Top 10 Best canned Senior Dog Food

Now let’s look at a few factors for you to consider before you choose a canned dog food for your senior dog. This isn’t something to be taken lightly – the dog food you choose could drastically change your dog’s behavior, health, and quality of life. Take the below considerations and bear them in mind while you compare different brands of dog food.

Nutritional Content in Canned Dog Food

Nutrition needs to be watched more closely when it comes to senior dog food, so get used to reading the back of the canned meat! There are a few different things to consider when comparing dog foods, which we’ll look at below.

Fiber

• We touched upon the necessity of increased fiber intake in senior dogs. Fiber will help to regulate the digestive tract and bowel movements in your senior dog, making their bathroom trips more regular and less stressful for them.
• Changes in this respect can be worrying for dogs who don’t understand what’s going on, so amping up their fiber intake is a must when it comes to senior dog food. With that being said, you should still monitor your dog while adjusting their fiber intake.
• If you increase the amount of fiber in their diet, and you see that they begin to develop digestive issues and loose stools, so you should consider reducing the amount of fiber slightly until you find the right balance. This requires a bit of trial and error to get right.

Fatty Acids

• Fatty acids will help to ward off heart problems in your senior dog, which is one of the main things owners want to avoid. Fatty acids will also work with the number of antioxidants in the senior dog food to keep their brains sharp and working.
• Keeping your dog’s brain whirring will also prevent the signs of aging and make their golden years more enjoyable. No one likes to watch their furry companion slowly deteriorate in mental state, so fatty acids and antioxidants are one to look out for in the ingredient lists.

Calories

• Senior dogs often struggle with obesity because they get fatigued quicker and don’t exercise as much. It’s common for older dogs to sleep more and prefer a rest over chasing after a ball over and over again. Thus, counting calories is another task for senior dog owners.
• Senior dog food often comes with fewer calories than adult food, but some manufacturers are more conscious about this than others. Also, the amount of calories that your senior dog needs to maintain its weight depends on their current weight and they amount they exercise.
• You can easily find out how many calories your dog needs online and make sure that you stick to this. When in doubt, consult your veterinarian for advice. A general rule of thumb is to feed your dog a half a can of per every 10 pounds they weigh.
• Make sure that you choose a dog food that reflects how many calories your dog needs per day. You cannot keep a can of open dog food in the refrigerator for more than seven days; however, some keep for a lot less time for this. Thus, make sure that you constantly using the wet dog as a topper for their kibble or a full meal.
• You don’t want to be wasting food, so if you have a smaller dog who doesn’t need as many calories as a larger dog, perhaps you should opt for smaller cans of food to ensure that you don’t have to throw any food away.

Protein

• Dogs are mostly carnivores and therefore require a lot of protein to keep up with their requirements. However, senior dogs need even more protein than adult dogs, which you should incorporate into their diets.
• In the body, protein is used to repair and restore damaged tissue. Amino acids are a type of protein that helps to repair the muscles while the dog is resting and not using them.
• Senior dogs use a higher amount of proteins than puppies or adult dogs, which means they need to consume more protein to keep up. The more protein that your senior dog eats, the better their bodies will be able to recover.
• This will fight the signs of aging and keep your dog feeling lively and playful. In addition, this may also help fend off health issues such as joint issues and muscle pain.

Ingredients

• Natural ingredients are always best for dogs, no matter what stage of life they’re in. This often offers you fewer calories and no filler ingredients that aren’t necessary for your dog’s diet. As with humans, dogs should have a natural diet to reap the maximum amount of benefits from them.
• Feeding your dog natural ingredients should give them more nutrients and vitamins, which will help them feel more energized, aid their intelligence and brain activity, and help to prevent health issues that will affect the quality of their life.
• Grains, such as wheat, are often used within dog food to thicken up the consistency of the food and almost always hike up the number of carbohydrates in each serving. For this reason, it’s best to avoid grains in senior dog food as they need a lower amount of carbohydrates than adult dogs.
• This will help to prevent obesity and ease your mind from worrying about whether your senior dog is intolerant to grains or not. Many owners don’t know the complications of a grain intolerance, so it’s always worth looking into before making your final decision.

Flavors

• Senior dogs tend to experience changes in their taste buds, so don’t be surprised if your pooch is deterred from their usual favorite food. Some senior dogs that used to love chicken now hate it and only eat lamb, which is why we’d advise taking the time to experiment with their taste buds before opting for lots of cans of only one flavored food.
• Look for a multipack of different flavors or give your pet samples of different flavors before jumping the gun. Some senior dogs aren’t fussy and will eat any flavor, but some will become picky and only eat what they want. To avoid the stress and worry of your companion, not eating, take the time to find the best flavor for them.

Texture

If your senior dog has issues with their gums and teeth, they may need a softer canned dog food than they used to eat. This can come in the form of mousse or pâté or small chunks of meat. All of the canned food that we’ve mentioned above comes in easily eaten and digestible textures.

Which option you opt for will depend on your dog and their ability to eat. Senior dogs often prefer a wet food diet. However, you need to determine whether or not they can handle chunks of meat.

If they can, you should look for a food that incorporates small pieces of meat into the jelly or gravy, as these will be easier to chew and digest than bigger pieces. If you’re unsure of what your dog can eat, check with your veterinary surgeon beforehand.