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Feeding your Golden Oldie!

There is no perfect diet that fits the needs of every dog, and this is especially true as they enter into their golden years. Because although age is not a disease, we do unfortunately know that one sees more disease processes with aging. And because nutrition plays such a vital role in life, it can be a powerful tool to keeping your pet healthy, preventing disease or helping to manage a disease.

So the big question? When is a dog senior? Although there are general guidelines, there is in fact no hard and fast rule about when a dog is a senior citizen! Even though the magic number 7 is often associated with senior years, every dog ages differently because size, breed, genetics, health and living conditions also plays a role. For example, we know that giant breeds such as Great Danes have shorter life spans compared to small breeds such as Jack Russel terriers. And for this reason most dogs can be considered senior between 5 and 10 years of age.

So what are some changes you might notice when your pets get older?

- They can become less active
- One may notice a decrease in muscle mass, but this can be difficult to evaluate
- There is a tendency to gain weight or get fatter
- They can lose weight and become thinner
- One may notice some memory loss
- Their coats can tend to become thinner as the grey hairs become more
- You may notice more lumps and bumps on their skin
- Their joints may become stiffer, and they take longer to get up from their beds
- There can be a decrease in their immune system
- Their hearing and eyesight may decrease
- Bad breath and dental disease becomes more noticeable
- Changes in urination habits and drinking of water
- Problems with passing faeces, sometimes one sees constipation or diarrhoea

Why feed a senior dog a senior diet?

As mentioned before, every dog is unique and one may see many of these changes in your pet, or you may not have even noticed one. Some pets are spring chickens at 7 years old while others are really showing their age! But the fact remains that common things occur commonly, and knowing what to be aware of might help you give your senior citizen the best care, you possibly can. And taking your pet for regular medical check-ups with your veterinarian is always advised so that any abnormalities can be picked up as early as possible.

Broadly speaking, many senior diets focus on creating a diet with a decreased energy content to address weight gain. And this is good for a majority of senior pets. But not all senior dogs are overweight, some actually struggle to maintain their weight. In these cases you might need a food with a higher energy content rather than a reduced one.

A loss of muscle mass is a big problem for a vast majority of senior animals and is addressed by including a good amount of good quality protein in a diet. Remember the body condition score of your pet is more important than your pet’s actual weight. However, always be aware that we do see kidney disease more frequently in older dogs and that these animals will need a reduction in phosphorus. But protein is not what causes kidney failure and not all older dogs get kidney disease either. Which is why your vet always needs to make a proper diagnosis should you have any concerns.

Some diets may add more joint supplements (such as chondroitin sulphate or glucosamine) and omega fatty acids to address the tendency of stiff and sore joints. Fatty acids are also helpful to keep a healthy skin and coat. And are of benefit in heart disease. It must be emphasized here that it is very important to never assume that a reduced enthusiasm for physical activity is a normal consequence of aging. A good physical examination by your veterinarian is always crucial to detect whether your pet is suffering from a disease such as arthritis, for example.

As dogs get older, we tend to see more bad breath and dental disease. Many dogs even have missing, broken or extracted teeth, because they went rotten. It is important to choose a diet that takes these factors into account. If your dog has very few teeth, a softer food may be more appropriate. If your pet has great teeth, or teeth that have just been cleaned by your veterinarian, you may want to choose a kibble that aids in keeping them a bit cleaner for a bit longer. The shape, size and hardness of the kibble are therefore also important factors to consider when choosing a senior diet.

Antioxidants (such as vitamin E and C) , phytonutrients (such as beta-carotene) and trace elements (such as zinc) are often included to protect the body against oxidative damage due to aging. There are several nutrients that one may see in senior diets that may aid in supporting a healthier immune system.

Fibre content is important in senior dogs for two main reasons. Constipation and digestion. Some added fibre is soluble and serves to feed the ‘good’ bacteria in the digestive tract, known as a prebiotic. This may aid in improving digestion for dogs that seem to have sensitive digestive tracts. On the flipside, other older pets can suffer from constipation in which case an insoluble fibre may be more appropriate to keep them regular. A high fibre content may however not be appropriate for a dog that is struggling to maintain its weight as it can decrease the calorie content of the diet. For this reason a combination of fibre is often present in senior diets, but be sure to choose the diet that suits your pet best.

But choose wisely! Not all foods are created equally.

Be aware that there are no legal requirements for a senior food. This means that all senior foods will vary according to which company makes it. And it is up to that company to decide which ingredients they want to include. You need to evaluate your own dog and make an informed decision that is best for your pet! Don’t just grab the food that says ‘senior’ on the label and assume it will be the best food for your beloved grey friend. The health condition of your senior pet should guide you towards the ingredients you should focus on. Decide if your pet has any health conditions you need to pay particular attention to, such as weight gain vs weight loss? Always discuss your pets general health status with your veterinarian if you have any concerns, because the earlier you pick something up, the better it can be treated, and the happier your pet. There are great diets out there for every senior citizen to enjoy and thrive on, you just need to choose the right one that suits your pet best!

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