increased Lifespan<br>
. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/tag/inside-triad/">Follow this series to learn more about the researchers on our team who are working with biological samples</a>.</p>
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<h1><strong>What is TRIAD?</strong></h1>
<p>The TRIAD clinical trial is a nationwide, double-blind veterinary clinical trial. This means half the dogs will receive the medication under study, and half will receive a placebo. In this trial, we will study the effects of the medication rapamycin. We want to discover if treatment leads to any of the following benefits in dogs:</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Better Heart Health</li>
<li aria-level="1">Improved Mobility</li>
<li aria-level="1">Prolonged Cognitive Function</li>
<li aria-level="1">Increased Lifespan</li>
</ul>
<h1><strong>Who can participate?</strong></h1>
<p>As with any clinical study, we want to prioritize the safety of the dogs participating. While we know that many dog lovers want their dogs to be a part of this trial, we specifically want dogs who are:</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Age 7 years or older</li>
<li aria-level="1">Between 44-120 lbs</li>
<li aria-level="1">Spayed or Neutered</li>
<li aria-level="1">Generally good health for their age. (We will ask for electronic veterinary medical records.)</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://dogagingproject.org/inside-triad-a-deeper-dive-into-the-test-of-rapamycin-in-aging-dogs">(Learn more about the criteria.)</a></p>
<p>All dogs enrolled in the DAP Pack are automatically screened for TRIAD. If your dog is not yet enrolled and meets the criteria above, we encourage you to visit the <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/triad">TRIAD page</a> for additional information and take a <a href="https://redcap.dogagingproject.org/surveys/?s=97XLNFARXHDHWJHE">brief assessment</a>.<b><i> If your dog may be eligible, </i></b>someone from the TRIAD team will reach out.<b><i> If your dog is not eligible and not enrolled in the general Dog Aging Project,</i></b> we invite you to enroll your pup and join the general study since you and your dog can still contribute to our understanding of canine aging.</p>
<h1><strong>What&rsquo;s involved with being a participant in TRIAD?</strong></h1>
<p>You and your dog will visit a partner TRIAD clinical trial site seven times over three years. We have sites throughout the U.S. (see map), and more are coming. During the visit, your dog will have an extensive examination by a veterinarian who will track your dog&rsquo;s health during the study. You will be expected to give your dog the prescribed study medication weekly for the first year. You, your primary care veterinarian, and the overseeing veterinarian at the TRIAD clinical trial site will not know what medication (either rapamycin or placebo) your dog was prescribed until after the conclusion of the trial. That is what makes this trial a blinded study.</p>
<h1><strong>This study is important, but my dog isn&rsquo;t eligible, so how can I help?</strong></h1>
<p>We&rsquo;d love for you to share information and help find more older dogs to participate. If you know anyone with an older dog in the locations indicated on the map, please share this with them.</p>
<h2><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3559 size-large" src="https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-2-1024x732.png" alt="More TRIAD Doggos needed graphic. We are looking for older dogs to teach us more about aging. We are still recruiting dogs of all ages, all breeds, all sizes, all across the United States (one per household).. but especially love to meet more big older dogs in the following states: Washington, California, Colorado, Kansas, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. " width="1024" height="732" srcset="https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-2-1024x732.png 1024w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-2-300x214.png 300w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-2-768x549.png 768w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-2-1536x1097.png 1536w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-2.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></h2>
<h1><strong>If you live near any of the TRIAD Clinical Trial Sites, you can help by sharing information in your community, including:</strong></h1>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Local veterinarians</li>
<li aria-level="1">Local businesses (doggie daycare, training and grooming facilities, pet stores, etc.)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Community bulletin boards at the library, coffee shops, and other locations.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Social media, in community dog groups, and anywhere dog lovers will see it.</li>
</ul>
<p>We provide <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/project-resources">downloadable resources</a>, including flyers, social media posts, newsletter articles, and more.</p>
<h1><strong>If you aren&rsquo;t near a TRIAD site but want to help:</strong></h1>
<p>We would love for you to share information on the Dog Aging Project within your community. The <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/project-resources">resources</a> page includes both TRIAD and Dog Aging Project resources. We also encourage you to enroll in the Dog Aging Project if you are not near a site. If you are enrolled, a site opens up in your area, and your dog may be eligible, we will contact you so you won&rsquo;t miss out on the opportunity.</p>
<h1><strong>Anything else I need to know about TRIAD?</strong></h1>
<p>Please note that <b>if your dog is already a participant in the Dog Aging Project</b><b>, </b>we have assessed your dog for eligibility for this trial. Unfortunately, many factors may exclude your dog from being eligible to participate. <b>If you were not notified,</b> your dog would not qualify for TRIAD. However, we are excited that your dog is a valuable member of our Pack, and we hope you will help us recruit by sharing information with others.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3558 size-large" src="https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-1-1024x732.png" alt="Logo of TRIAD that's a dog outline with heart and atom. Graphic has text that reads TRIAD Clinical Trial (Test of Rapamycin In Aging Dogs) An initiative of the Dog Aging Project" width="1024" height="732" srcset="https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-1-1024x732.png 1024w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-1-300x214.png 300w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-1-768x549.png 768w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-1-1536x1097.png 1536w, https://content.dogagingproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TRIAD-Doggos-Needed-7-x-5-in-1.png 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></p>
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Inside TRIAD: A Closer Look at the TRIAD Cohort

