TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – The search for the Fountain of Youth is as old as time. And when it comes to dogs, we’d all love to have them by our sides longer. There’s a new medicine designed to help make that possible for bigger dogs.
The drug is not yet available to pet owners, but it could potentially be on the market in the next couple years.
It is designed for large adult dogs who generally don’t live as long as smaller dogs.
“I think this is exciting when it comes to potentially giving people extra time with their dog. Everybody wants that,” Dr. Steve Reece said. He has been a vet for more than 30 years.
Dr. Reece is with Anthony Wayne Animal Hospital in Maumee. He said the research has focused on dogs weighing 40 pounds or more.
“It’s great as long as the dogs have a good quality of life during that additional life,” Dr. Reece said.
Loyal is the California-based company behind the drug. More research and testing has to be done before it’s available at your vet. But, “They have presented enough evidence to the FDA to show it’s effective enough to move forward.”
Dr. Reece said the drug works by interacting with Insulin Growth Factor-1, or IGF-1. It’s a hormone that is thought to cause dogs to grow and accelerate aging. Experts say IGF-1 is naturally higher in large dogs, which is why they tend to not live as long as small dogs.
“The excess of that hormone causes aging, or at least contributes to it, so if you can target IGF-1 and reduce that IGF-1, theoretically they live longer,” Dr. Reece said.
Dr. Reece said while we wait for medicine like this to be available something as simple as teeth cleanings can help extend your pet’s life.
“That’s a huge issue as far as longevity in dogs and cats. More and more people understand the importance of dental cleanings for their pets and have it done regularly. That alone has helped extend dog’s lives greatly,” Dr. Reece said.
And some are wondering if this groundbreaking research could one day be available for humans.
“I do think this could be an example where you see things that were developed on the veterinary medicine side have implications for the human side,” Dr. Reece said.
Dogs would get an injection at a vet’s office every 3-6 months. Dr. Reece said work is also underway on a pill form.
The drug maker says it could receive conditional FDA approval and have the medicine on the market in 2026.
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