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Ensure Good Nutrition
for Your Pet - III
Pet
Nutrition Stages
Nutrition for Senior Pets
Dogs
and cats begin to show visible age-related changes
when they are seven to twelve years old. Before
those changes become visible, though, there are
metabolic, immunologic and body composition
changes that slowly begin. Some of the changes are
unavoidable. Others can be managed with diet. If,
however, the timing of those dietary changes waits
until the overt signs are visible, the opportunity
to prevent or slow those changes is past.
Nutritional adjustment should begin early, but the exact
age in dogs is not as simple as it is in cats. Cats should
start eating a senior diet at about 7 years of age. The age
for dogs depends upon the dogs size. Since smaller dogs live
longer and don't experience the age-related changes as early
as bigger dogs, size is used to determine the time to change
diets.
Small breeds or dogs
weighing less than 20 pounds
-- 7 years of
age
Medium breeds or dogs
weighing 21 to 50 pounds
-- 7 years of
age
Large breeds or dogs
weighing 51 to 90 pounds
-- 6 years of
age
Giant breeds or dogs
weighing 91 pounds or more
-- 5 years of
age
As a dog
or cat ages, changes in body tissues may result in health
issues, including:
- deterioration of skin and
coat
- loss of muscle mass
- more frequent intestinal
problems
- arthritis
- obesity
- dental problems
- decreased ability to fight
off infection
The main objectives in the feeding of geriatric dogs and
cats should be to maintain health and optimum body weight,
slow or prevent the development of chronic disease and
minimize or improve clinical signs of diseases that may
already be present.
Older dogs and cats have been shown to progressively put
on body fat in spite of consuming fewer calories. This change
in body composition is inevitable and may be aggravated by
either a reduced energy expenditure or a change in metabolic
rate. Either way, it is important to feed a diet with a lower
caloric density to avoid weight gain from fat and with a
normal protein level to help maintain muscle mass.
Studies have shown that the protein requirement for older
dogs does not decrease with age and that protein levels do not
contribute to the development or progression of renal failure.
It is important to feed older dogs diets that contain optimum
levels of highly digestible protein to help maintain good
muscle mass. Avoid "senior" diets that have reduced levels of
protein.
Other
special nutrients have been shown to be beneficial in older
animals:
- Increased vitamin E for
senior cats. Antibody response decreases as cats age.
Increasing the intake of vitamin E in cats over seven years
of age can increase their antibody level back to levels seen
in younger cats.
- Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).
GLA is an omega-6 fatty acid that acts like an omega-3. It
also plays a role in the maintenance of a healthy skin and
coat. It is normally produced in the dog's liver. In older
dogs, GLA levels may be diminished because the activity of
the enzyme responsible for its production decreases with
age.
- Fructooligosaccharides
(FOS). Older dogs often have changes in the intestinal
bacterial population which can result in clinical signs of
gastrointestinal disease (e.g. diarrhea). Senior diets for
dogs should contain FOS to promote the growth of beneficial
bacteria at the expense of detrimental ones.
- Antioxidants. As dogs age,
free radical particles accumulate and can damage body
tissues and contribute to the signs of aging. Antioxidants
such as vitamin E and beta-carotene help eliminate the free
radical particles. Senior diets should contain higher levels
of these antioxidant compounds to help nutritionally manage
the free radical particles at the cellular level.
Antioxidants can also increase the effectiveness of the
immune system in senior cats and dogs.
Routine care for geriatric pets should involve the
adherence to a consistent daily routine, regular attention to
normal health care procedures and periodic veterinary
examinations for assessment of the presence or progression of
chronic disease. Stressful situations and abrupt changes in
daily routines should be avoided. If a drastic change must be
made in an older pet's routine, attempts should be made to
minimize stress and to accomplish the change in a gradual
manner.
Article courtesy: The
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals.
Printed with permission.
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