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<html><body><p>Merriam-Webster defines a sentinel as a person or group that watches over someone or something. If your dog goes bonkers when someone rings your doorbell, you are well aware that they are acting as a sentinel for your home.</p>
<p>But what if your furry companion was also a sentinel for your physical and social health and welfare as well?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0426">In this article at Science.org</a>, our Dog Aging Project team members Courtney Sexton and Audrey Ruple lay the framework for how our close relationships with canine companions can offer an opportunity to learn how the combined elements of the physical and social environment contribute to the quality of life for both people and dogs.</p>
<p>Although the canine life span is roughly six times shorter than that of humans, it is long enough to show the effects of potentially harmful exposures over time. Dogs can help researchers more rapidly assess how they tolerate environmental risk factors and how the same factors may be tolerated by people.</p>
<p>Dogs can help improve our understanding of, for example, the epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs), the impacts of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), heavy-metal absorption, and even the effects of social adversity.</p>
<p>Studies of the prevalence and spread of VBPs in dogs offer distinct information that may help curb the spread of disease.</p>
<p>For both indoor and outside exposures, studies using noninvasive and inexpensive silicone tags on dogs and wristbands on people show that levels of exposure to many compounds and chemicals in the environment are comparable to those of humans, confirming dogs as ideal sentinels. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/scientific-results-silicone-tags-as-an-effective-method-of-monitoring-environmental-contaminant-exposures-in-a-geographically-diverse-sample-of-dogs-from-the-dog-aging-project">(The Dog Aging Project has already piloted a study of these tags.)</a></p>
<p>As the authors note, where researchers are just beginning to scratch the ears of the canine sentinel is in capturing impacts of human social and financial adversity through measured effects on dogs. Identifying these social risk factors in dogs and assessing how they may alter aging, health, and even survival can help in finding ways to modify the environment, or exposome, to improve quality of life. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/scientific-results-living-in-a-disadvantaged-neighborhood-is-associated-with-reduced-dog-walking">(The Dog Aging Project has already begun looking at the relationship between dog walking and safe neighborhoods.)</a></p>
<p><a href="https://dogagingproject.org/scientific-results-big-data-from-small-animals-integrating-multi-level-environmental-data-into-the-dog-aging-project">You can read more about how the Dog Aging Project links health to environmental data here.</a></p>
<p>As health and aging research continues, it is important that investigators continue to examine veterinary medical data in the context of the physical and social environments. At the Dog Aging Project, we are looking forward to what our canine sentinels will teach us next about living healthier, longer, together.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read the article here: <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0426">https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0426</a></p>
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Inside Science: Canine Sentinels

