What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word inflammation?
Pain? Discomfort? Old age?
It’s funny, this term, “inflammation” has been thrown around a lot, in regard to both humans and pets.
More often than not, it’s coupled with unwanted, negative symptoms. But not all inflammation is bad.
For instance, say you’re out hiking with your canine friend, and suddenly they pull their leg or cut their paw.
In order for your dog to heal properly, their body would need to produce just the right amount of inflammation to begin the recovery process.
So in truth, inflammation is a normal, healthy defense to injury.
However, inflammaging is a completely different story… and one that pet owners need to be aware of.
Inflammaging… What’s that?
First, have you ever asked, Why do dogs age faster than humans?
You’re not alone. As it turns out, this same question has had scientists and veterinarians scratching their heads for decades.
Luckly, their curiosity has led to a few studies, some of which are currently underway.
Here’s what we do know so far…
Chronic inflammation has been linked to premature aging in our dogs, which scientists now refer to as “inflammaging”.
Given the fact that so many pet owners are interested in increasing their dogs’ longevity, this research is pretty groundbreaking.
But inflammaging isn’t the only thing that could be robbing years away from your dog.
Their metabolism, epigenetics, stem cell regeneration, and biological make-up all affect how quickly your dog will age.
However, there’s one factor we as pet owners have more control over than we think… and that’s inflammation.
As we mentioned earlier, not all inflammation is bad. In fact, a healthy dog will produce acute inflammation when addressing injuries, infections, and toxins that enter into their body.
Acute inflammation typically lasts a few hours to no more than a few days.
Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is what we need to look out for.
What is chronic inflammation?
Chronic inflammation lingers for months or even years. Not only will it prevent your dog from healing properly, but it can keep their body in a state of constant alert.
What’s most alarming about chronic inflammation is that it usually has a negative impact on your dog’s cells, tissues, and most of all, organs.
In fact, research suggests that prolonged inflammation is indeed a contributor to most, if not all, diseases.
Pretty scary, right?
Now, we know it’s inevitable for our dogs to age, but inflammaging is not a normal part of their aging process.
Signs of inflammaging in your dog may include:
