Dogs and humans may share some of the same biological patterns tied to lifespan, according to new research from the Dog Aging Project. The finding could give scientists a useful new way to investigate how aging works in both species.
In a study recently published in The Journals of Gerontology, researchers examined metabolites, small chemicals and molecules created during normal processes in the body. They found that certain combinations of these metabolites were associated with earlier or later death in dogs in ways that closely resembled patterns previously identified 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 and 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.”
Searching for Biological Signs of Lifespan
Metabolites can provide a snapshot of what is happening inside cells, making them useful for detecting biological patterns that may be connected to health and aging.
For the study, researchers analyzed blood samples from dogs participating in the Dog Aging Project. This community science effort follows dogs throughout their lives, with owners contributing detailed survey information and, in some cases, physical samples. The research team examined the blood for metabolic patterns associated with lifespan, focusing specifically on whether individual dogs died earlier 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.”
Using mortality as a clear endpoint allows scientists to work backward and investigate which biological processes may have contributed to the outcome. These processes can include metabolism, inflammation and the ways cells react to stress.
“If we understand why something happened, we have a greater chance of identifying ways to change it,” Creevy said.
A Metabolic Fingerprint of Aging
Rather than focusing on individual molecules, the researchers analyzed thousands of metabolites together to look for larger patterns associated with risk. Creevy said these broader groups can reveal more about what may be taking place inside cells than any single molecule alone.
“Some of my colleagues refer to it as a fingerprint,” Creevy said. “We often look at a pattern or grouping that has a relationship with better or worse outcomes rather than just looking at a single molecule.”
These measurable biological indicators, known as biomarkers, can help researchers estimate the likelihood of certain health outcomes by revealing changes occurring inside the body.
“Importantly, those biomarkers do not necessarily cause an outcome; when we find a biomarker associated with sooner or later mortality, we don’t know that it’s causing it,” Creevy said. “But if we understand why that biomarker is present, we may be able to identify what the cause of the relationship is.”
Finding these recurring patterns gives scientists possible starting points for investigating the mechanisms behind aging and, eventually, identifying biological targets that might help improve health over time.
Dogs and Humans Share Similar Aging Signals
The researchers then asked whether the metabolic patterns seen in dogs also appeared in people. To find out, they compared their results with five large published studies of human mortality that used similar methods to examine metabolites.
Across those studies, the signals associated with earlier or later death were broadly similar to those found in dogs.
That consistency was one of the most striking results, adding evidence that dogs and humans share important features of the biology that underlies aging.
“Frequently, we know a little more about this in people than we do in dogs,” Creevy said. “If we have the same targets, we’ll be able to leverage human research to benefit dogs.”
The similarities could allow scientists to use knowledge already gained from human research to improve canine health, while also using dogs to study how aging develops across an entire lifespan.
Why Dogs Are Valuable for Aging Research
Pet dogs offer several advantages for researchers studying aging. They share many parts of everyday life with humans, including their surroundings, diets and activity patterns. That overlap gives scientists an opportunity to examine how lifestyle and environment affect long-term health.
“One of the things we like most about learning from dogs as it pertains to aging is their widely varied lifestyles that mirror their owners’ lifestyles in a way that’s less true for other companion animals,” Creevy said.
Cats, for example, often live more independent and relatively consistent lifestyles. Dogs are more likely to follow the routines, environments and activity patterns of the people they live with.
Their shorter lifespans provide another major advantage. Humans, on average, live into their 70s, while dogs typically live only 12-13 years. That difference allows researchers to observe aging and lifespan outcomes in dogs much more quickly than would be possible in human studies.
Inside the Dog Aging Project
The research was made possible by the Dog Aging Project, a nationwide, long-term study that follows pet dogs living with owners across the United States.
Owners who participate provide extensive information about their dogs’ lives, while a subset also submit biological samples each year. Together, those contributions allow researchers to track changes in health and aging over time.
“The owners who enroll their dogs make everything possible,” Creevy said. “The dedication and commitment of these owners to participate in research and discovery to better the health of dogs is remarkable.”
Creevy said the latest findings are an early but important step toward understanding the mechanisms that influence aging. Researchers have now identified metabolic patterns associated with lifespan, giving them specific biological signals to investigate further.
“This is a starting point,” she said. “We’ve identified these metabolites, and now we know where to start looking.”
For people who own dogs, Creevy said the practical message is straightforward. Many of the same behaviors that promote healthier aging in people are also likely to benefit dogs.
“Keeping them on a healthy diet, at a healthy body weight, and preserving mobility and cognitive health — just like we would do for ourselves,” Creevy said. “What’s good for us is probably good for them.”
