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We all get old – even our beloved four-legged friends. But with the right dog food, they can age gracefully. Why not give their final few years the same quality as the rest, after all?
As dogs age, their nutritional needs start to change. Some people experience a variety of health issues as they age, including obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, and arthritis.
However, with the right senior dog food, they can improve their health and enjoy life to the fullest. It’s not easy picking the right senior dog foods though.
An older puppy needs food that is higher in protein than usual, lower in calories, and free of high-risk preservatives.
Additionally, they require minerals and nutrients for improved health, such as omega-3 fatty acids for joints, fiber for digestion, and antioxidants for support of the brain. It can get complicated without a few recommendations!.
Clubs Offering:
Good genes, proper upkeep, and good fortune all contribute to a long life. While a few four-leaf clovers can never hurt, once you’ve accepted a dog into your heart, it’s probably too late to start worrying about good genes. Good care is now the only thing you have control over, so And a big part of good care is good nutrition.
But there are difficulties with feeding your elderly dog. The National Research Council and the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) have not established official dietary guidelines for older dogs. Part of the reason for this is that each senior dog has different needs. That could explain why the nutrient content of commercial foods for seniors varies so greatly.
No one anticipates you to be an expert in nutrition just to choose a bag of dog food. However, you should be aware of just a few crucial aspects that concern the majority of senior dogs. This will assist you in selecting the ideal dog food for an older dog.
This matter is widely misunderstood. Many people still believe senior dogs should eat less protein. We now know the opposite is true. To fuel muscle, healthy seniors need more protein, not less. In older dogs, muscle loss is a serious issue. Some elderly people lose so much muscle that they require assistance to walk.
Older dogs need about 50 percent more protein to maintain muscle mass compared to younger ones. But, diets formulated for adult maintenance diets often don’t have enough protein to satisfy these needs. Veterinarian Ernie Ward, founder of the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, recommends 28 to 32 percent protein on a dry-matter basis for healthy older dogs, especially in those cases where weight loss is needed.
Younger seniors tend to be overweight. But, very old dogs tend to be underweight. According to a 2011 study, senior foods’ calories ranged widely, from 246 to 408 calories per cup. So, if your dog needs to lose weight, the same senior food might be a great option. But if they need to gain weight, it might not be the best option.
Remember that it is important to think about calories before you get old. Significant dog food producers Purina and Waltham both conducted benchmark studies, which both concluded that caloric restriction throughout life increased longevity and decreased illness. Essentially, good care for senior dogs starts in youth.
Other elements to take into account include senior dog health issues like heart and kidney disease. For both conditions, you’ll want a low-sodium food. The same 2011 study, however, discovered that the sodium content of senior foods varied from 33 to 412 mg/100 kcal. Low phosphorus is ideal for kidney disease, but no label even mentions this. The 2011 study discovered that although the phosphorous levels in the senior foods they looked at varied by three times, they were generally higher than their representative adult maintenance food.
For heart, kidney, and other illnesses, there are prescription diets that consider these dietary requirements. However, even those foods may have wide ranges of nutrients. You should be able to find these numbers on any dog food manufacturer’s website or by making a simple phone call. While you’re there, inquire about the qualifications of the individuals responsible for creating their foods. The first indication that you should choose another product is if they are unable to provide either.
To help fight osteoarthritis, some senior foods contain supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin. Unfortunately, the evidence that these supplements actually work is limited. However, they won’t hurt—except maybe your wallet.
Omega-3 fatty acids, however, likely play a significant role in senior diets because they may help prevent osteoarthritis and, especially, cognitive decline. Aim for EPA and DHA levels in your dog’s diet to be between 700 and 1,500 mg if you are adding your own. If your dog experiences any diarrhoea or vomiting, increase the dosage gradually starting at the low end.
However, there may be more to the recipe than just EPA and DHA. Beagles between the ages of 9 were used in a Purina study. 5 and 11 years old, who were fed either a standard diet or one with supplements of L-arginine, fish oil, antioxidants, and B vitamins for six months. On a variety of mental tasks, especially the more challenging ones, the dogs fed this “Brain Protection Blend” significantly outperformed the dogs not receiving it. The tasks required them to identify which of several shallow wells contained food when the cue was a marker that was either next to it, nearby, or displaced at an angle. They could also be tested on how well they performed on a task that required them to distinguish between right, left, and center before having to repeat learning which side was correct in order to earn rewards.
Do Senior Dogs Need Senior Dog Food?
Your veterinarian can offer advice based on your dog’s health status, disease risk, and lifestyle when deciding what to feed them and whether to switch to senior dog food.
The goals for feeding a senior dog are twofold:
It might be time for a change if your dog has been diagnosed with a condition that is known to be influenced by nutrition. This is one of the most important things to consider when determining whether your dog needs senior food.
When should my dog eat soft kibble?
If your dog is getting older and is currently categorized as a “senior dog,” it might be time to think about switching from hard kibble to soft kibble.
Early symptoms of your dog having trouble chewing hard food may become apparent. Here are some of the warning signs to look for:
Take your dog to the veterinarian if they exhibit any of these signs to determine whether they might be experiencing dental problems.
Dogs diagnosed with bad teeth problems are often prescribed soft dry dog food to reduce the pain they feel while eating. Even if your vet has not prescribed soft kibble to you, there is no reason why you cannot feed it to your dog. It will provide them much needed pain relief during their meals.
FAQ
Should older dogs eat soft dog food?
As your dog ages, their teeth may become more sensitive, making it more challenging and even uncomfortable to chew kibble. When your pet is eating, switching to a soft food can help to ease their oral discomfort.
Is Wet food better for older dogs?
Wet food has plenty of benefits. It has fewer calories to prevent obesity, more protein, vitamins, and minerals to keep your senior dog healthy, and it’s frequently simpler for older dogs to eat. Dehydration won’t be a concern either because soft food has a high water density.
At what age do dogs need soft food?
Puppies should begin eating solid food around four weeks old, when they can no longer obtain all of the calories they require from their mother’s milk.
What is the best thing to feed an old dog?
- Eukanuba Senior Small Breed Dry Dog Food.
- Iams ProActive Health Healthy Aging Senior Dry Dog Food.
- Hill’s Science Diet Dry Food Food for Senior Dogs.
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Natural Senior Dry Dog Food.
- Royal Canin Size Health Small Aging Wet Dog Food.
- Nutro Natural Choice Senior Dry Dog Food.