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	</div><p> Our <strong><a href="https://dogagingproject.org/blog/category/inside-triad">Inside TRIAD </a></strong>series focuses on the Test of Rapamycin In Aging Dogs, our clinical trial. The goal of TRIAD is to assess the effects of the medication Rapamycin on health and aging in dogs. This study is designed to test if Rapamycin treatment leads to any of the following benefits:<br>
* Better Heart Health<br>
* Improved Mobility<br>
* Prolonged Cognitive Function<br>
* Increased Lifespan<br>
. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/tag/inside-triad/">Follow this series to learn more about the researchers on our team who are working with biological samples</a>.</p>
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<p>Will rapamycin help my dog live longer?<br>
Will rapamycin keep my dog healthier?<br>
How does rapamycin work?<br>
Is rapamycin safe for my dog?<br>
Would I have to medicate my dog his entire life?<br>
Are there any side effects of rapamycin?</p>
<p>We don&rsquo;t know&mdash;<strong>YET!</strong></p>
<p>We designed the Test of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD) to answer some of these questions.</p>
<p>Clinical studies in dogs are an essential component of veterinary research and medicine, as well as broader biomedical research. These studies aim to improve the health and well-being of dogs and other animals while offering valuable insights into diseases and treatments that can benefit humans. In the TRIAD study, we hope to evaluate the safety, efficacy, and potential side effects of rapamycin in dogs, leading to improved veterinary care of senior dogs and contributions to the understanding of human aging.</p>
<h1>First, do no harm.</h1>
<p>Any clinical trial, like TRIAD, has strict inclusion criteria designed to ensure the safety of the participants <i>and</i> the strength of the scientific assessment.</p>
<p>Here are the criteria for TRIAD:</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Age 7 years old or older: </b>To get the best answers to our rapamycin questions, it is important to have as few variables as possible. By inviting dogs seven years old or older,&nbsp; we will have a sample that, although different breeds, are at the same life stage. We want to study dogs in the middle to late life stage, where this intervention would be most practical and most likely to help.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Weight 44 to 120 lbs: </b>We know that size affects the rate of aging in dogs. Including both large and small dogs in this study would introduce another variable (size-specific aging rate) and make it harder for us to detect any rapamycin-related effects. In addition, size affects the metabolic rate, meaning that large and small dogs will metabolize drugs like rapamycin differently. For TRIAD, we need to standardize the amount of rapamycin given to dogs in the test group and have confidence that this standard dose will have the same physiologic consequences in all the dogs in the study.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Spayed or neutered:</b> The eligibility requirements for our clinical trial help us ensure scientific validity and participant safety. Because there are not many studies of rapamycin in dogs, we are also guided by information from other species.&nbsp; Rapamycin has been shown to cause infertility (which may be reversible) in male people and male mice; effects on female fertility are uncertain. At this time, it is not known whether rapamycin may cause infertility in dogs and whether or not infertility would be reversible. This is why when TRIAD was designed, we decided not to include sexually intact dogs in the study. All participants in our clinical trial are volunteers, and it is important to minimize unnecessary risks. We know some of our participants aren&rsquo;t planning to breed their dogs. However, balancing the possible risk of infertility &ndash; a potentially permanent health consequence &ndash; against the lack of any known benefit of rapamycin, we determined it would not be ethical to enroll intact dogs in TRIAD. Clinical trials of promising medications are repeated over time. If our clinical trial finds that rapamycin has a positive impact on healthy aging in dogs, then additional studies will likely follow. These studies may be designed to include populations at particular risk of side effects, such as intact dogs.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Up-to-date on vaccinations, including rabies and distemper: </b>We want to study generally healthy dogs, which means dogs who receive regular veterinary care to maintain wellness. Vaccinations are necessary to keep dogs healthy and can help avoid costly care for preventable diseases. They prevent diseases that can be passed between animals and from animals to people.