Even if we say ” no anthropomorphism! but when you share your life with a dog, it’s tempting to compare its age to that of a human. To finally give us some keys that would allow us to do this seriously, researchers have launched a large-scale project, the Dog Aging Project.
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One year in the life of a dog is seven years in the life of a human. It’s well known. Well known, but in reality, not as simple as that. Scientists have noted in recent years that the largest dogs tend to age ” faster “. Up to ten times faster, even, than humans. And it is the opposite for the smallest dogs. But then what is really thehuman age of your dog ?
To do the light on the issue, an ambitious project was launched in 2018. The ambition of the Dog Aging Project is to recruit dozens of thousands of dogs of all sizes, breeds and origins to get a clearer picture of canine aging. And offer veterinarians a working basis to develop the tools that will lead to healthier aging tomorrow.
The project will focus in particular on theDNA of some 10,000 dogs. Among which, dogs whose longevity is described as exceptional. From “supercentenarians” on all fours. The data collected could also make it possible to specify a little the history of the evolution and the domestication of our best friends.
A participatory science project
So far, more than 32,000 dogs have already been enrolled in the program by citizen scientists. But researchers continue to recruit all kinds of individuals. ” Above all, they say in a communicated, puppies and young dogs under three years old ». All within the United States. The goal is for the humans of the dogs that will join the pack to commit to completing surveys and taking all measurements — DNA swabs, fur or materials faeces, etc. — requested by researchers throughout the project, which should last about ten years. If necessary, with the support of partner veterinarians.
The researchers hope, on the one hand, to better understand in this way what is in the order of aging “regular” in the dog, and on the other hand identify biomarkers specific to canine aging. The latter could also teach them about human aging since dogs share with us both a sophisticated care system and living environments and they experience almost all the functional declines and diseases of aging that we also experience.
The Dog Aging Project is recruiting dogs to participate in the largest #canine health study ever conducted. This is an opportunity to be part of a research project that can dramatically extend what we know about #health and #aging in our dogs.https://t.co/zRgQjAWQth
— Dog Aging Project (@DogAgingProject) January 23, 2021
The data already collected will soon be made available — anonymously — to the international scientific community. So that a maximum of researchers from different backgrounds can contribute to the study.
All information on the project is available online, on the website Dog Aging Project.
How old is your dog really?
To calculate the age of your dog, simply multiply by seven. It is well known. But researchers are now announcing that this method does not work. According to them, our dogs would be older than that.
Article of Nathalie Mayer published on 03/07/2020
Anyone who shares their life with a dog knows this. To calculate thehuman equivalent of his age, it is enough to proceed to a multiplication by seven. Error, say today researchers from the University of California at San Diego (USA). They have developed a formula that accurately compares the age of humans to that of dogs.
For this, they studied the evolution of the patterns of methyl groups in the genomes dogs and humans. Thus developing a kind of epigenetic clock that marks the age of cells, tissues or organisms. A bit like the wrinkles that give clues to thea person’s age.
It appears that dogs age faster than humans in their early years. A one-year-old dog only shows the same aging as a human… 30 years old! And it is from the age of seven that this aging really slows down. While overall leaving our dogs much older than we could have imagined.
Interesting implications
While it may seem anecdotal, this study still has real implications. In the way veterinarians will now be able to guide their diagnoses and their treatment decisions. But, given the closeness we have to our dogs — similar care and environmental and chemical exposures — it could also help to better assess the anti-aging interventions on humans.
A question still remains, however, given that the work of researchers at the University of California only relates to a single Dog Breed : Do these results apply more generally? To find out, scientists plan to test other breeds.
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