What Changes Do You Make to Diet for Senior Dogs?

Published: Tue, 08/04/20

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Happy Tuesday!!!

Thanks for being a loyal email subscriber. I appreciate hearing from you. Let me know if you ever have any questions. The following are a few questions that I received recently.

HOW DO WE FEED SENIOR DOGS?

This is a question I received this past weekend and my answer is based on my two seniors and will change depending on who you ask, any health issues their dog has, and what resources are available to them.

Rodrigo and Sydney celebrated their 10th birthday in March. Although they're health isn't perfect, they are healthy dogs. They both have varying levels of arthritis, Rodrigo has exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and they're slowing down.

RAW FOOD DIET FOR SENIOR DOGS

My senior dogs eat the same food as our other dogs. I do watch their weight carefully to avoid unnecessary weight gain and protect their joints. I give them CBD oil daily and they take supplements that help to ease arthritis symptoms:

I've recently switched up my supplements and now also add fermented fish stock (alternating with green lipped mussel powder), MCT oil or coconut oil, and an immune supplement by Dr. Harvey's daily to each of my dogs' bowls.

OTHER CHANGES

It's also important that Rodrigo and Sydney get exercise daily. This can be challenging for Sydney because her arthritis is more progressed and she's always been a couch potato. She's very food motivated so to get her to walk around for 15-20 minutes, I carry a bag of training treats and I walk with her every evening at her pace. This helps to keep her strong and flexible.

They still go in for blood work annually, however, this year, they were both tested twice due to health concerns that came up. Depending on budget, I may continue to have them tested twice annually.

Do you have a question? Let me know and I'll try to answer. Please keep in mind that I'm not a veterinarian or nutritionist. However, I love sharing my experience and learning from others.

Demystifying Canine Nutrition

This is a free online webinar hosted by WAG Out Loud and featuring Dr, Jean Dodds, Dr. Marty Goldstein, and Matt Rowe of ParlseyPet (nutrient testing service).

Join Me on 8/13 at 4:00 pm pst / 7:00 pm est

We Finished the Dog Yard! FINALLY!

We used a dog fencing system created by PetPlaygrounds to build our new yard - it's bigger, it's more secure, and the dogs love it! [Includes Video]

DIY Slug Repellents

In our town, you can't buy slug repellents. Because of the pandemic, many businesses are slowing down and that includes the slug repellent industry. So I tested a few natural, pet-safe alternatives to see which work best.

Recipe: Green Tripe with Zucchini Noodles

Sometimes, we have food in the fridge that no one is going to eat in time (before it goes bad). If the food is safe for dogs, then it goes into their next meal.

Nutrient Spreadsheet for Raw Feeders

I maintain a nutrient spreadsheet for my dogs to better understand the foods that I'm adding to their diet and where their nutrients are coming from. Did you know that cooked eggs and raw eggs have nearly the same nutrient values?

If you feel that a nutrient spreadsheet will be helpful as you learn more about raw feeding, you're more than welcome to check out the ones I created for my dogs. I update them a few times a year with more foods.

The above links will take you to a page of my website. Follow that link to access the spreadsheet.

Have a fabulous week,

Kimberly Gauthier

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