Our lives without dogs would be much less exciting and loving. From the moment they come into our lives, dogs make everything better and we often wonder why they can’t live longer. A recent preliminary study looked into this by examining the genome sequences of two senior dogs.
“Since aging is known to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, we are keen to investigate the genetic background of aging,” Dávid Jónás, the lead author of the study and the researcher at the Department of Ethology at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary told This Dog’s Life.
“It is worth mentioning that the genetic factors contributing to aging are of special interest when compared to the environmental factors (e.g. nutrition, healthcare, or physical activity), since the former ones cannot be changed as quickly and efficiently as the latter.”
Jónás and his team analyzed the DNA sequences of two dogs aged 22 and 27. They discovered mutations not noticed in dogs with an average life span. The senior dogs had longevity genes linked to cell death regulation, blood pressure regulation, and nervous system development.
The team is currently looking for six to eight more dogs who’ve reached a certain old age. You can visit their project if you happen to have an elderly dog that fits the criteria.
