The companion dog as a model for human aging and mortality.

ABSTRACT: Around the world, human populations have experienced large increases in average lifespan over the last 150 years, and while individuals are living longer, they are spending more years of life with multiple chronic morbidities. Researchers have used numerous laboratory animal models to understand the biological and environmental factors that influence aging, morbidity, and longevity. However, the most commonly studied animal species, laboratory mice and rats, do not experience environmental conditions similar to those to which humans are exposed, nor do we often diagnose them with many of the naturally occurring pathologies seen in humans. Recently, the companion dog has been proposed as a powerful model to better understand the genetic and environmental determinants of morbidity and mortal

SUBMITTER: Hoffman JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5946068 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature