Rethinking healthy ageing in dogs with Dr Matthew Muir
In this episode Dr Sarah Howard discusses healthy ageing in dogs with Dr Matthew Muir. Topics discussed include: The reason ageing is currently a hot topic. What leads to an increased lifespan and better quality of life? Diet changes that can impact ageing in dogs. Dr Muir discusses what we should avoid in order to increase lifespan. Matthew goes into details of what dogs' diets should look like to prevent disease. How often should we be feeding our pets? What happens to the gut microbiome as dogs get older? Dr Muir delves into supplements that can be beneficial for ageing and emerging tools that are becoming available. The importance of preventative medicine - proactive vs reactive care. Accelerators of biological ageing. Additional resources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11991408/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11675035/ https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1355560/full https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11505706/ https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/18/11/564 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4936929/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22216092/ Adams VJ, Watson P, Carmichael S, Gerry S, Penell J, Morgan DM. Exceptional longevity and potential determinants of successful ageing in a cohort of 39 Labrador retrievers: results of a prospective longitudinal study. Acta Vet Scand . 2016;58:29. doi:10.1186/s13028-016-0204-8 Cupp CJ, Jean-Philippe C, Kerr WW, Patil AR. Effect of nutritional interventions on longevity of senior cats. Int J Appl Res Vet Med . 2007;5(3):133–149 Bermingham EN, Patterson KA, Shoveller AK, Fraser K, Butowski CF, Thomas DG. Nutritional needs and health outcomes of ageing cats and dogs: is it time for updated nutrient guidelines? Anim Front . 2024;14(3):5–16. doi:10.1093/af/vfae008 Jackson J, Radford AD, Belshaw Z, Wallis LJ, Kubinyi E, German AJ, Westgarth C. Using veterinary health records at scale to investigate ageing dogs and their common issues in primary care. J Small Anim Pract . 2025;66(2):81–91. doi:10.1111/jsap.13809 Creevy KE, O'Neill DG, Promislow DEL. Morbidity and mortality in elderly dogs – a model for human aging. BMC Vet Res . 2022;18(1):456. doi:10.1186/s12917-022-03518-8 Lewis TW, Wiles BM, Llewellyn-Zaidi AM, Evans KM, O’Neill DG. Longevity and mortality in Kennel Club registered dog breeds in the UK in 2014. Canine Genet Epidemiol . 2018;5:10. doi:10.1186/s40575-018-0066-8 Kealy RD, Lawler DF, Ballam JM, Mantz SL, Biery DN, Greeley EH, Lust G, Segre M, Smith GK, Stowe HD. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc . 2002;220(9):1315–1320. doi:10.2460/javma.2002.220.1315 Guelfi G, Capaccia C, Tedeschi M, Bufalari A, Leonardi L, Cenci-Goga B, Maranesi M. Dog aging: a comprehensive review of molecular, cellular, and physiological processes. Cells . 2024;13(24):2101. doi:10.3390/cells13242101 Laflamme DP. Nutritional care for aging cats and dogs. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract . 2012;42(4):769–791. doi:10.1016/j.cvsm.2012.04.002 Hall JA, Jewell DE. Feeding healthy beagles medium-chain triglycerides, fish oil, and L-carnitine offsets age-related changes in serum fatty acids and carnitine metabolites. PLoS One . 2012;7(11):e49510. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049510 Bermingham EN, Patterson KA, Shoveller AK, Fraser K, Butowski CF, Thomas DG. Nutritional needs and health outcomes of ageing cats and dogs: is it time for updated nutrient guidelines? Anim Front . 2024;14(3):5–16. doi:10.1093/af/vfae008 Bray EE, Zheng Z, Tolbert MK, McCoy BM, Kaeberlein M, Kerr KF; Dog Aging Project Consortium. Once-daily feeding is associated with better health in companion dogs: results from the Dog Aging Project. GeroScience . 2022;44(3):1779–1790. doi:10.1007/s11357-022-00575-7 Palaseweenun P, Hagen‐Plantinga EA, Schonewille JT, Koop G, Butre C, Jonathan M, Wierenga PA, Hendriks WH. Urinary excr