What To Feed Older Dogs, Nutrition for Senior Dogs

Knowing exactly what to feed your senior dog can help to keep your pet healthy and active. Many people think that they can keep feeding their older dogs their regular food, but changes occur to a canine’s system at the onset of its senior years, with organs and digestive system weakening over time through loss of muscle strength.

Knowing when to switch your faithful friend to senior food is important, and the rule of thumb is to break the dog’s life expectancy down into thirds. Therefore, after two thirds of his expected life, you should think about changing his diet. If you are unsure, your veterinarian should be able to help you figure out when it is time to seek out a senior dog food for your beloved pet.

Dogs of older age need more fiber in their diet, and will, at that stage of their life, generally need less calories, fat and protein. Older dogs are less active, and, just like people, if the do not compensate for that by lowering their caloric intake they can become overweight which results in a host of health problems.

Sometimes a regular dog food, the type that will have been fed through the middle years of your pet’s life, can still be used, but should be lowered in quantity. The metabolism of senior dogs is slower so the don’t burn as many calories for example, certainly not at the levels it would have done in its younger years. Of course, there are plenty of dog foods today that are formulated specifically for senior dogs and these contain other nutrients that are necessary for the best health of older pets so you should consider switching your dog to one of these foods.

A well-balanced diet full of nutrition, vitamins and high quality protein will help to keep your dog active and healthy through his senior years. Depending on weight, breed and health the specific requirements of the diet may change, but enough fiber will be an important component. Not only will it help with digestion, but can ease the symptoms of constipation which older dogs are prone too.

Knowing what to feed your dog, isn’t just about diet alone. Other factors enter into the equation, such as protecting against gum disease and the build up of tartar around the teeth. Watching for this should of course be done throughout the dogs lifetime, but for a senior dog, the risk of infection is greater. Man’s best friend will need dry food to chew on in order to produce more saliva to protect the teeth. If you dog has not been eating well and has appeared to have lost its appetite, then immediately get things checked out professionally for signs of disease.

Dietary supplements can also play an important role in the health of your dog. If your dog has known deficiencies, or has not been receiving a properly balanced diet, then their internal workings and immune system can be boosted with vitamins and other supplements. Vitamins feed the system wonderfully and can also act as anti-oxidizing agents, which can help protect the insides. However, you should never feed your pet “human” vitamins as they can be lethal to dogs – ask your vet for a supplement that is formulated for dogs specficially.

The need to essentially formulate a unique diet plan for your pet will be a caring step. If you are unsure of what to feed your senior dog, asking advice from your veterinarian about needs, diets and supplements will help promote a prolonged and healthy life for your dog.

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