Would you be willing to give your dog medicine that could extend their life by several years while at the same time preventing deterioration caused by the aging process. It’s one thing to extend a dog’s life, it’s another to extend a dog’s life while maintaining the same quality of life experienced in their prime. Despite the sadness that comes with the loss of our besties, I don’t think anyone would choose more time with their dog if it meant their canine companion would have to endure prolonged suffering.
Not only more years, but more quality years is the goal of Vet Med company Loyal.
Loyal isn’t just a start-up looking to discover the furry fountain of youth, they have proof of concept, and an industry first. In November of 2023 the FDA supported Loyal’s initial drug LOY-001 in that it shows enough evidence to effectively extend healthy years in dogs. With the support of the FDA, Loyal has begun pilot studies and expects to begin clinical studies shortly. The estimated time until launch is 2026. LOY-001 is an injection-based medicine available to large and giant breed dogs (40lbs or larger) beginning at age 7.
LOY-003, also estimated to be available by 2026 is similar to LOY-001 but would be available as a daily pill.
LOY-002 is already involved in clinical studies with reports of positive results. LOY-002 is intended to extend the lifespan and healthspan for older dogs of all but the smallest breeds. Like LOY-003 this will come in daily pill prescribed by your pet’s veterinarian. Pending final FDA approval, the estimated launch is sometime next year in 2025. The clinical trials are part of what Loyal is calling the STAY study, and they are currently recruiting 1,000 dogs to participate in the double blinded placebo-controlled study. If your dog is 10 years or older and weighs over 14lbs, they could qualify. There are over 60 vet clinics all over the US enrolling dogs now. Here is a link in case you qualify and are interested.
Life extension is going to be coming at us fast, the chance to have a few more good years with our furry friends will be tough to pass up. To have even an extra day of good health and happiness seems priceless. I don’t think I could resist the temptation.
While Loyal is making headway on life extension for dogs, there is absolutely no chance that pooch prolongation is the final goal. The world is watching with enquiring eyes, because what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, or in this case, what’s good for the hound is good for the human!
The question now turns to whether or not we would be willing to use similar age prevention medicines on ourselves?
thedihedral.com 
that’s a cute snuggle bunny (dog) in picture.
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He’s a good looking dog!!!
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That’s a huge question. I don’t want to be anywhere my Bear is not but I have accepted that moment will come and at the moment, the house is going up on the market and Teddy and I are moving into a motorhome.
“Why cling to this life when it is soiled and tired? God has decreed a new life for you and another and another.” Rumi
Maybe that’s true, whatever it means, but I think it means, “Things might be fine as they are.”
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Make sure it has some kind of lift. Motor homes are not easy to enter and exit for us creaky old folks.
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Good point, Fred! I hope it’s a ways off.
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I get some pet cemetery vibes from the whole idea, but Stephen King writes fiction. I vacillate on this for sure. It took me 5 minutes to write that last sentence as I got lost in what I would do. To be continued I guess?
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It’s a tough one, Carrot. I just think if I had been able to prolong the lives of my previous (and much loved dogs) I wouldn’t know Bear and Teddy. ❤️
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That is the best way to look at it. In terms of change and suffering. Good things have a way of growing out of tough times!
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I have heard of research into doing the same for humans. Not to make you live longer but rather have more healthy years in the same lifespan. Live well until a rapid onset of aging and death rather than the long slow decline with multiple intermittent drops.
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Now that I could get behind without hesitation Fred!
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I’m someone who avoids medication unless absolutely necessary. I treat my animal companions the same. Hopefully we’ll all have a natural, long healthy life and natural death. So, no thanks to an experimental treatment. I’ll miss them very much when they’re gone, for sure!
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I cannot say I’m against that idea, it sounds like the purest way to go about it. Personally I’m so indecisive that what I embrace one moment, changes in the next.
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