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Up-to-date on heartworm tests and be on or be willing to be on heartworm preventative (state specific):</b> For TRIAD, our goal is to enroll a diverse group of healthy aging dogs with many breeds and geographic areas represented. We have asked TRIAD participants to follow the preventive care guidelines outlined by The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and The American Heartworm Society (AHS). Based on these guidelines, we ask all TRIAD enrolled participants to give heartworm prevention at a regular interval (this may be a monthly tablet or monthly topical, or an annual or semi-annual injection), as well as stay current with their distemper/parvo/adenovirus and rabies immunizations. Specific locations of the country see higher prevalences of all of the above diseases, but for standardization, we have asked all participants to follow these guidelines. This also eliminates risk issues with travel, as we have participants who spend part of the winter or summer in other geographic regions of the country. We encourage you to speak with your primary care veterinarian to discuss further the risk in your area of heartworm, and how many cases have been diagnosed in recent years.<a href="https://www.aaha.org/globalassets/02-guidelines/preventive-healthcare/caninepreventiveguidelines_ppph.pdf"><strong> You can learn more about the AAHA preventative guidelines for dogs here</strong></a><strong>.</strong></li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Have no major medical conditions or require regular medications that might interact with the study medication. </b>We want to make sure that we are studying the medication, not all the other things going on with the dog.</li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Be non-aggressive and able to remain compliant through lab work, exams, and tests performed at all appointments. </b>TRIAD study appointments require dogs to be examined for several hours, often without their owners present. Dogs may need to patiently lie down during an echocardiogram or participate in a neurological examination, and all dogs need to tolerate blood collections at each visit. Dogs who have repeatedly exhibited stress and anxiety with veterinary appointments are not included in the study, as we feel this would be too stressful for both the dog and veterinary staff. At all of our participating TRIAD sites, it is standard hospital policy that owners may accompany their pets for certain aspects of the screening visit (such as the patient history and blood pressure). Other procedures (such as echocardiogram, neurologic exam, and sample collections) occur within the internal departments of the hospital. For the privacy, safety, and security of all patients and staff within these areas, owners are asked to remain in approved client waiting areas while their canine companions go with the hospital staff. Many of these departments have limited space; thus, it is ideal to keep the number of people present to the minimum necessary. We encourage you to share with the hospital staff any important details about your companion&rsquo;s personality that can help to create the most comfortable and pleasant experience possible. All the veterinarians and supporting staff at our partnering TRIAD sites are professionally trained, and your dog will be in excellent hands.</li>
</ul>
<h1>It&rsquo;s more than just the medication.</h1>
<p>Additionally, owners will be asked to do the following:</p>
<ul>
<li><b>Transport their dog to the nearest TRIAD clinical site every 6 months after the initial eligibility assessment for three years (seven visits.)</b></li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Maintain regular veterinary care for their dog with their primary care veterinarian.</b></li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>Keep a Medication and Observation Diary throughout the first year when administering the study medication.</b></li>
<li aria-level="1"><b>A</b><b>nswer surveys and provide information about their dog&rsquo;s health in a timely manner over the course of three years.</b></li>
</ul>
<p>We know that TRIAD participation could seem overwhelming. There is a real possibility that study dogs may not experience better aging health either because they may be receiving the placebo or because rapamycin does not improve aging health in dogs. The fact that we are doing the study doesn&rsquo;t mean that we know rapamycin has benefits for dogs.&nbsp; We are studying rapamycin because we <i>don&rsquo;t</i> know <b>&ndash; yet.</b>&nbsp; Participating in the TRIAD study may not help your dog live longer, but your participation will help future dogs live healthier lives longer. And who wouldn&rsquo;t want to be a part of that?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">The TRIAD TEAM</h4>
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Inside TRIAD: A Deeper Dive into the Test of Rapamycin In Aging Dogs

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	</div><p>Posts in our <strong>Scientific Results &ndash; The Science We Stand On</strong> series introduce past papers published in the scientific literature by members of the Dog Aging Project research team. This is the science that led to the Dog Aging Project. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/blog/category/the-science-we-stand-on">Follow this series to learn more about the scientific questions we asked at the beginning of the Dog Aging Project.</a></p>
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<p><strong><em>This month, we are featuring our team studying all the environmental factors in dogs&rsquo; lives. Dr. Audrey Ruple leads this team at the Department of Population Health Sciences, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. This team has innovative ways to look at environmental factors, which they consider to be everything outside of the dogs. That includes diet and exercise, as well as the built environment, chemical environment, natural environment, and drinking water.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em><a href="https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/02/vetmed-dog-aging-project.html">You can read more about this team of researchers here.&nbsp;</a></em></strong></p>
<h2>Who worked on this research?</h2>
<a href="#" id="" class="in-page-link"></a><section class=" vc_row wpb_row vc_custom_1655256879436 vc_custom_1655256879436"><div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-4"><div class="vc_column-inner vc_custom_1655256869645"><div class="wpb_wrapper">
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			<p>Audrey Ruple<br>
Evan MacLean<br>
Noah Snyder-Mackler<br>
Kate E. Creevy<br>
Daniel Promislow</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Where was it published?</h2>
<p>Annual Review of Animal Bioscience</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>&nbsp;What is this paper about?</h2>
<p>This article explores how studying aging in dogs using the approach we have taken with the Dog Aging Project can help us understand healthy aging in both dogs and humans. We discussed how dogs age, the diseases and health conditions they get as they grow older, and the genetic and environmental factors that affect their health. The paper also describes the similarities between dog aging and human aging, showing that lessons learned from studying dogs can also improve human health.</p>
<h2>What do these results mean for me and my dog?</h2>
<p>For dog owners, this research shows that how we feed and care for our dogs can make a big difference in their quality of life as they age. By understanding the factors that contribute to aging and age-related diseases in dogs, veterinarians can develop more effective treatments and preventive measures. The findings can also help to guide dog owners in making better choices for their pets&rsquo; nutrition and overall care. This could lead to longer, healthier lives for dogs.</p>
<h2>Where can I learn more?</h2>
<p>Ruple A, MacLean E, Snyder-Mackler N, Creevy KE, Promislow D. Dog Models of Aging. Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2022 Feb 15;10:419-439. doi: 10.1146/annurev-animal-051021-080937. Epub 2021 Oct 26. PMID: 34699257; PMCID: PMC8962603.</p>
<h2>Abstract</h2>
<p>As the most phenotypically diverse mammalian species that shares human environments and access to sophisticated healthcare, domestic dogs have unique potential to inform our understanding of the determinants of aging. Here we outline key concepts in the study of aging and illustrate the value of research with dogs, which can improve dog health and support translational discoveries. We consider similarities and differences in aging and age-related diseases in dogs and humans and summarize key advances in our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors for morbidity and mortality in dogs. We address health outcomes ranging from cancer to cognitive function and highlight emerging research opportunities from large-scale cohort studies in companion dogs. We conclude that studying aging in dogs could overcome many limitations of laboratory models, most notably, the ability to assess how aging-associated pathways influence aging in real-world environments similar to those experienced by humans.</p>
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Scientific Results: Dog Models of Aging

