This Anti-Ageing Drug Could Allow Your Dog To Live Four Years Longer

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When a dog passes it’s more than just losing a pet, it’s like a member of your family has died. I’ve been through it a couple of times and it never gets any easier. But now, while the inevitable will still happen, there’s a possibility of adding four years to your dog’s life – so you get extra poochy times plus delay the sadness. Ace.

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Researchers at The University of Washington’s ‘Dog Ageing Project‘ are currently running a trial with golden retrievers and labradors to see if the drug ‘rapamycin’ can extend the life span of the canines. It’s used on humans to help them following kidney transplants, and a recent study extended he life of mice by as much as 25%. So fingers crossed.

Rapamycin is an anti-inflammatory that could potentially improve a dog’s immune system, circulation and mental ability.

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Dr Daniel Promislow, one of the leading scientists on the research, said:

If we can understand how to improve the quality and length of life, it’s good for our pets and good for us. It’s win-win. If rapamycin has a similar effect in dogs — and it’s important to keep in mind we don’t know this yet — then a typical large dog could live two to three years longer, and a smaller dog might live four years longer.

More important than the extra years, however, is the improvement in overall health during aging that we expect rapamycin to provide.

It’d obviously be ace to get a few extra years out of your best canine friend. Prolonging life is a crazy concept, but obviously worthwhile. I’d love a few more years with Vinny, my whippet x staffy. Imagine if it leads to prolonging human life. You could be reading this in 300 years time in a history museum. Or not. Either way, it sounds better than doing this.

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