title: Treatment with L-deprenyl prolongs life in elderly dogs.
abstract: Eighty two beagle dogs ranging in age from 2.8 to 16.4 years and in weight from 6.3 to 15.8 kg were allotted to 41 pairs and administered placebo or 1 mg/kg L-deprenyl orally once daily for 2 years and 10 weeks. When survivorship for all dogs in the study was analyzed there was no significant difference between the L-deprenyl and placebo treated groups, most likely due to the (expected) survival of virtually all young dogs in both groups for the duration of the study. To assess whether L-deprenyl treatment begun in later life might enhance canine longevity in a fashion similar to that documented in rodents we also examined survival in a subset of elderly dogs who were between the ages of 10 and 15 yrs at the start of tablet administration and who received tablets for at least 6 months. In this subset, dogs in the L-deprenyl group survived longer (p < 0.05) than dogs in the placebo group. Twelve of 15 (80%) dogs in the L-deprenyl group survived to the conclusion of the study, in contrast to only 7 of 18 (39%) of the dogs who received placebo (P=0.017). Furthermore, by the time the first L-deprenyl treated dog died on day 427, 5 placebo treated dogs had already succumbed, the first on day 295. Specifically with respect to dogs, the findings reported herein suggest daily oral administration of 1 mg/kg L-deprenyl prolongs life when begun in relatively healthy dogs 10-15 years of age and maintained for the duration of the individual's life, but in any event for no less than six months.
authors.affiliation: Deprenyl Animal Health, Overland Park, KS 66210, USA.
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Ruehl
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Entriken
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Muggenburg
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bruyette
authors.forename: W C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000662:veterinary; D012642:Selegiline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D012642:Selegiline