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	</div><p>Posts in our <strong>Scientific Results</strong> series introduce recent papers published in the scientific literature by members of the Dog Aging Project research team. <a href="https://dogagingproject.org/tag/scientific-results/">Follow this series to learn more about the scientific questions we&rsquo;re asking, the kinds of results we&rsquo;re getting, and what it all means for you and your dog</a>.</p>
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<p><strong><em>This month, we are featuring our team studying all the environmental factors in dogs&rsquo; lives. Dr. Audrey Ruple leads this team at the Department of Population Health Sciences, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech. This team has innovative ways to look at environmental factors, which they consider to be everything outside of the dogs. That includes diet and exercise, as well as the built environment, chemical environment, natural environment, and drinking water.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em><a href="https://news.vt.edu/articles/2024/02/vetmed-dog-aging-project.html">You can read more about this team of researchers here.&nbsp;</a></em></strong></p>
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			<p><strong>Dog Aging Project Team Members</strong>:</p>
<p>Courtney L Sexton<br>
Audrey Ruple</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h2>Where was it published?</h2>
<p>Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.</p>
<h2>&nbsp;What is this paper about?</h2>
<p>In recent years, there have been popular media reports claiming that companion dogs are living shorter lives than they used to. Given the many advances in veterinary care and diagnostics, more familial relationships people build with companion dogs today, and improved understanding of dogs&rsquo; cognition and behavior, this didn&rsquo;t seem to make sense to us. So, we decided to take a closer look at the published literature to ensure our opinion aligned with the available evidence. When we set out to conduct a systematic review of the studies on dog lifespans, we found that there were several limitations to evaluating them because of many inconsistencies in the ways mortality data have been collected, reported, and analyzed.</p>
<p>However, we found that reports from these existing datasets could be used to make a cursory judgment (at the very least, more accurate than what has been reported in the popular press) of whether there has been an overall increase or decrease in dog life expectancy over the last 40 years. As it turns out, the trend that we see in studies using available data on dog mortality around the world indicates that the average dog&rsquo;s lifespan appears to be higher today than in the mid-1980s.</p>
<h2>What do these results mean for me and my dog?</h2>
<p>Great news: it appears that on average, dogs&rsquo; lives aren&rsquo;t getting shorter! While we&rsquo;re really glad to see this, the fact that this basic understanding of dogs&rsquo; life history is still a complicated question is problematic. This is because we don&rsquo;t have a standardized method for capturing and reporting mortality data, which is why large-scale projects like the Dog Aging Project are so important. Every dog who is a part of Dog Aging Project helps us to better understand more about their lifespans. With this information, we can continue our investigations into improving dogs&rsquo; quality of life across life stages.</p>
<p>Just as in people, injuries, diseases, and genetic disorders can impact dogs&rsquo; lifespans. But, if we as their caretakers are mindful of providing our dogs with safe environments and keeping current on preventative care, dogs can live relatively long, healthy, and happy lives (though unfortunately, never as long as we&rsquo;d wish!).</p>
<h2>Where can I learn more?</h2>
<p>Sexton CL, Ruple A. How can we achieve more accurate reporting of average dog lifespan? J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2024 Jun 12;262(9):1-5. doi: 10.2460/javma.24.01.0068. PMID: 38866045.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/2047448/15626121"><strong>You can hear Lead Author Courtney Sexton speak about this research on Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association&rsquo;s Veterinary Vertex podcast.</strong></a></p>
<h2>Abstract</h2>
<p>Despite major advances in our understanding of dogs as a biological system (including genetics/epigenetics, physiology, cognition, and behavior), the veterinary field lacks consensus around a critical piece of information: namely, the average lifespan/life expectancy of a domestic dog. This deficiency is due in part to unavailable and/or inconsistent collection of dog mortality data. In an effort to review historical and current reports of dog lifespan to determine whether the domestic dog&rsquo;s lifespan has changed over time, we found that incongruous data were prohibitive to conducting a formal meta-analysis of dog lifespan reports. However, in examining several different kinds of dog aging and mortality studies covering a span of about 40 years (1981 to 2023), it seems apparent that the median lifespan of domesticated dogs has not recently decreased, as has been reported in the popular press, but rather has increased steadily over that time frame. Still, assessing the validity of these numbers is a challenge, as methodology, cohort, and covariates (such as weight, breed, etc) vary from study to study. We therefore recommend the adoption of a comprehensive, standardized method for reporting and recording dog mortality so that a more accurate understanding of dogs&rsquo; average lifespan can be obtained in the future.</p>
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Scientific Results: How can we achieve more accurate reporting of average dog lifespan?

