It’s the dog-darn truth: Every dog deserves to live a long and healthy life. And happier, healthier dog lives are why the Dog Aging Project exists.
The Dog Aging Project is an innovative science initiative led by Texas A&M University, the University of Washington, and Tufts University, along with other collaborating institutions. The project brings together a community of dogs, owners, veterinarians, researchers, and volunteers to carry out the most ambitious canine health study in the world. The goal: understand how genes, lifestyle, and environment influence health and aging in dogs. The discoveries made in our canine companions translate into medical advances for people, too.
The TRIAD Trial
From within the Dog Aging Project Pack, subsets of dogs are enrolled into cohorts based on specific scientific criteria. These cohorts include Foundation, a genomics study; Precision, a biochemical study; and the Test of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD), a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
TRIAD is designed to determine whether rapamycin increases the lifespan of companion dogs and improves various measures of health in aging dogs. Each enrolled dog receives either rapamycin or placebo for a period of one year and is monitored twice during that year and for an additional two years after the study medication is stopped.
To be considered for TRIAD a dog needs to be at least seven years old, between 44 and 120 pounds, spayed or neutered, and in good general health. Participants must bring their dog to a clinical trial site every six months for three years. There are 19 study sites across
the country, including right here in Wisconsin at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.
To learn more about the TRIAD Trial, go to dogagingproject.org/triad. Or contact Betsy Nixon at partner@dogagingproject.org.