As your dog grows older, his nutritional needs change. Dog food may not be enough to sustain what their body needs. Hence, giving your senior dog vitamins may be necessary to keep them at the best of health.
AT A GLANCE (SEE ON AMAZON):
- Best Overall: Nutri-Vet Senior-Vite Chewables for Senior Dogs
- Runner Up: SmartyPants Vitamins Dog Vitamin and Supplement
- Also Great: NaturVet – Senior Wellness Chewable Tablets For Dogs
- Also Great: Petlab Senior Dog Vitamin Vitality Chew
- Also Great: PetHonesty 10 in 1 Dog Multivitamin with Glucosamine
What Does my Dog Needs?
As to the body requirements of our furry friends, when it comes to their food, it should contain carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, and minerals. At the same time, we must ensure that they stay hydrated for proper organ functions.
Of course, the proper balance of these essential nutrients must be observed as too much of something may not be good for them.
Deficiencies in these nutrients may cause our pets to become ill, but too much may also result in something not good.
And, of course, each dog has various needs depending on age, breed, size, and activity level. It is always best to talk to your vet for a proper diagnosis and advice on what would be best for our pets.
What about Senior Dogs?
What nutrients do senior dogs need?
Older dogs are prone to lose muscle mass. Hence, dog foods that are rich in protein are still a necessity. Of course, we should still consider counting the calories as canine obesity may still occur despite their age.
As with humans, most heart diseases and internal organ complications generally manifest at the latter stage of life as your dog ages. The same is quite true with most animals, including our dogs. To help your dogs avoid these, a diet that is low in sodium and phosphorous is best.
Additionally, they tend to suffer more from gastrointestinal issues. Hence, foods that are rich in healthy fibers are advised.
Probiotics supplements may help combat this too.
And the most common problem senior dogs have to face is osteoarthritis, joint pain, and deterioration or loss of cognitive skills,
Most pet experts and veterinarians recommend supplementing your dog’s food with omega fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamin B-complex, among others. These essentials help protect your furry friend from mental senility and osteoarthritis.
These are but general information. Your dog may need a lot more than what we have mentioned here. Help your dog become the best dog ever, even at his prime age, by consulting with your veterinarian.
Feeding Older Dogs
Older dogs need a special diet to satisfy their body requirements. Most vets recommended food that is low in calories, carbohydrates, and sodium and high in protein. A diet with prebiotics or probiotics would also help to satisfy what our pet needs.
Supplements for dogs would help get the best results without any side effects in keeping our older dogs healthier.
What can I do for my Senior Dog?
When you have a senior dog, you want to give the best food for him to enjoy life despite his age. But most often, these dog foods can no longer sustain what his aging body and system need.
As there is no specific solution to this quandary, supplements and vitamins with specific nutrition and a balance of vitamins can help.
In general, dogs of whatever age needs Vitamin K for bone development, Vitamin C to boost the immune system and strengthen immune function, Vitamin B-complex hat includes Vitamin B1 for metabolism and strengthen neural tissue, and joint function Vitamin B2, B3, and B6, and folic acid for protein synthesis.
What is the Best Vitamin for Senior Dogs?
Among the available products on the market, we have chosen the top 5 best senior dog vitamins.
Our Top Pick
Among the possible buying choices, this one tops our list. Considering customer review, brand, price, and results, this product is worthy of being the highlight here as it contains the essential nutrients for the best health of our senior dogs.
Runner Up
Without wheat and soy, customers love this allergy-free formula. Customers shared that it has been helpful in keeping older dogs active and free from arthritis.
Also Great
Customers shared that stiff joints among dogs are no longer a problem after some time of giving their furry companions these vitamins.
Also Great
Reviews rave of the positive results of these dog supplements. A customer shared that his dog became more active after using this product.
Also Great
Customer reviews highlight that these chewable tablets provide the necessary vitamins and nutrients to keep older dogs active. Once inactive or slow-moving dogs are back on their feet and turn active after intake of these multivitamins.
Why should you use Vitamin Supplements for Dogs?
Supplements for dogs are highly beneficial for our older furry companions, especially those with health issues. Vitamins in these supplements act as antioxidants that help improve cognitive skills and reduce inflammation.
Dogs that rely on homemade food every day also need dog vitamins and supplements for them to attain a healthy balance of nutrients for overall health. Vitamins and supplements rich in B-complex, glucosamine, and chondroitin alleviate joint pain and strengthen the nervous system’s functions.
These dog supplements and vitamins cover up what is missing in your dog’s diet so he can have the best of everything to keep him healthy.
How to choose Senior Dog Vitamins
With lots of products to choose from, purchasing vitamins and supplements for older dogs may e quite a tremendous task.
To keep things safe for you and your dog, consult your vet on what is the best supplements for older dogs. Your vet would be able to recommend one based on the condition of your dog and his health.
On a general note, there are some things to consider when choosing the right dog vitamins and supplements. Here are the most basic ones.
Brands
Choose a brand that has established its name in pet care. Some brands offer product detail information on the efficacy of their products.
Made for Dogs
Do not give your dog human supplements. Human supplements may contain some elements that may prove harmful to dogs.
Ingredients
Read the labels and product detail pages. Ensure that it does not contain ingredients that may be harmful to your dog like, something he is allergic to, to avoid any side effects.
Last Words
Take some cues from your dogs. Living with your furry pet for so long would have given you an idea of what he wants and what his body needs. Listen to his needs.
At the end of the day, though, your veterinarian is still the best person to advise you on what your dog needs and what is best for your dog. Hence, consult your veterinarian at all times.