Inside TRIAD: A Closer Look a the TRIAD Cohort
October 28, 2024 - 6 minutes readWhat is TRIAD?
The TRIAD clinical trial is a nationwide, double-blind veterinary clinical trial. This means half the dogs will receive the medication under study, and half will receive a placebo. In this trial, we will study the effects of the medication rapamycin. We want to discover if treatment leads to any of the following benefits in dogs:
- Better Heart Health
- Improved Mobility
- Prolonged Cognitive Function
- Increased Lifespan
Who can participate?
As with any clinical study, we want to prioritize the safety of the dogs participating. While we know that many dog lovers want their dogs to be a part of this trial, we specifically want dogs who are:
- Age 7 years or older
- Between 44-120 lbs
- Spayed or Neutered
- Generally good health for their age. (We will ask for electronic veterinary medical records.)
(Learn more about the criteria.)
All dogs enrolled in the DAP Pack are automatically screened for TRIAD. If your dog is not yet enrolled and meets the criteria above, we encourage you to visit the TRIAD page for additional information and take a brief assessment. If your dog may be eligible, someone from the TRIAD team will reach out. If your dog is not eligible and not enrolled in the general Dog Aging Project, we invite you to enroll your pup and join the general study since you and your dog can still contribute to our understanding of canine aging.
What’s involved with being a participant in TRIAD?
You and your dog will visit a partner TRIAD clinical trial site seven times over three years. We have sites throughout the U.S. (see map), and more are coming. During the visit, your dog will have an extensive examination by a veterinarian who will track your dog’s health during the study. You will be expected to give your dog the prescribed study medication weekly for the first year. You, your primary care veterinarian, and the overseeing veterinarian at the TRIAD clinical trial site will not know what medication (either rapamycin or placebo) your dog was prescribed until after the conclusion of the trial. That is what makes this trial a blinded study.
This study is important, but my dog isn’t eligible, so how can I help?
We’d love for you to share information and help find more older dogs to participate. If you know anyone with an older dog in the locations indicated on the map, please share this with them.
If you live near any of the TRIAD Clinical Trial Sites, you can help by sharing information in your community, including:
- Local veterinarians
- Local businesses (doggie daycare, training and grooming facilities, pet stores, etc.)
- Community bulletin boards at the library, coffee shops, and other locations.
- Social media, in community dog groups, and anywhere dog lovers will see it.
We provide downloadable resources, including flyers, social media posts, newsletter articles, and more.
If you aren’t near a TRIAD site but want to help:
We would love for you to share information on the Dog Aging Project within your community. The resources page includes both TRIAD and Dog Aging Project resources. We also encourage you to enroll in the Dog Aging Project if you are not near a site. If you are enrolled, a site opens up in your area, and your dog may be eligible, we will contact you so you won’t miss out on the opportunity.
Anything else I need to know about TRIAD?
Please note that if your dog is already a participant in the Dog Aging Project, we have assessed your dog for eligibility for this trial. Unfortunately, many factors may exclude your dog from being eligible to participate. If you were not notified, your dog would not qualify for TRIAD. However, we are excited that your dog is a valuable member of our Pack, and we hope you will help us recruit by sharing information with others.