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have established the Dog Aging Project as an engine for innovation. We are supported by research grants from organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Dog Aging Institute. We also receive philanthropic donations from organizations and individuals. We are actively seeking additional support to sustain and expand our existing initiatives and to develop new, cutting-edge programs that will benefit dogs and people too. View </span><a href="https://dogagingproject.org/our-supporters"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our Supporters</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> page for more information</span></p>


Donate Now

<p>The goal of the Dog Aging Project is to understand how genes, lifestyle, and environment influence health and aging. Our research program is designed to collect—and connect—critical data in six scientific domains: health, genetics, environment, lifestyle, cognition, and activity. We use innovative approaches and cutting-edge technologies to assemble, analyze, and share high quality canine health data with the scientific community and the public.</p>


<p>From within the Dog Aging Project Pack, we enroll subsets of dogs into cohorts based on specific scientific criteria. These cohorts include Foundation, a genomics study; Precision, a biochemical study; and the Test of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD), a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.</p>


Our Research Goals

<p>Once you’ve completed the Health and Life Experience Survey, your dog will be an official member of the Dog Aging Project Pack!</p>


<p>The Dog Aging Project is a community science project. This means that we rely on our participating dog owners and their primary care veterinarians to provide the information that fuels our scientific research.</p>
<p>We’ll ask you to tell us about your dog’s health, behavior, environment, and physical activity on an annual basis. A study of this magnitude would be impossible without the help of dog lovers around the US. Our participants truly are the heart and soul of the Dog Aging Project!</p>


<p>Everyone whose dog is a member of the Pack is invited to join the Dog Park, a private, online community where dog owners can interact with other participants, join clubs, post cute dog pics, attend monthly Pack Appreciation Events, and have insider access to our research team.</p>


Unique mixed breed combinations represented

Participating institutions & clinical studies

<p>At the Dog Aging Project, we care deeply about the health and happiness of dogs. Our discoveries about healthy aging in our canine companions will translate into medical advances for people too. We’re working toward a future where dogs, and their humans, can live longer and stay healthier—together!</p>


Enroll Your Dog

<p>At the Dog Aging Project, we know how important dogs are for the health and wellbeing of their owners. They give us comfort, joy, and unconditional love. Being a part of this study gives each and every one of us a chance to enhance the lives of future generations of dogs.</p>
<p>Will you join us?</p>


<p>Our team collects comprehensive health and diet data via owner-reported surveys, veterinary medical records, and frailty assessments.</p>
<p>For members of the Precision and TRIAD Cohorts, we partner with primary care and speciality veterinarians to collect biological samples for detailed biochemical analysis.</p>


HEALTH

<p>Participants in the Foundation, Precision, and TRIAD cohorts receive a free DNA Kit with which to collect a cheek swab sample for use in low-pass sequencing.</p>
<p>Genome sequence data are integrated with health measures and age-related physiological and behavioral traits to carry out comprehensive genome-wide association studies of common diseases, frailty, and co-morbidity associated with age.</p>


GENETICS

<p>Dogs share our environment. They live with us. They often sleep with us. Sometimes they even share our food. Environmental exposures can have a profound impact on health.</p>
<p>In addition to owner-reported information about each dog’s home and yard, our team compiles extensive environmental data geolocated by zip code for each participant. For smaller cohorts, we conduct physical sampling from the home environment.</p>


ENVIRONMENT

<p>The Pack contains dogs from all walks of life, including companion dogs, working dogs, and dogs who participate in many different activities like nosework or agility. We use owner-reported information to understand how different canine lifestyles are related to health and aging.</p>


LIFESTYLE

<p>Aging dogs sometimes experience canine cognitive decline, a condition that is analogous to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. We’ve designed a comprehensive program to study all phases of cognitive development, health, and disease through surveys, interactive games that owners play with their dogs, and even an opportunity for interested participants to donate their dog’s body to science at the end of their natural lifespan.</p>


COGNITION

<p>Our research is already demonstrating links between activity levels and various health measures. We quantify activity levels through surveys, at-home mobility activities that owners complete with their dogs, and with collar-mounted actigraphs that collect high granularity data on movement in three dimensions.</p>


ACTIVITY

<p>We welcome ALL dogs—young and old, mixed breed and purebred, healthy and those with chronic illness—from all fifty US states.</p>
<p>The only requirement is that you have a good estimate of your dog’s age. If you and your furry best friend are interested in joining the Pack, start the process by clicking the button below.</p>


Brooks

Nero

George

Buster

Utah

Lexi

Rosie

Bailey

Lucy

Nelly Bly

Emmy

Roxie

Emma

Tibor

<p>The Dog Aging Project is an innovative initiative that brings together a community of dogs, owners, veterinarians, researchers, and volunteers to carry out the most ambitious canine health study in the world. We invite you to partner with us and help future generations of dogs live the best lives possible!</p>
