Metabolic Consequences of Aging in Small and Large Breed Dogs

Speaker:

Ana Gabriela Jimenez, PhD 

Event date: 24 May 2023 Lausanne, Switzerland 

Across mammalian species, a positive relationship exists between body mass and lifespan; for example, a mouse has a significantly shorter lifespan than an elephant. However, within a single species, such as dogs, the opposite is true: Small breed dogs have longer lives compared with large breed dogs. 

This session addresses two general questions regarding the negative correlation between lifespan and body mass in dogs: 

• Are there differences in cellular metabolism, metabolomics, and oxidative stress among small breed puppies, large breed puppies, and senior dogs? 

• Are there ways to manipulate cell architecture (e.g., increasing cell membrane polyunsaturated fatty acid content) or cell metabolism (e.g. using life-expanding drugs) to impact the lifespan of dogs?