Age Appropriate Diets For Senior Pets
Pet lovers naturally want to do the best for their pets, and diet choice plays such a crucial role that it's worth doing your homework. Diet becomes even more important as your pet ages and doing what's right for your beloved dog means providing them with a Biologically Appropriate diet that is beneficial to their overall health and well-being. Changing bodies could mean changing diets and this article provides you with the insight you need to adapt your pet's diet to suit their changing needs throughout their life.
Age Really Is But A Number
While there is an age scale for each breed that your vet can educate you about, this scale isn’t set in stone as there are external signs which you can look out for that indicate ageing, regardless of the specific age of your pet. These signs can point to the necessity of a dietary change. These include a loss of lean body muscle mass and an increase in fat, osteoarthritis and mobility issues and all-round lethargy. Most pet owners also accept a deterioration in their senior pets’ coat quality and colour as well as cognitive functions as normal, but it isn't. In fact, it's usually caused by a higher nutritional requirement for meat-based protein than is being supplied by your pet's diet. Many of these visible signs of ageing can be reversed if your senior dog is provided with a protein-rich, carbohydrate limited diet. An example of such a diet is ACANA Senior as it is known for its Biologically Appropriate approach towards nutrition and contains 65% meat ingredients to support the development of lean muscle and to promote a healthy body weight.
How A Biologically Appropriate Diet Helps
Simply put, the correct diet in the right quantities will prevent unnecessary weight gain that can lead to obesity. A higher protein to calorie ratio is beneficial to promote ideal weight maintenance in senior pets, and the inclusion of fresh meat, which contains a vitamin-like compound called L-carnitine helps the body to use fat for energy rather than storing it.
Science-led brands are nutrient-dense and will naturally stimulate pets to ingest more water as it is crucial for digestion. This is particularly beneficial for senior pets who tend not to drink enough water. Most senior pets require some sort of joint support which is provided in Biologically Appropriate diets which contain high levels of meat-based protein that stimulates lean muscle mass and prevents unnecessary weight gain which in turns supports ageing joints. Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulphate, which aid in the protection and lubricating of joints, is naturally present in Biologically Appropriate diets which have high-meat inclusion levels. A meat-based diet like ACANA Senior is one of the best sources of protein for dogs.
