Editorial policy
Hope is stronger when it is honest
Canine longevity is a young field. We welcome its possibilities while showing exactly what is established, what is emerging, and what remains only an interesting idea.
The four classes
Broad professional consensus. Consistently reflected in mainstream practice and unlikely to reverse.
The direction of evidence in dogs is reasonably consistent, but important details and who benefits are unsettled.
Clinically recognised observations with limited intervention research in pet dogs. Treat as a reason to watch, not to act aggressively.
A plausible biological pathway with no demonstrated outcome benefit in dogs. Interesting, not actionable.
Four things we will not do
We do not invent studies or citations.
If we cannot point to real, verified work, we describe the state of knowledge in general terms and classify our confidence honestly. We would rather publish an article with no reference list than one with a fabricated one.
We do not fabricate testimonials.
Every story in the Owner Stories section is written and submitted by a real account holder and reviewed before it appears. If the section is empty, it is empty.
We do not make medical claims.
Nothing here diagnoses, treats, cures or prevents disease. We do not tell you a supplement will extend your dog's life, because no one currently can.
We do not dress mechanism up as outcome.
A plausible pathway is class E4. It stays E4 until there is outcome data in dogs, no matter how compelling the biology sounds.
How the assessment is classified
The healthspan assessment is a structured self-audit, not a validated diagnostic instrument. There is no published tool that converts owner-reported answers into predicted healthy years, and we do not pretend otherwise. What the assessment does is weight domains by how well supported and how controllable they are:
| Domain | Weight | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Body Composition | 24% | Established |
| Nutrition & Feeding | 16% | Emerging |
| Movement & Capacity | 20% | Emerging |
| Oral Health | 15% | Established |
| Sleep & Cognition | 10% | Preliminary |
| Preventive Care | 15% | Established |
Found something we got wrong?
Corrections are welcome and we would rather be corrected than consistent. Send the detail through the consultation form and mark the topic as a content correction.