Like humans, the nutritional requirements for dogs also vary according to their age. The diet that you used to provide when your furry pal was young, surely won’t be the same now that your dog has become a senior citizen! As a concerned dog parent, a lot of questions might befuddle your mind, out of which the two most important questions are: Can I get senior dog food from my pet food whole seller? What are the nutritional requirements for my aging dog?
While you can get the required food for your senior dog from any reputed pet food seller, the nutritional requirements for your aged friend are:
1. More protein- The main function of protein is to stimulate the internal body repairing function and this is the same for all living beings, including your dogs. Quality protein in high amount is needed to boost your dog’s body repairing capabilities. You can include protein-rich items like meat and eggs in your senior dog’s daily nutrition. Also, make sure before buying your pet’s food that it is high in protein.
2. Green leafy vegetables- Just like you make children eat their veggies in a nice palatable way, you need to feed your senior dog also in the same manner. Cook the veggies using a new recipe and see how your aged furry pal eats it in seconds. Green leafy vegetables contain high amounts of minerals that are needed to cure various age-related ailments like low immunity, poor vision, memory loss and many more. You can also buy ready-made pet foods that contain extracts of vegetables; these are also a good alternative for your senior dog’s diet as it supplies the required amount of nutrients given by real vegetables.
3. Stock or bone broth- There is nothing more nutritious than a well-cooked chicken stock. Veterinaries especially prescribe this item in the diet chart of old dogs since the bones release collagen when cooked in water and this is a great minimizer of joint and gut aches, nourishes the skin, keeps the coat well-maintained, helps to keep muscles strong. Also, it is easy to cook and is one of the most loved foods by the majority of the senior dogs!
4. Fat- The quantity of fat that you should provide to your dog, depends on the breed and his/her body structure. If your dog is shedding pounds, you can include high fats in the diet. On the other hand, if weight is a problem with your senior dog or if he/she has obesity, you need to cut down on calories and might have to include weight-reduction pet foods. If your old fido requires a high-fat diet, it should be 50 grams of fat per 1000 calories, and if a low-fat diet is your requirement, giving 30 grams of fat per 1000 calories should be sufficient. Note that you can also order pet foods that are low on fats and get your dog food home delivered.
5. Fiber- This is required to improve your old dog’s power of digestion because your dog has grown old and so has his/her digestive function. The digestive system becomes weaker with age (not for all dog breeds) and so including fiber-rich foods will aid in the process of digestion.
Conclusion- Since your dog has become old and is experiencing a change in his/her life, it is important to bring a change in the diet to help him/her cope up with the old age issues. Surely you want your best friend to live, laugh and be happy, from young to old age. So provide a nutritious diet to your old dog and see how your old pal enjoys his/her old age.