Is castration leading to biological aging in dogs? Assessment of lipid peroxidation, inflammation, telomere length, mitochondrial DNA copy number, and expression of telomerase and age-related genes.

Background: Biological aging is a complex process influenced by various factors, including reproductive status and castration. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of castration on biological aging in dogs.

Method: Fifteen male crossbred dogs were randomly divided into a sham-operation control group (n = 5) and a castrated group (n = 10).