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old dogs feeding
To recognize senescence see grey hair on the muzzle (around nose, top lip). During several following years there will be more and more grey hair. Senescing dog is visibly less active, often hears and sees worse.
Certainly, it's sad subject though we suppose it's duty of careful and loving owner to go all the way from the very beginning till the end with one's pet. At least ageing is objective process and we believe that really happy dog is one which lived all her life in own home with beloved people to an old age. Let's look this way.
Senescence is inevitable. Tend of weight loss and decrease of muscle, nervous and other tissues activity is based on unstoppable cell and biochemical changes. Though appropriate ration considering needs of aged dog may help in care and keep of a dog of this age group.
Defining of the age when a dog starts to senesce is complicated by great variety of breeds. It's well known, that dogs of small and medium breeds usually live longer than large ones. For example, hounds aren't considered old till 8 years old. Unfortunately, as the most large dogs, rottweiler starts to senesce quite early – at the 6—7 year age.
Humans' researches show that old person energy needs are getting lower for two reasons. First, they have reduced level of physical activity, though it mostly depends on individual. Second, weight loss leads to reduce of metabolism. Special researches state that average daily caloric consumption decreases with ageing. Consequently we suppose that though there are some breed differences, age is still the key factor. So the conclusion is that older dogs shall be fed according to their lowered (comparing to younger ones) energy needs to decrease risk of obesity. However it doesn't mean less caloric content of the food. These dogs often have low appetite so eat less.
Results of digestion evaluation and defining nutrition needs of older pets proved that energy use efficiency, proteins and fats digestibility, use of minerals are higher in the older age group without relation to food proposed. Digestibility is evaluated for three groups of dogs: at 2—3 years old, at 8—10 and 16—17 year age. Average indexes of digestibility of dry products, azote and fats was a bit less for older group though there was no meaning base to consider differences between the groups, from statistic point of view. Contrary to results shown it's proved that need for nutrition protein is higher at 12—13 years old than at 9—12 month age. At the same time for plastic metabolism older dogs demand 19% of metabolic energy, while younger ones — 13%.
Older dogs shall be fed considering their personal needs depending on their live weight, health state and physical activity. Symptoms of kidney failure are the reason for ration wiåð low level of phosphor and moderate protein ratio. Consider both quantity and quality of protein as it shall be well-digestible to reduce toxic metabolites appearing.
Ration fats digestibility doesn't depend on pet's age so need of old dogs for indispensable fat acids has no difference from young pets needs. Need for minerals goes down by the age. It's related to such conditions as cardiac and kidney failure.
What else to say to conclude — keep vitamins in your mind (pet shop manager may help to find optimal ones for your dog considering age, breed, and individual features), and if you could save money on the food quality without any consequences before, when your dog was younger, now you shall take the best you can afford (if you can, certainly). Old age deserves respect. It's the least we can do for our the most devoted friends — for the dogs.
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