Feeding recommendations for an older dog

An older dog needs special care. This primarily concerns its diet. It should be different from what you fed it as a puppy, an adolescent, or a young, active dog. How and what is the right way to feed an older dog? Why is it so important to follow the proper feeding guidelines for senior dogs? Let's find out.

At what age can a dog be considered senior?

Before describing what to feed an older dog, let's understand what constitutes an elderly animal. Experts define advanced age for dogs as the age when the dog has lived at least two-thirds of its expected lifespan. Why can't we give specific figures? Even though it would be much easier, it's wrong. The fact is, dogs have different lifespans depending on their breed.

Let's take the following data as an example:

So, everything here is relative, and determining a dog's "old age" must be approached on an individual basis. Typically, four-legged dogs retire after 6-7 years.

The dog's living conditions, its diet, the presence of chronic diseases and genetic disorders should not be discounted...

Physiology of Aging Dogs

An older dog's diet should be unique and different from what they previously ate, not least because with age, irreversible physiological processes occur in their body, which are reflected in their overall well-being. Therefore, owners of aging dogs often face the following challenges.

Obesity and its prevention in older dogs

An aging pet's metabolism operates at a different rate. Combined with low physical activity and an unbalanced diet, this can lead to obesity. Not only will your pet become fat and clumsy, but it also puts significant strain on their internal organs and systems. Therefore, it's crucial to carefully consider what you feed your senior dog.

To prevent obesity in your pet, review their diet. Avoid high-calorie foods that are high in fat. Adjust feeding portions accordingly. Choose foods designed for senior dogs or those with a sedentary lifestyle, such as Royal Canin Hypoallergenic HME 23 Moderate Calorie Dry Diet Food for Aging, Neutered/Spayed, and/or Overweight Dogs. Don't forget about regular exercise—it's very beneficial for your pet.

Constipation and its prevention in older dogs

Feeding aging dogs should also be special because they often suffer from constipation in old age, which negatively impacts the pet's overall well-being and negatively affects the functioning of the animal's gastrointestinal tract as a whole.

Owners of aging dogs should monitor their bowel movements. If your pet is prone to chronic constipation, consider feeding them more fiber—the fiber content of prepared foods should be high. This is the case with Royal Canin Canine Gastro Intestinal GI25, a dry dietetic food with poultry for adult dogs of all breeds with digestive issues. Fermented milk products can also help stimulate digestion.

Weight loss and appetite in an aging dog

If there's a category of animals that are prone to obesity in old age, then there are also those that, on the contrary, lose weight and appetite. This is true. As a dog ages, it shows less interest in food and consequently struggles to gain weight or begins to lose weight rapidly. This condition in a pet should never be ignored.

Weight loss and loss of appetite are often associated with illnesses developing in the animal's body. These can include tumors, kidney problems, and liver problems.

Prevention of weight loss and appetite

Since an older dog's sense of smell and taste is impaired, choose foods with a truly strong scent and rich flavor—for example, Bewi Dog Balance Meat with Rice, a dry food with poultry and rice for adult dogs with low activity levels, as well as for senior dogs. This will stimulate the dog's increased interest in the food.

Gum and Teeth Problems in Aging Dogs

How should you feed an older dog with diseased gums and teeth? Lack of proper dental and oral care in infancy and a young dog, coupled with an improper diet, can lead to tartar-covered teeth, decayed cavities, and inflamed, bleeding gums in old age. Naturally, the animal can't chew food thoroughly and swallows large chunks, which can affect the pet's gastrointestinal tract and negatively impact the dog's overall well-being.

What to feed a dog with bad teeth

Since prevention is out of the question in this situation, as the situation is already out of control and there are obvious problems, it's more appropriate to discuss what to feed your dog now to avoid aggravating an already painful condition. To do this, choose food with smaller kibble sizes. If you can't find one, you'll have to grind them yourself. To make dry food softer and more digestible, you can soak it in broth or fermented milk products beforehand.

Joint problems in aging dogs

An elderly dog's diet should take into account the fact that with age, degenerative changes begin to occur in the animal's bones and joints, which are impossible to compensate for. The dog finds it more difficult to move, may limp, drag its paws, and suffer from joint pain. Unfortunately, almost all dog owners who live to old age face these problems.

Prevention of joint problems

To prevent degenerative changes from progressing, you can feed your dog a special food (for example, Eukanuba VD Dog Joint Mobility medicinal dry food Dog food (for the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal disorders) is formulated with components that support healthy bones and joints. These foods typically contain chondroitin or glucosamine.

What kind of food should you feed an older dog?

What's the best food for an older dog? When choosing food, it's important to consider your pet's existing health issues and age-related changes. For example, if your dog suffers from joint problems, choose a food that addresses these needs. However, in any case, food for an older dog should be low-calorie and as low-fat as possible. Otherwise, your pet is at risk of obesity. The food should be rich in minerals, especially phosphorus and calcium, to prevent bone softening, as well as plenty of vitamins.

If you value your pet's health and want them to live to a ripe old age, avoid feeding them cheap pet foods like Darling. Only the highest-quality canned and dry foods. Otherwise, your attempts to skimp on your pet's diet will put additional strain on their liver and kidneys. Your dog could suffer from kidney or liver failure, require expensive treatment, or even die in your arms.

Feeding Guidelines (Serving Sizes) for an Aging Dog

How to properly feed a senior dog? Senior dog nutrition requires smaller portion sizes than younger or middle-aged pets. If you buy commercial food for senior dogs, the manufacturer has certainly taken this into account, so the packaging will indicate the recommended daily portion and feeding frequency based on the dog's age.

If you can't find a special food for senior pets, you'll have to figure out how much to reduce the portion size yourself. This isn't very convenient, so it's much easier for you and safer for your dog if you feed them a specialized food.

Feeding frequency for an aging dog

If your pet was fed 2-3 times a day when young, an older dog needs to be fed more frequently, but in smaller portions. Simply divide the daily food intake into 4-5 meals, and feed that amount at a time. This smaller feeding schedule will promote easier digestion and better absorption, and will also help prevent poor appetite and weight loss.

Now that you know how, how much, and what to feed an older dog, we hope that your care for your pet will be correct.

Any questions? You can ask our website's staff veterinarian in the comments below, who will answer them as quickly as possible.

Read also:

• Periodontal disease in dogs: symptoms and treatment
• Vitamins for dogs for joints
• What bones can and cannot be given to dogs?