Dogs and humans age in similar ways, study finds

Dogs and humans may share some of the same biological patterns linked to lifespan, according to new research from the Dog Aging Project.

Researchers studied metabolites, small chemical compounds produced during normal bodily processes, in blood samples from participating dogs. They found that certain combinations were associated with earlier or later death in dogs in ways that closely resembled patterns previously observed in humans.

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The molecules that represent risk for dogs or protect them from premature death are very similar to those in humans, which shows that we share key characteristics of the biology of aging. That is really interesting and valuable.

The findings could give scientists another way to examine how aging works in both species. Metabolites can offer insight into activity inside cells, including metabolism, inflammation and the ways cells respond to stress.

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Death is an outcome that is easy to understand.

The research team analyzed thousands of metabolites at once instead of concentrating on single molecules. Dr. Kate Creevy, the project’s chief veterinary officer and a professor at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, said broader groups of molecules could reveal more about cellular processes. She said these patterns were sometimes described as a “fingerprint.”

The Dog Aging Project follows dogs throughout their lives. Owners provide detailed information through surveys and, in some cases, physical samples. Creevy said mortality provides a clear endpoint for researchers because it is easy to establish when a person or dog has died. Understanding which biological processes contributed to that outcome could help researchers identify ways to change them.

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If we understand why something happened, we have a better chance of finding ways to change it.