Feeding Your Dog Healthy Foods
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Dogs can be considered old when they reach 7 years old and there are a lot of changes that occur within their system that may change or has an impact to their daily nutritional needs. Realizing that degenerative shanges are normal part of aging is a responsible approach when it comes to old dog’s health. Our aim is to lessen the probability of the dog incurring health problems by preventing this while the dog is still healthy. If we wait for an elderly dog to get ill before we modify its diet, we have a harder task to do.
As pets mature, their metabolism slows and this must be accounted for. If maintenance rations are fed in the same amounts while metabolism is slowing, weight gain may result. The last thing that we want to happen to our dogs is to become obese because with obesity comes many health problems and diseases. As a pet grows older, most of their organs function in a sluggish pace and this is a lot different when they are still a puppy. The digestive system, the liver, pancreas and gallbladder are not functioning at peak effect. The intestines have more difficulty extracting all the nutrients from the food consumed. A gradual decline in kidney function is considered a normal part of aging.
Like our own grandparents, we need to take care of our old canine pets with special considerations. While some advantages from the nutrition that can be found in older dog’s food, others might be easier to digest - these are the puppy and super-permium diets. These latter diets provides an excellent blend of digestibility and amino acid content but, unfortunately, many are higher in salt and phosphorus than the older pet really needs.
Older dogs are also more prone to developing arthritis and therefore it is important not to over feed them since obesity puts added stress on the joints. Supplementing the diet with fatty acid combinations containing cis-linoleic acid, gamma-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid can be quite beneficial for animals with joint pain,
{ It is important to keep in mind that dietary choices can affect the development of orthopedic diseases such as hip dysplasia and osteochondrosis.} When feeding a pup at risk, avoid high calorie diets and try to feed several times a day rather than feeding them a bulky meal all at the same time. Sudden growth spurts are to be avoided because they result in joint instability. Recent research has also suggested that the electrolyte balance of the diet may also play a role in the development of hip dysplasia. null Also avoid supplements of calcium levels in the body are carefully regulated by hormones (such as calcitonin and parathormone) as well as vitamin D. Supplementation disturbs this normal regulation and can cause many problems. It has also been shown that calcium supplementation can interfere with the absorption of zinc from the intestines. {If you really feel the need to supplement your dog, select products such as eicosapentaenoic/gamma-linolenic fatty acid combinations or small amount of vitamin C.}
In discovering the modifications of your senior canine, you can take an active part too. Home made dog foods are always better than commercial ones. Find some recipes that will match the needs of your old dog. Food modification is easier by first knowing what should be in the dog food and second preparing them on your own to make sure that your dog receives the best.
Tagged with: dog food secrets • Healthy Dog Foods • Ingredients Dog Food • Safe Dog Food
Filed under: General Dogs Discussion
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