Drugs aimed at extending the life of our four-legged friends could lead to benefits for humans, some scientists believe
Every six months, Casey undergoes careful cardiac testing at a lab; she has been through extensive genetic profiling and is now enrolled in a drug trial that researchers believe could extend her life. Casey, an 11-year-old labrador-German shepherd cross who lives with her owner Kate Saunders in Massachusetts, is part of the growing effort to help dogs live better for longer, and which gerontologists hope may improve human longevity too.
Late last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) centre for veterinary medicine gave conditional approval for a drug created by San Francisco-based biotech company Loyal that could be available as a life-extending tool for large dogs by 2026.
The news from Loyal has given fresh hope to Saunders, and numerous other owners for whom extra “healthspan” (the healthy period of life) for their pets is a chance not to be missed. The new drug, LOY-001, targets a growth hormone called IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor), the presence of which is some 28 times greater in large dogs compared with small ones. (It occurs naturally in humans too.)
I’d argue that pooping is the great equalizer. Getting equalized when you’re dead isn’t helpful to anybody; but everybody poops. Doesn’t matter how rich or attractive you are, there are days where it’s going to stinky liquid coming out that end.
Rich people have the money to spend on those frivolous tablets that (supposedly) make your shit smell like salted caramel and underpants that capture farts and spray a fresh pine scent instead.