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Hi Reddit!
I’m Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, and I’m here to talk about what influences healthy aging in our pets, especially the biological and environmental factors, and how we can use this information to improve the quality and length of their lives. There’s a lot that understanding aging can teach us about our pets… did you know that large breed dogs age faster than small breed dogs, and that aging pets may experience more sleepless nights? Did you know dogs and cats are considered senior around age 7 and begin to experience physical and cognitive changes? Aging is the most important risk factor for a wide range of diseases not only in pets, but humans as well, so by targeting the biological mechanisms of aging, humans and pets can expect to live healthier, longer lives.
My research is aimed at better understanding ‘healthspan,’ the period of life spent in good health free of disease and disability, so we can maximize the healthy years of our pets’ lives. I study aging in dogs not only because they are man’s best friend, but because they age very similarly to us, share similar genetic and phenotypic diversity and, most uniquely, share our daily environment. Imagine the strides we can make with advancing human healthspan if we’re able to fully understand how to increase the healthspan of our pets!
A bit more about me: I’m the Co-Director of the Dog Aging Project, Adjunct Professor of Genome Sciences and Oral Health Sciences and a Professor of Pathology at the University of Washington in Seattle. In my role as Director of the Dog Aging Project, we are working to increase healthspan in dogs so pet owners can have more healthy years with their best friends. We were recently featured on the TODAY show – check us out to learn more about our groundbreaking work. I have three dogs: Dobby, a 5 year old German Shepherd, Chloe, a 11 year old Keeshond, and Betty, an elder-dog rescue of unknown age containing an interesting mix of Basset Hound, Lab, and Beagle.
This AMA is being facilitated as part of a partnership between myself and Purina Pro Plan, as nutrition also plays an important role in supporting the healthspan of pets. Scientists at Purina Pro Plan have been studying aging in pets for more than a decade and discovered that nutrition can positively impact canine cognitive health and feline longevity. This research led to two life-changing innovations from Pro Plan for pets age seven and older – BRIGHT MIND Adult 7+ for dogs and PRIME PLUS for cats.
Let’s talk about the ways we can help the pets we love live longer, healthier lives – Ask Me Anything! I’ll be back at 1 pm EST to answer your questions.
">Science AMA Series: I’m Dr. Matt Kaeberlein, a pioneer of dog aging research, here to discuss how we can have more healthy years with our dogs and cats, including dos and don’ts as they get older and the latest research and innovations that are leading the way. AMA!
