Aging Starts In The Cells: Here's How To Help Your Dog Stay Healthier, Longer

The biggest risk factor for chronic disease, in both people and pets, is aging. Broadly speaking, aging is associated with immune weakness, cancer, kidney disease, metabolic disease like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and arthritis. But here’s the good news: we don’t have to accept chronic disease as a normal part of the aging of our pets.

Recent advances in genetics show that there are 12 ways that aging occurs at the cellular level in all animals (Lopez-Otin, 2023 DOI), including people. Two important factors are the loss of adequate NAD+ levels and the accumulation of old, “zombie” cells that promote inflammation. The disease risks associated with old age, combined with the desire to keep our pets healthy for as long as possible, make aging itself a topic worth learning about. The field studying this is called Geroscience, and it’s changing how we think about aging pets.

Geroscience focuses on interventions that target the biology of aging rather than treating individual age-related diseases. The result? Not only does it offer a path for our dogs to live healthier, longer, but also the potential for economic returns, i.e., less costly veterinary care over the senior years of our dogs. Health span, in contrast to lifespan, is the time a dog lives in good health. If you love your dog, of course, you want their health span to represent the vast majority, if not equal to, their lifespan.

Leap Years® Cellular Health System for Dogs is a dual-action, soft chew that boosts a dog’s vitality at the cellular level – where aging actually starts – to restore cell function and health throughout a dog’s entire system. Leap Years, developed by dedicated veterinarians, supports the health and vitality of your dog. It helps clean out damaged cells to make room for new, healthier cells. This helps head off age-related diseases in your dog, keeping them healthier for longer.

Leap Years works by:

• Boosting NAD Production: a key molecule that naturally declines with age but is vital for brain health, metabolism, and cellular function. Data shows that Leap Years boosts NAD in as little as 48 hours.
• Supporting natural clearance of old cells (senolytic “zombie” cells): senolytics are natural compounds found in low quantities in foods like berries and the skin of apples. They aid the body’s natural clearance of these old cells, which are associated with inflammation, an underlying cause of aging.

In addition to nutritional and lifestyle strategies to optimize your dog’s health span, it is important to know the signs of aging. They can be categorized into physical, cognitive, and social behavior.

• Physical: Slowing down, discomfort, change in weight and/or eating habits, ability to run/trot, and walking up/downstairs
• Cognitive: Changes in interests or playfulness, general restlessness
• Social Behavior: Level of curiosity, change in behavior around other dogs

A healthy aging supplement is recommended either before the signs of aging are evident or after you see an early sign of aging. When choosing a healthy aging supplement, consider these key questions:

1. Is it formulated and proven to work in dogs (not just repurposed from humans)?
2. Is it shown to be absorbed effectively by the canine gut?
3. Does it meet FDA manufacturing quality standards?
4. Is it potent enough to deliver results?

Glenn, a devoted dog dad to Cooper, is a great example of Geroscience in action. I spoke with Glenn about making Leap Years®Cellular Health System for Dogs, a part of Cooper’s healthy aging routine.

Q: How did you discover Leap Years? What made you interested?

“I’m a longevity enthusiast myself and wanted to ensure I could provide the best science to my best friend, Cooper, too. It's important for humans and pets to both focus on supporting the natural clearance of senescent cells so that NAD+ can be fully utilized by the body’s healthy cells!”

Q: What’s the biggest difference you’ve seen in Cooper since starting Leap Years?

“The biggest difference is his sustained vitality and mental sharpness. He is as playful and alert at five years old as he was as a pup, unlike many of his peers.”

A few examples:

• “He’s been swimming and digging nonstop at the beach for a full week without tiring out.”
• “During hikes, he still leads the pack with his pop and me.”

In addition to Leap Years, Glenn feeds Cooper a balanced diet, maintains Cooper’s healthy body weight, commits to daily exercise together, and makes regular visits to his veterinarian.

Your veterinary care team is an excellent source of information about aging. Questions to ask your veterinarian include:

• What kind of behavioral changes can I expect as my dog ages?
• What can I do to help my dog maintain a healthy weight?
• What kind of exercise is appropriate for my dog?
• What kind of health problems are common in my breed of dog, and what should I watch for?
• How can I tell if my dog is experiencing hearing or vision loss due to aging?
• What preventative measures can I take to help my dog avoid age-related diseases?

Aging is natural, but how your dog ages is something you can influence. By staying proactive – from exercise, a balanced diet, mental stimulation, to supporting their cellular health with Leap Years – you can help make your dog’s health span match their lifespan. For more information on Leap Years, click here