Thanks to advancements in pet nutrition, dogs are now living to enjoy their senior years. However, as a dog ages, many changes take place that cause a dog’s nutritional requirements to become different than younger dogs. Feeding a senior dog takes a bit of extra care, since some senior dogs may not be able to digest certain ingredients as well. As your dog advances into their old age, be sure that you are familiar with their dietary needs, so that you can feed them a proper diet. Here is a general guide to help familiarize you with senior dog food formulas.
When Is My Dog a Senior?
As a general rule, a dog does not become a senior dog until it reaches the last third of its life expectancy. For example, a Labrador Retriever is generally expected to live about 12 years. This means that after 8 years of age, a Labrador will technically be a “senior” dog. A Great Dane is only expected to live about 9 years, so it would reach its senior stage at age 6. Depending on the life expectancy of your dog, you should switch to senior dog food accordingly. If your dog is a mutt, without any breed distinctions, you should generally switch them to a senior dog food formula after they reach seven years of age. If your dog has clear mixes, you can generally estimate their expected lifespan by averaging the life expectancies of the breed traits they display.
Obesity
One of the main health problems that many senior dogs experience is obesity. As a dog ages, they also tend to become less active. It’s important that you note this change in activity level in your dog, even if it occurs before they officially enter the last third of their lifespan. Senior dogs should be fed a dog food formula that has a lower percentage of fat in the guaranteed analysis.
Digestive Problems
A senior dog typically has a much more difficult time digesting their food. For this reason, you need to make sure that the dog food formula you feed them is easy to digest. Avoid any dog food formulas with simple carbohydrates, such as corn, sugar or corn syrup. It’s also very important that you choose a dog food formula that has a higher percentage of fiber, since this helps your dog to pass waste efficiently. Constipation is a common problem in senior dogs that aren’t getting enough fiber in their diet.
Palatability
As your dog ages, they many not find their food as appealing. Some senior dogs even will refuse meals altogether. In order to help convince your senior dog to eat, you may have to make certain allowances for changes in diet. In some cases, you can pour a small amount of chicken broth over their dry kibble to make it more appetizing (just be sure that it is onion/garlic free, since these ingredients are dangerous for dogs). Some dog food companies make special gravies that can be poured over dry dog food. You may also choose to switch to a canned food formula.