Here at My Pet Nutritionist, we help pet owners help their beloved dogs and cats with all aspects of health and nutrition. Those we consult for include all ages, from puppyhood right through to old age. Our golden oldies deserve just as much love and care as their younger counterparts! As a dog ages, their dietary needs may change – but how? In this bumper 2-part blog, we take a look at the dietary changes your senior dog may need to stay happy, healthy and pain free!
Is My Dog a Senior?
This is a question we here ever so frequently! Is your dog a senior? Is there a specific age your dog becomes a ‘senior’? what are the signs your dog is becoming a senior?
Many processed dog food manufacturers will class a senior dog as ‘7 years plus’ – however we know there are so many contributing factors to a dog becoming a ‘senior’, and this isn’t always at 7 years of age! Factors affecting a dog’s ageing include:
- Breed: generally speaking, larger breeds will hit their senior years far earlier than smaller breeds. Breeds with predispositions to health conditions may also reach senior years earlier than those without.
- Genetics: a dog’s family genetics/history can affect the age they reach senior years.
- Medical history: if your pet has had any health complications growing up, any medical reactions, infections etc, these may cause senior years to come sooner. A dog’s neutering status, or the time they were neutered may also contribute to ageing.
- Dietary History: a dog fed a gut-friendly diet, full of natural nutrients, with minimal processing for life is more likely to reach senior years later than those fed an ultra-processed diet full of synthetic micronutrients. Ultra-processed dry foods also tend to have a high content of pro-ageing substances called Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) which cause faster ageing.
- Exposure to toxins: toxin exposure can cause disruption in the endocrine (hormone) system, and cause gut stress which usually comes hand in hand with life shortening conditions, causing senior years to approach quickly. These toxins can be anything from flea and worm medications to environmental toxins both in the home and out and about.
- Behavioural History: even your dog’s behaviour can have an effect on longevity! This may seem like an odd link, but behavioural stress can have an effect on physical stress, and vice versa. The pathway between the brain and gut, known as the gut-brain axis is at play here! Physical stress on the body, caused by behavioural stress, will speed up the process of ageing.
Signs that your dog is entering their senior years include:
- Weight loss
- Reduced hearing
- Reduce eyesight
- Increased fatigue
- Less willingness to exercise
- Reduced cognitive ability
- Stiffness
- Reduced appetite
- Increased water consumption
- Development of lumps and bumps
- Lack of balance and stability.
Of course, as your dog enters the early staged of senior-hood, these symptoms may be mild, and your dog may only display a few. As your dog progresses through their senior years, more symptoms may appear, or existing symptoms may worsen.
Nutritional Needs of a Senior Dog
As your dog ages, various changes occur throughout their body which require some nutritional tweaks to ensure optimum health continues. These changes include various internal systems in the body such as:
- Gut health: the gut of an ageing dog can be subject to various changes affecting gut motility, nutrient absorption and processing. Digestive capabilities often occur due to gut degeneration.
- Brain health: ageing canines are often subject to cognitive decline.
- Joint health: one of the major pathways from the gut is the gut-joint axis. When the senior dog’s gut is compromised, joint conditions can become more prominent. Senior dogs generally require more joint support than younger dogs.
- Dental Health: dental conditions like gingivitis, tooth decay, periodontal disease, tooth fractures and tooth resorption are often seen in older dogs.
- Kidney Health: kidney disease is one of the more common age-related diseases we often hear about here at My Pet Nutritionist, as older dogs are more susceptible to Chronic Kidney Disease; a progressive disease.
- Heart Health: as the heart is a muscle, over time it can begin to fatigue. Statistically, around 75% of senior dogs suffer some sort of heart disease!
Findings Here
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When it comes to nutritional composition, we need to look closely at the macronutrients and micronutrients in your dog’s diet; both quantities of, and types/sources of. Macronutrients are the main nutrients our bodies require in larger amounts; let’s take a look these requirements for a senior dog:
- Protein: The building blocks of protein are called Amino Acids. Amino Acids are essential for pretty much everything in the body to form and function normally, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, hair, nails and skin. Protein is also used in the endocrine system, to enable the healthy production of hormones throughout the body. As the dog ages, protein deficiencies become more common, which can lead to absorption issues and muscle degradation which ultimately affects mobility. A meat based, moderate-high protein diet is advisable for senior dogs.
- Fat: as dogs become less active due to the natural ageing process, a low fat diet may be advisable. Feeding a high fat diet when activity levels are waning may cause weight gain which puts pressure on joints and other parts of the body. The type of fat included in the diet also makes a difference! Saturated fats are the type we ideally do not want much of, however Omega 3 Fatty Acids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties, and are an important part of s senior dog’s diet! More on this later.
- Carbohydrate: ‘complex’ carbs which are high in fibre may be a great addition to your pet’s diet, to improve digestion, regulate metabolism and help maintain the immune and nervous systems. Higher fibre carbohydrate options include kale, broccoli and leafy green vegetables. Other ‘complex’ carbs that are ok to be fed in small amounts include sweet potato, pumpkin, banana, berries and nuts (avoiding peanuts and macadamia nuts) as these are all nutrient dense and easy to digest.
- Fibre: senior dogs often face a reduction in fibre synthesis, causing harm to the gut microbiome. Gut motility is reduced as a result of this, so we would advise feeding a diet high in dietary fibre, including at least one source of prebiotic. Our supplement Gut Guardian is a fantastic source of prebiotics!
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Weakness, cancer cell growth, and a weakened immune system are all increased risks in those lacking enough Vitamin D in their diet. dogs cannot synthesize it from the sun either, so it must be consumed in the diet from sources such as oily fish, egg yolk, red meats, and liver.
- Zinc: Another common deficiency in senior dogs due to gut health degradation, zinc is important to help skin health, eye health, brain health and hormone regulation. As senior dogs may already struggle with cognitive and mobility issues, a zinc deficiency can be debilitating. Some great sources of zinc include oysters, beef muscle and liver, lamb muscle and liver, turkey thigh, pork and skinless chicken legs.
- Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10): This important substance is found in nearly every cell in the body, and is a common deficiency in seniors. It’s main property is being a potent antioxidant; essential for reducing free radicals in the body. Free radicals cause oxidative stress in the body, and cause a host of health conditions from cancer to poor joints, cognitive issues and many more life changing conditions. CoQ10 also plays a huge role in heart health through the free radical destruction it offers, and the fact it is able to reduce the formation of blood clots. Adding ingredients like oily fish, organ meat, poultry, beef, pork, broccoli and sesame seeds to your dog’s meals can provide great amounts of CoQ10; alternatively you may consider a clean CoQ10 supplement.
Findings Here
Findings Here
Findings Here
Is your senior dog’s diet inclusive of these important macro and micronutrients? In the next instalment of this blog, we will dig deeper into some specific nutrient categories to further enhance your dog’s diet, and look through our dietary recommendations for senior dogs.
Read Part 2 here!
Team MPN x
