Best Dog Food for Senior Dogs

Dogs live in this world for a limited time. As a result, you may want to keep very happy until the time they are with you. You take care of their beauty, diet, exercise, health, and everything. However, when it gets aged, they may need more care. One of the ideal things you can give them is the best dog food for senior dogs.

You love your dog a lot and never say no when they ask for cuddling. However, taking care of their diet is the best thing you can do for your dog. Many things change with the growing age of your dog. All of these changes mean that the dog will need a special diet.

The nutrients need of your dog remains the same in most cases. Therefore, you will see that most people stick to the same diet for their dogs. What changes in the health of your dog. Like a BP patient need to change his diet, the same is the case with a dog. With several health issues at a later age, your senior needs a special diet. This article will help dog owners find the best dog food for senior dogs.

Dogs develop arthritis while they also get bone and joints issues in older age. The bones get weak while it may lead to other complex issues. So, if you give them the right diet in senior age, they will most likely remain healthy even if they are old.

In this article, we will look at what are the basic points that demand a change in diet. We will also look at some critical points to consider when you are changing the diet. Moreover, we will answer your FAQ’s in the end.

Why Senior Dogs Diet Differ?

Every living object has separate diet needs with the growing age. When we were children, we need different items than when we are young. When we get older, our diet changes drastically to cater to all the health issues. Dogs also pass through these stages of life.

However, their diet changes once in their life. When they are young, they have different needs; and at a senior age, the diet differs. So, what is the right age to change the diet of your dog? Well, it is good to shift the diet at six years of age because this is when most dogs see health issues.

We call small-sized dogs senior when they reach eight years of age. While large dogs are senior as soon as they cross six years mark. When your dog gets senior, you must feed him the best dog food for senior dogs.

The basic reason for diet change is the health issues of your dog. There are various other reasons why your dog needs a senior diet.

Less Active

A young dog is more active as he moves with a lot of energy. He walks more, runs well, and does a lot of exercises. He burns more calories and as a result, he must have a high-calorie intake to support his lifestyle.

However, a senior dog is less active, moves less, and burns fewer calories. Thus, he needs fewer calories. If you remain careless about his calorie intake, he may gain a lot of weight. Hence, your senior dog will welcome many other diseases that are related to obesity.

Protein Intake

We know that protein has a vital role in the lifecycle of any living being. At a young age, we need protein for growth. However, seniors need more protein to support their bones. They also need protein to maintain the mass of their lean muscles.

Kidney Diseases

There is a higher risk of kidney diseases for senior dogs. As a result, you should reduce the phosphorous intake of your senior. Lowering its intake will not ensure that your seniors won’t get kidney diseases. However, it will reduce their chances of disease.

High BP

Like humans, dogs also develop high BP. In the case of any heart disease or even kidney disease, you must reduce its sodium intake. A regular diet has a lot of sodium which is not suitable for your senior.

Hydration Problems

As your dog starts getting older, his hydration issues will start getting severe. Seniors are at a higher risk of getting dehydrated faster. Thus, you need special remedies to avoid this and retain the health of your dog.

These were some of the common most changes that happen to your dog with age. Each of them needs a new balanced diet. Thus, it will ensure that your dog gets all that is good for him and avoids all that is bad. A simple move of changing the diet will save your dog from a lot of diseases.

Important Things to Consider Before Selecting the Best Dog Food for Senior Dogs?

The best dog food for seniors differs in many ways than what you feed a young puppy. However, there should be some criteria to decide how you select a diet for your dog. Let us learn about it.

Ask a Vet

The best way is to consult with a vet and ask him about what suits your dog as per their age and body structure. You should remember that age alone is not the only indicating factor. The type of breed also plays a vital role. A vet will do a complete checkup on your dog and can give an answer to what is the best food for senior dogs.

Check for Health Issues

People usually change their diet when their senior dog occurs certain health problems. While there is no wrong in this approach, you must consider those health issues. If your dog has some deficiency, make sure to provide it in a good amount. If there is something that is exceeding safe levels, make sure to avoid it.

