How your dog's nutrition needs change with age

Growing puppies, fully grown adults and mature dogs all have different nutritional requirements. As a consequence, a diet needs to be adapted in every stage of life to ensure the dog remains as healthy as possible.

Ageing dog nutrition

Ageing dogs have a significantly different nutritional requirement to puppies, and even adult dogs. Good care is essential if a dog is to remain in good health throughout its life. Regular physical activity will ensure that the dog maintains its muscle mass and controls its weight. The condition of the teeth and the coat should also be monitored.

In terms of energy requirements, intake should be adapted to the animal's activity level, which depends on its age and any health concerns. An arthritic dog will move around less and so expend less energy, putting it at risk of unhealthy weight gain. A low energy diet is only imperative if the dog is overweight. It is very important not to simply assume that reduced enthusiasm for physical exercise is a normal consequence of ageing. The dog must be examined to check whether it is suffering from a disease.

Regular weighing and medical check-ups are the best way to ensure ageing-related problems are detected at the earliest opportunity.

Nutrition for ageing dogs

Ageing is also accompanied by the modification of digestive capacities and particular nutritional requirements, so food for ageing dogs should have the following characteristics:

Higher vitamin C and E content

These nutrients have antioxidant properties, protecting the body's against the harmful effects of the oxidative stress linked to ageing.

High-quality protein

Older dogs are less effective at using dietary protein than younger dogs due to their reduced digestive function. Improving protein quality is the main goal here. A fallacy in some countries is that protein is responsible for kidney failure. In fact, this is not the case. Kidney failure is a chronic, irreversible disease which is frequent with age. It's recommended to reduce phosphorus content in foods to slow down the progression of this disease. However, it's important to first speak to your vet and allow them to diagnose the condition before making any dietary changes.

Higher proportion of the elements iron, copper, zinc and manganese

These nutrients help to maintain the good condition of the skin and coat. Their inclusion in the form of organic salts, which are much easier to assimilate than mineral salts, makes it more likely that they will be used in the metabolism of dogs with a less effective digestive system.

Higher quantity of polyunsaturated fatty acids

Soy oil or, even better, borage oil, or fish oil are also used to maintain the quality of the coat. Dogs normally produce these fatty acids, but ageing can affect this physiological process.

Slightly higher fibre content to act as "ballast"

Including a higher fibre content will help limit the risk of constipation, which can accompany the reduction in the ageing dog's physical activity.

As they age, dogs increasingly suffer from dental problems. To ensure they continue to eat in sufficient quantities, the shape, size and hardness of their kibbles should be taken into consideration.