Senior Dogs

Dogs are regarded as ‘Senior’ at different ages depending upon their breed – giant breeds are senior from the age of four-six, whereas a Springer Spaniel would be regarded as senior from the age of eight. (A working dog however, would remain on adult rather than senior food until it stops working.)

The main difference between adult and senior food is the added glucosamine, chrondroitin & MSM. These ingredients are designed to support connective tissue, joints and reduce imflamation. Chondroitin occurs naturally in the connective tissue of both dogs and humans and glucosamine plays an important role in making glycosaminoglycans and glycoproteins. MSM is also a natural anti-inflammatory. These are essential for healthy parts of a dog’s joints such as ligaments, tendons, cartilage and synovial fluid. Giving glucosamine has been shown to delay the breakdown of cartilage as well as rebuilding it and chrondroitin helps to keep that cartilage healthy and resist compression. Healthy Paws senior food also contains more good quality meat based protein which is used for muscle health in older animals.

Two things that can really make a difference to the health of a senior dog is regular exercise, little and often and the right quantity of good quality food. Don’t exercise too much, a dog doesn’t know when to stop, so just be sensible about it. Follow the instructions on the back of the pack to guide you as to what quantity of food is right for your dog – older dogs need less food and lighter food as they tend to be less active. Too much food will sit in their stomachs.

Feeding a senior dog with dry complete food works well at all levels, not least of which is that the crunchy kibble cleans their teeth, helps to prevent dental problems and promotes good oral hygiene. If your senior dog does suffer from problems with its teeth, then you could also try Healthy Paws Herbolistics. This is a powder supplement that is fed sprinkled onto the food. It contains seaweed - which prevents plaque - and brewer’s yeast, which is a pre-biotic creating a slippery surface on the colon and preventing bad bacteria from remaining in the gut. Herbolistics also contains herbs which help deter fleas and ticks.

Healthy Paws British free-run chicken and brown rice senior dog food is a light complete food aimed specifically at the older dog. It’s gentle on the stomach, wheat and wheat gluten free and contains MSM to support and maintain healthy hips and joints. Including low GI rice and oats means that the recipe supplies plenty of fibre to keep hunger at bay. So, if your senior dog is finding it a little more difficult to jump on the sofa or walk for long distances, it’s definitely time to take a good look at what you’re feeding - Healthy Paws senior dog food can make all the difference.