Calorie Levels

Younger puppies run a lot and perform many exercises. Since they burn more calories, they need a diet rich in calories. On the other hand, senior dogs run less and burn fewer calories. So, they need a diet that has fewer calories. You must buy the best diet for your dog that will give them the exact calorie need.

Proteins Levels

Some people will also drop the protein level for their senior dog. However, seniors still need a lot of protein to retain their health, which. So, make sure the diet you start has enough protein level in it that your dog needs.

Obesity

Certain foods cause obesity more than others. Some foods have more proteins and diet value but fewer fats. Make sure to buy this type of safe food for your dog. If he becomes obese at this age, it will get very difficult for him to retain health. Obesity may also lead to other issues. So, have a proper check on their weight.

Soft Food

A young dog can eat whatever you feed it as long as it is safe for the stomach. They have strong teeth for bites and will chew anything you feed them. However, as time passes, your senior dog may incur dental problems.

Dental problems will make it very difficult for them to chew hard food. So, you must switch to a diet that is soft or wet. This way your pet will eat all the food without hurting its teeth. Soft food will also help them overcome their teeth issues.

These were some of the key factors that must impact your decision. Your senior dog requires more care when it comes to diet. Any negligence in their diet will turn bad for their health.

When to Change the Diet?

A dog’s diet depends on its age and weight factors. The size of their body has a great impact on their diet as it affects your dog’s age. A smaller dog of weight less than 25 lbs. will need a senior diet at the age of eight years. A medium dog with a weight below 60 lbs. will need the same at the age of 7 years. A larger dog will need a senior diet as soon as they turn 6.

In some cases, age is not the only deciding factor. Sometimes, your dog becomes sensitive to normal food or develops allergies. In this case, you may also like to switch to a senior dog diet. The reason is that these diets are usually safe for your dog. Your dog will retain health faster when he takes a safe diet.

FAQs

When Do We Call a Dog Senior?

The age at which we call a dog, senior, differs between different dogs. When your dog spends half of their age, then it is the right time to call him senior. Most dogs reach senior age between six to eight years of age.

Do Older Dogs Need More Protein Than Others?

While some people disagree, but this is the truth. Senior dogs need more proteins than others. The reason is that they waste muscle mass when they are getting aged. As a result, they need more proteins to replace this mass.

Can We Give Normal Food to Seniors?

There are specific cases when you must feed your dog with a senior diet. This is when he is suffering from illness or his current diet can’t meet his protein needs. However, in most cases, people keep feeding their seniors with the old diet.

There is no main issue when it comes to diet as long as their dietary needs are meeting. Even a normal diet with all that your dog needs is enough in senior age. As long as your dog is healthy, and you see him active, you can keep giving him normal food.

How Much Food Should a Senior Dog Eat?

This is another very common question when it comes to feeding the right diet for your dog. Most people are curious about the amount of food that they must feed their senior dog. However, it differs from one another.

One of the most common ways is to start from instructions on the box. Once you feed him for a week, you will also develop an idea of how much food he needs. Thus, proceed with just the right amount of food that won’t obese your pet.

How to Feed a Picky Eater?

The best way to feed a picky eater is to top their food with what they like the most. Dogs love meat from chicken or beef sources. Add some of them to their diet, so they will start eating food. Once they start, you can remove the meat and let them eat diverse foods.

Conclusions

This article was all about the food needs of your senior dog. In this article, we first learned that your senior dog’s diet differs from others. We also learned several instances where you can keep feeding the dog with the same diet.

We looked at some of the key reasons for diet change. Moreover, we also explore some key points to consider when we are changing the regular diet. Our dogs are sensitive to what they eat. So, they will resist when you are changing their diet. However, you shall proceed by doing a slow change.

Some people think that there is no bad if you feed your senior dog with the same diet. We also agree with this sentence as long as your senior is healthy. Once he starts getting health issues, you must change his diet and select one that meets his medical needs.

The reason for changing the diet is that at a later stage, dogs incur several diseases. Arthritis and joint pain are very common among dogs. So, a balanced diet will make sure that they get all that they need from food.

If you give your dog a balanced diet, they will retain good health. The moment you stop giving a proper diet, he may catch diseases that are related to age factor. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask in the comments.