What is it about?
The desire to live longer, healthier lives extends to our companion animals (CA), and those interested in supporting CA need to have good advice. Health is not just an absence of disease, and this article explores how we can make "healthy aging", "biological age" tangible and measurable, to enable appropriate advice throughout different life stages.
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Why is it important?
While aging is inevitable, the ability to develop and maintain functional capabilities and resilience may slow the aging process down. The article explores key themes related to aging, we propose a meaningful definition of healthy aging in companion animals, offering a framework to guide future research and shape veterinary care pathways to practively support health span and quality of life. The article also highlights practical resources for veterinarians and outlines key challenges and opportunities in the field
Perspectives
I felt so excited to be involved as a SME in this Scientific Advisory Board on Healthy Aging. The 2 day meeting where we developed the themes presented here was really inspiring. The breadth of expertise, experiences and shared passion for healthy aging made our discussions so engaging and rich. I am so proud and privileged to have contributed to this important conversation – helping advance the goal of longer, healthier lives for dogs and cats.
Dr David Allaway
Mars Inc
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Aging is modifiable: current perspectives on healthy aging in companion dogs and cats, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, October 2025, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA),
DOI: 10.2460/javma.25.06.0412.
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Contributors
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