Healthy and Organic Dog Foods For Senior Dogs

If you have ever been the dog owner of senior dogs, then you know that dogs develop specific health changes with age. Just like elderly humans, older dogs require specialized care to maintain good health. You are probably wondering how to accurately determine whether your dog is a senior. Well, different dog breeds reach the senior stage at different ages. Small dogs weighing less than 20 pounds become seniors at the age of seven years. Medium dogs weighing 20 to 50 pounds can be considered seniors at seven years of age. Large dogs of 51 to 90 pounds of weight reach the senior stage at six years. Giant dogs weighing above 91 pounds are considered elderly at five years of age.

Dogs undergo certain health changes as they grow older which affects their behavior and physique. Dogs become less active with age which may lead to obesity. They also develop digestion and allergy problems which make it difficult for them to feed properly. A lack of proper diet can magnify a senior dog’s health problems tenfold, so it is essential that you know what to feed your senior dog and what to avoid. So, what kind of dog foods should you feed your elderly dog? Here are our recommendations for the top four senior dog foods.

Hill’s science diet senior dog food

Hill’s science diet senior dog food is a natural dog formula prepared using cutting-edge food science to address the needs of older dogs. It is a highly nutritious dog food for senior dogs aged above seven years. This senior dog food brand prides itself on easy-to-digest ingredients and powerful antioxidants that maintain a healthy brain. It contains a high amount of protein, phytonutrients, and L-carnation to promote mobility and activeness in senior dogs. This senior dog food also contains essential fatty acids that help fight the effects of aging by promoting a shiny and soft coat. Hill’s science diet senior dog food contains 19.4% protein content. The protein comes from a single protein source which can either be chicken or beef. The dog food also contains legumes and vegetables to provide your dog with essential vitamins that boost a dog’s immune system.

Hill’ science diet senior dog food smells like human food which helps in reducing the stench in your dog’s poop. It also tastes amazing, judging by how dogs gobble it down once it hits their food bowls. If your dog is new to this dog food, it is imperative that you wean them onto this food for seven days. A gradual diet change gives the dog’s digestive system time to adjust to the new dog food and the increased nutritional levels. Hill’s science diet senior dog food is suitable for dogs of all sizes. Whether you have a small breed or a giant breed, this senior dog food brand will meet your dog’s nutritional needs.

Wellness small breed dry senior dog food

This is a natural dry senior dog diet developed by Wellness, a family-owned pet food company. The dog food is specially formulated to address the nutritional needs of older small dog breeds. This Wellness senior dog food prides itself on an all-natural formula and contains no preservatives or coloring. Since it is dry food, this senior dog diet comes in smaller kibble size suitable for consumption by smaller mouths. It also contains controlled sodium levels to promote a healthy heart on the small dog breeds. As for the ingredients, this dog food brand uses turkey or chicken, spinach, flax seeds, and blueberries as its main ingredients.

The turkey or chicken provides much-needed protein to keep your dog energized and active even in old age. Spinach and blueberries act as antioxidants source to help your dog maintain a healthy brain and maintain alertness while flax seeds provide essential fatty acids that promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. The Wellness small breed senior dog food formula also contains glucosamine and chondroitin that promote healthy hips and joints. It also helps in weight maintenance with its optimal calories count which addresses the slowed metabolism that affects senior dogs. If your dog is new to this diet, please ensure that you wean them onto it over several days. Weaning a dog onto new food helps the dog’s digestive system get accustomed to the new diet without causing any tummy upsets.

Hill’s ideal balance natural senior dog food

This is an all-natural dry senior dog food with no dog size specification meaning that it is suitable for senior dogs of all sizes. The main ingredients in this dog diet include chicken, brown rice, apples, flax seeds, carrots, peas, and cranberries. Chicken is the primary protein source providing your dog with lean protein that energizes your dog while preventing obesity. Brown rice provides carbohydrates and fiber to aid in digestion while maintaining a healthy digestive system. Apples, peas, cranberries, and carrots provide essential vitamins and antioxidants. Antioxidants help in maintaining a healthy brain while vitamins help promote a good immune system for your senior dog. A good immune system protects the dog from illnesses and infections that are common in elderly dogs. Flax seeds are sources of fatty acids that promote healthy skin and a shiny coat while preventinng excessive fur shedding.

Besides being a senior dog food, this food is also suitable for overweight dogs and dogs with grain allergy. The lean chicken protein lowers the fat content in the food making it ideal for weight control while the grain-free ingredient formulation makes it suitable for allergic dogs. If your pooch is new to this dog food formula, it is imperative that you gradually wean them onto the new food for a couple of days. You can do this by mixing it with the old and progressively increasing the ratio of the new food to old food.

Nutro wholesome large breed senior dry dog food

Nutro wholesome senior dry dog food is an all-natural dog food formulation for large breed senior dogs. This dog food uses chicken as its number one ingredient and the only source for its 24% protein content. The lean chicken protein helps in weight regulation to prevent senior dogs from becoming obese as their activeness decreases. Other main ingredients include peas, brown rice, dried carrots, chicken meal, and whole grain sorghum. Peas and dried carrots act as vitamin sources and antioxidants. Vitamins improve your dog’s immune systems while antioxidants help maintain a healthy brain to keep your pooch sharp and alert. Brown rice is a source of fiber to help with digestion and keep the digestive system healthy. Chicken meal is a source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate which are responsible for healthy joints. This dog food can be served dry or wet, depending on your dog’s preferences.

Conclusion:

We can prevent most health issues that arise as a dog ages by feeding them the right diet. A senior dog food formulation provides your pooch with vital nutrients to help combat common problems like obesity. Aching joints and declined alertness are also common issues with senior dogs that can improve with the right diet. If you have an older dog, make sure you feed him a senior dog diet to ensure that he lives his sunset days to the fullest.

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