Feeding the Older Dog - Factsheet

General considerations

Elderly dogs will need less energy in the diet because of a falling metabolic rate and it is important to avoid obesity.
Feeding an aged dog two or three meals a day will help their less efficient digestive system to cope with breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, it may also encourage eating if appetite is reduced.
Restricted amounts of high quality protein will reduce stress on the kidneys.
Food should be highly digestible, unless the dog is overweight in which case extra fibre is required.
Dogs that have a poor appetite may not eat enough to provide their daily vitamin requirement, or those who prefer to eat an unbalanced diet may need vitamin supplements.

Vitamin B – appetite stimulant, aids energy metabolism, reduces the incidence of anaemia. Often lost if the kidneys are inefficient, therefore give more.

Vitamins A & E – may be helpful for skin muscle and eyes.

The addition of essential fatty acids is very useful to keep skin and coat in very good condition.

Older dogs often drink more, so ensure a fresh supply of water is available at all times. Most causes of an increased thirst indicate an underlying disease – get it checked!

Which Diet?

When your dog was young, invariably the only diets available would have been the commercial tinned or mixer biscuits. These were general purpose products and the emphasis was on taste and customer satisfaction. Home cooked foods were a laborious alternative, but often that is all the dog would eat.

Nowadays, the more enlightened manufacturers have spent a great deal of time researching the requirements of particular animals, and modifying the changes for optimum health. The American phrase "diet is the disease of the nineties" has a lot of truth in it. It is now known that a premium diet in puppy-hood can reduce the degree of hip dysplasia, delay the onset of arthritis, and reduce the chance of obesity. The next generation of dogs will have fewer problems, and probably live longer with much better quality into their old age.

To ensure the best possible health in older dogs, therefore it is worth modifying what is given to eat. Major changes are unlikely to be needed unless other clinical problems exist, and the emphasis therefore switches to healthy eating. Just think of the information we have as humans.

Home cooking could still be considered. Think of the list above, and implement them. More conveniently, and probably just as economically, the use of the growing number of senior diets are suitable. These take out much of the guess work, particularly when it comes to the vitamin and mineral levels. Older dogs need different amounts of these to growing or adult dogs. The standard diets cater for the 'average' age, average dog.

Changing the Diet

Warming the food to room temperature may increase the palatability of the food and improves the odour. Smell is important in stimulating a dog's appetite and the aged dog's sense of smell may be impaired.

If you have more than one dog, it may be better to feed the old dog on her own so that her or she doesn't feel threatened, can relax and doesn't bolt her food down. If an elderly dog is suffering from arthritis or other neck or head pains lowering her head to the bowl may be painful. Try placing the bowl on a low stool.

Older dogs often have reduced control of their bowels, and may have accidents in the house. Feed the greater part of the food earlier in the day and only give a small snack at night so as to lessen the pressure on the bowels.