Geroscience, longevity trends, and anti-aging strategies in dogs and cats

Importance: Advances in preventive care, nutrition, and veterinary specialization have extended the lifespan of companion animals, creating a clinical need to optimize healthspan(definition) in geriatric dogs and cats.This review synthesizes current geroscience evidence, highlighting the biological mechanisms-mitochondrial dysfunction(definition), inflammaging(definition), and cellular senescence(definition)-that contribute to multiple chronic diseases, and identifies practical, evidencebased interventions to mitigate these processes.Observations: Analysis of longitudinal cohort studies, including the Dog Aging Project and the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, confirms that genetics, environment, and lifestyle interact to shape aging trajectories.Data from medical record and insurance databases demonstrate increasing longevity but with marked breed-and size-associated disparities.Preventive strategies supported by robust evidence include nutritional modulation (caloric restriction(definition), macronutrient balancing, bioactive compounds), pharmacologic agents (mammalian target of mTOR(definition)-inhibiting drug studied for extending healthspan and lifespan." style="text-decoration:underline dotted; text-underline-offset:2px; cursor:help;">rapamycin(definition) inhibitors, senolytics(definition)), and lifestyle interventions (structured exercise, rehabilitation, cognitive enrichment).Integrative multimodal care-combining dietary, physical, medical, and environmental strategies-consistently delays frailty, reduces late-life illness duration, and sustains functional independence.Successful long-term outcomes rely heavily on caregiver engagement and adherence, facilitated by education and shared decision-making.Conclusions and relevance: Veterinary geroscience reframes aging as a modifiable process, offering translational insights aligned with the One Health concept.Standardized aging assessments, increased feline-specific research, and international longevity surveillance are needed to refine precision geriatric care.Applying coordinated, data-driven interventions in clinical settings can enhance both lifespan and quality of life in aging pets, with potential to inform human aging strategies.