Aging is not a problem, but the diseases that come along with aging become a point of concern in senior dogs. Do you know— there is a need for more specific requirements in terms of health and diet for senior animals? Care becomes more important; when the necessities of older dogs are most certainly different from those of young adults.
Studies have shown that more than 600 U.S. dog owners prefer natural and organic ingredients as dog food. At age 7, dogs’ dietary needs start shifting if they are a large breed. Not all, but some of them get prone to multiple diseases. Hence, if your dog is 7 or crossed 7, now is the time when to switch to Senior dog food.
The nutritional requirements of a senior dog depend on many factors, including breed, genetics, and health problems. Immune function and kidney function also decline with age, although the degree to which this occurs depends upon the individual animal.
Is Senior Dog Food Necessary?
Well, many people have this misconception that senior dog food is necessary for your dog as soon it reaches seniority. But in reality, the answer is contrary to what people think.
Senior Dog food is not a requirement for all adult or Senior Dogs. However, with growing age, the dogs go through multiple transitions internally and externally. As they age, their energy levels decrease more rapidly. Consequently, they gain weight because of a lack of bodily movement and slow metabolism, hence all these factors contribute to making senior dog food a good choice for all the necessary nutrients for your senior dog.
Moreover, your dog with diseases like arthritis, kidney disease, heart conditions, and diabetes is good to be changed to senior dog food. These are some of the genuine reasons— when to switch to senior dog food.
If your dog is recently diagnosed with Arthritis and you are worried about the supplements to give your furry friend, read our guide “Are There Any Best Dog Supplements For Arthritis? | The Truth”
What to Feed a Senior Dog?
As the aging process begins, dietary needs also change. To have the most nutrients and a healthy diet, you need to feed your senior dog with following healthy food:
- Protein-rich diet to help maintain muscle mass.
- Lower fats to make them more active and also to avoid obesity.
- Fiber food to help maintain their intestinal issue.
- Multivitamins and supplements to make their residuary requirements fulfilled.
Searching for the right supplements and multivitamins for your senior dog? Read this.
Benefits of Senior Dog Food:
The key benefits of Senior Dog food are:
- The Senior Dog food helps reduce the suffering of an eye, joint, or skin problem.
- Senior Dog food helps your dog to cope with kidney problems.
- A weight control diet in the shape of Senior dog food to maintain the Calorie intake
Our Recommendations for the Best Senior Dog Food:
We have jotted down the three best senior dog foods that can help your pet maintain health with aging. As the canine’s age shifts— their food requirements also change. They need more nutrition, minerals, multivitamins, and proteins.
Your dog’s food requirements can be fulfilled— with the best senior dog food— the basic needs of your pet’s body and overall health. Costco senior dog food is one of the best Senior Dog foods, rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Besides, Costco following are some other best products easy-on-budget that will help maintain a healthy and nutritionally fulfilled diet for your senior dog.
Pro Plan Senior Dog Food- Best for Sensitive Skin and Stomach
Our first pick for the best senior dog food is Pro Plan Senior dog food. The Purina pro plan Senior dog food is formulated with a dry and wet formula to meet the changing needs of senior dogs. This formula gives high-quality nutrition that is good for both– brain health and the cognitive sharpness of dogs.
It contains salmon, oat mean, and rice as the main ingredients. Moreover, the dry formula is made with glucosamine and EPA, which is excellent for joint care. Glucosamine is one of the best joint supplements for dogs. It helps prevent the excessive loss of cartilage and death of cells.
The Purina pro plan Senior dog food is the best for sensitive skin as it contains omega-rich sunflower oil. However, the food has antioxidants and natural prebiotics that are helpful in digestion and immune health.
Pros:
- Protein-rich diet.
- Good for joints.
- Best for cognitive alertness and mental health.
Cons:
- It is dry food.
2. Blue Buffalo Senior Dog Food- With Fish Oil (Omega-3)
The Blue Buffalo Senior Dog Food contains protein and carbohydrates in the shape of meat and brown rice. It helps your pet to enhance energy and stay active for a long time. Moreover, the proteins also help maintain healthy muscle mass.
The product also contains ingredients like glucosamine and chondroitin that helps overall mobility and support joint function. Senior dogs are more likely to get affected by multiple diseases. So, the multivitamins and minerals present in this product keep them from getting ill.
Fish oil — is a source of DHA- Docosahexaenoic Acid, also one of the key ingredients present in the Blue Buffalo Senior Dog Food. It contains omega-3 fatty acids found in Salmon, a Fatty fish. It nourishes your dog’s skin; is good for the heart, and is best for brain health.
Pros:
- It is best for small-breed senior dogs.
- The Dogs love Blue Buffalo Senior dog food.
- Inexpensive.
Cons:
- Consult with the vet before feeding this to your dog.
3. Royal Canin Senior Dog Food- Best For 8+ Years
Our second-best pick is Royal Canin Senior Dog Food. Senior Dogs have different nutrition requirements as they grow. The benefits of Senior dog food are that they provide complete dietary necessities to your pet according to their age.
The Royal Canin Senior Dog Food is a dry dog food; highly rich in proteins, antioxidants, chicken fat, brown rice, and many more. These ingredients are best for your senior dog’s bone health and digestion, maintain energy levels and help in long life expectancy. The antioxidants help reduce the aging process.
The product is dry food– it helps the dog chew easily. As we have observed, the senior Dog loves eating it within a few minutes as served to him. The nutrients— Royal Canin Senior dog food provides are best for your dog’s active lifestyle, maintaining metabolism, and good protein intake.
Pros:
- Best for 8+ age and senior dogs
- Easy to chew
- Balanced fiber and easy to digest
Cons:
- It’s expensive
Do You Know Why Most Of The Dog Owners Use Senior Dog Food?
The animals are sensitive to almost everything. They get affected more easily— when exposed to unhealthy diets and the environment. However, this kind of sensitivity increases with the growing age of your canine. To cope with the infectious diseases that affect the health of your Senior dog— you need to feed them the best Senior Dog food.
The dietary needs of your Senior dog change when the aging process begins. It becomes necessary to take care of your dog’s food requirements. The benefits of senior dog food are that it provides them with the best nutrients, oils, meat, and rice— that could help your dog maintain its metabolism, brain health, sharpness, and energy.
We recommend in this regard, the pro plan Senior dog food can serve the purpose.
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