A recent study discovered that letting pet dogs play with other dogs could help them age well. The research surveyed thousands of pooches and found socialization had a more positive impact than diet, activity, and other factors. Researchers are analyzing the results further to understand the link between playing with other dogs and a better quality of life.
The study highlights our similarities with our furry companions, showing that dogs have needs similar to ours. The best part is it says that playing with humans also boosts their health. Consequently, dog owners may want more fun with their pets to ensure they age with minimal medical conditions.
This article will discuss how scientists discovered that play and socialization improve dog health. Later, I will show you another breakthrough that extends dogs’ lifespans.
How did they discover this dog life quality secret?
Researchers from multiple US institutions used data on 21,410 dogs across different breeds and mixes to understand beneficial and detrimental factors to these animals. ScienceAlert says it is the largest of its kind at the time of writing.
They controlled age, weight, and other factors to yield consistent results and discovered that social companionship with dogs and humans positively impacts their health. “This does show that, like many social animals, including humans, having more social companions can be really important for the dog’s health,” Arizona State University says biologist Bri McCoy.
Conversely, they discovered that “financial and household adversity” and income levels relate to poorer health and mobility in dogs. However, their impact is not as significant as socializing. Having more children at home may also have a negative impact.
The study says pet owners may spend more time looking after their kids than their fluffy companions. Moreover, dogs in higher-income households were more likely to receive illness diagnoses.
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The scientists added a caveat that richer households can afford medical care, enabling them to receive diagnoses. Also, they collected dog owner reports, so their data likely have inaccuracies and biases.
Their findings establish a correlation between health and other factors, not a connection. Nevertheless, the experts believe they have enough evidence to indicate that a social lifestyle and a stable home improve pet dogs’ well-being.
“In future research, we will look at electronic veterinary medical records, molecular and immunological measures, and at-home physical tests to generate more accurate measures of health and frailty in the companion dog,” says psychologist Noah Snyder-Mackler from Arizona State University.
How do you extend dog lifespans?
A San Francisco-based biotech firm achieved another breakthrough in improving dog life quality. Believe it or not, they developed a drug that lets large dogs live longer!
LOY-001 inhibits insulate growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a growth-related hormone in various aging animals. It causes larger dogs to have shorter lifespans than smaller ones.
The SF-based firm studied over 450 large dogs and discovered lower insulin levels correlated with improved quality of life and reduced frailty. That is why the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged LOY-001’s potential to extend pet lifespans.
USA Today says the Loyal company received a “technical section complete” from the FDA, meaning data proves the medicine is effective.
CEO Celine Halioua told ABC7, “We still have to finish manufacturing and safety, but the ‘Does it work?’ is kind of historically the most challenging, and most complex, aspect of getting a drug approved.”
The firm hopes to release the drug to the market by 2026. “From our data, the FDA believes LOY-001 is likely to be effective for large dog lifespan extension in the real world,” Loyal stated.
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“Once we satisfactorily complete safety and manufacturing sections and other requirements, vets will be able to prescribe LOY-001 to extend the lifespan of large dogs while we complete the confirmatory pivotal lifespan extension study in parallel,” the company added.
LOY-001 would be a routine injection administered by a veterinarian every three to six months. Also, the company is developing two other versions named LOY-002 and LOY-003.
The former will be suitable for aging dogs of all sizes. In contrast, the LOY-003 will be a pill form of LOY-001. In response, experts emphasize the importance of ensuring an extended lifespan provides animals with a high quality of life.
Conclusion
Researchers from several US organizations discovered that a social lifestyle improves the quality of life of pet dogs. In other words, playing with fellow pooches and their human buddies improves their health.
This study might be the sign you’ve been looking for if you’re considering another dog. Hopefully, it also urges pet owners to spend more time with their furry companions.
Learn more about the dog quality of life study on the Oxford Academic’s Evolution, Medicine, & Public Health. Check out more digital tips and trends at Inquirer Tech.