A life-long Purina study reveals how to increase dog longevity.

Study Design

When the study began, forty-eight 8 week-old Labrador Retriever puppies from seven litters were divided up according to gender and body weight and randomly assigned to either a free-fed control or restricted-fed group. The control group was allowed to eat an unlimited or free choice amount of food during 15-minute daily feedings. Dogs in the restricted, or “lean-fed,” groups were fed 75 percent of the amount eaten by their paired littermates.

Study Results

Study findings revealed that the median life span of the restricted, lean-fed dogs was extended by 15 percent or nearly two years. Median life span (the age at which 50 percent of dogs in both groups died) was 11.2 years for the free-fed control group versus 13 years for the restricted, lean-fed dogs.

The study showed that the lean-fed dogs maintained a significantly leaner body condition from 6 to 12 years of age than the control group dogs. On average, the lean-fed group weighed less, had lower body fat, and after a certain age, experienced a two-year delay in the loss of lean body mass as they aged, compared to the control group dogs.

In addition, according to observations of the researchers, the free choice control dogs exhibited more visible signs of aging, such as graying muzzles, impaired gaits and reduced activity, at an earlier age than the lean-fed dogs.

Our cat and dog health care advice? Feed a controlled (non-free fed) high protein diet supplemented with VetBalance Canine Wellness Formula for optimimum cat and dog longevity.