Added Mcts Dha And Antioxidants In Dog Food
Dogs, like humans, may show changes in memory and the ability to learn as they age. Several studies suggest that the following substances and nutrients may help to reduce some of the effects of these changes and are therefore added to some foods marketed to senior dogs:
- Medium-chain triglycerides;or MCTs, a type of fat. Look for coconut oil or palm oil as sources on food labels, or you can add MCTs to your dog’s food as a supplement.
- Antioxidants like those found in some veggies, such as carotenoids and other phytonutrients. While some pet parents malign fruits and veggies, they contain some of the most interesting and unique compounds that can influence a pet’s health. One benefit of a minimally preserved fresh diet over a kibble or canned diet is that it can offer antioxidants that have not degraded due to processing and storing.
- DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that appears in high concentrations in fish and algae oil, or as with MCTs, you can add DHA as a supplement to your dog’s diet. A reasonable starting amount is 0.5 grams DHA per 1,000 calories.
The Benefits Of Feeding Premium Food
Why move your grown-up pup to a premium adult dog food? Because quality counts. It’s crucial to continue his superb puppy nutrition into adulthood. Downgrading to a lower-quality brand at this stage of his life may upset his digestive system, and won’t provide him with the same level of nutritional excellence he was raised on.
Think of a baby. When it’s time to start giving him solid food, you wouldn’t dream of feeding your child anything less than the best nutrition you can buy. The same is true for your maturing puppy. He needs the best age-appropriate food there is to help maintain his overall health.
Premium foods, such as IAMS, are specifically designed to provide your dog with a food that has:
- High-quality ingredients
- Balanced, optimal levels of protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals
- A nutrient-dense formulation appropriate for a particular life stage
- Consistent, high-quality, natural-ingredient recipes that do not change because of manufacturing costs
- Specific fatty-acid balance to help maintain healthy skin and coat
- Great palatability and taste, based on feeding trials
- Met or exceeded the Association of American Feed Control Officials guidelines
- Product guarantees
Body Development Requires A Rich Diet
Finally, in order to turn into a healthy and strong dog, a puppy needs food packed in protein, minerals, and vitamins, like Calcium, Iron, beta-carotene and more. Adult dog food has more controlled nutrient value as when fully developed, they dont require these energy bombs to remain healthy. So if you give your little pooch adult dog food on several occasions, theres really nothing to worry about, but in the long run it may have a negative effect on proper body development.
Photo by Bekky Bekks on Unsplash
Read Also: Is It Cheaper To Make Your Own Dog Food
An Upset Tummy Is No Treat
Because puppy food has a higher fat and protein content than adult dog food, it’s more palatable to dogs of all ages. Unfortunately, giving it occasionally to your adult pooch as a treat could result in some gastrointestinal distress for Fido. New foods of any kind can trigger some tummy upset in your pooch, especially high-fat ones like puppy food. Your pooch may also have a food allergy or intolerance and react badly to an ingredient in the puppy food. If he continues to react to an adult dog food containing similar ingredients to the puppy food, consult your vet about putting Fido on a hypoallergenic diet.
When Is A Dog Considered A Senior
While there is no medically agreed-upon definition of what is considered a senior dog, large breed dogs have a shorter life expectancy and are considered senior at around 5 or 6 human years old. Smaller breeds live longer and are in their advanced years when they are around age 8 or 9 human years old.
Also Check: What Is The Highest Quality Dog Food
Feeding Your Puppy: A First
- 612 weeks: Growing pups should be fed puppy food, a diet specially formulated to meet the nutritional needs for normal development. Feeding adult food will rob your puppy of important nutrients. Four feedings a day are usually adequate to meet nutritional demands. Large breeds should be fed unmoistened dry food by 9 or 10 weeks; small dogs by 12 or 13 weeks.
- 36 months: Sometime during this period, decrease feedings from four to three a day. A pup should be losing her potbelly and pudginess by 12 weeks. If she is still roly-poly at this age, continue to feed puppy-size portions until body type matures.
- 612 months: Begin feeding twice daily. Spaying or neutering lowers energy requirements slightly; after the procedure, switch from nutrient-rich puppy food to adult maintenance food. Small breeds can make the switch at 7 to 9 months; bigger breeds at 12, 13, even 14 months. Err on the side of caution: Better to be on puppy food a little too long than not long enough.
- After age 1: Most owners feed adult dogs two half-portions a day.
Can An Adult Dog Eat Puppy Food
- Fact Checked
Dogs have healthy appetites, due in no small part to their evolution from wolves. Their canine ancestors once roamed the forests, scavenging whatever food or prey animals they were able to find. Today, far less scavenging is required for a pup to survive, but the desire to eat is still a driving factor for his day-to-day doggy routines. As his owner, its essential to make sure hes getting the best nutrition possible in his bowl, but are all dog food types equally nourishing?
If you live in a multi-dog household, you may be wondering, Can an adult dog eat puppy food? This article will discuss the major differences between the adult dog food and puppy food so you can provide your pup with the best nutrition possible.;
Also Check: Is Just Food For Dogs Healthy
Since Puppies Are Growing Rapidly They Have Different Nutritional Needs And Should Not Eat Adult Dog Food Until Theyre Fully Grown
While you might treat your dogs meals as a form of entertainment or a reward, its easy to forget that the primary purpose of dog food is to serve as fuel for the body. A growing puppy’s needs are so unique that the Association of American Feed Control Officials has two distinct nutrient profiles based on a dog’s life stage: “growth and reproduction” and “adult maintenance.” Choosing the right food and transitioning to adult dog food can be challenging.
Top Best Answers To The Question Can Senior Dogs Eat Puppy Food
The foods are designed to support a particular life stage.
The puppy food will have more calories to support growth.
If your adult dog eats the puppy food, it may cause him to gain weight.
If your adult dog eats this food it is important to make sure that he does not eat to much to prevent this.
FAQ. Those who are looking for an answer to the question «Can senior dogs eat puppy food?» often ask the followingquestions:
Recommended Reading: Can Dogs Eat Dry Cat Food
Is It Unhealthy For An Adult Dog To Eat Puppy Food
My 2-year-old dog, Toby, won’t touch anything other than the puppy kibble he’s been eating since I first got him. He’s healthy, but I’m worried he might not be getting the nutrients adult dogs need.
R.D., San Antonio, Texas
Commercial pet foods made specifically for the first year of a dog’s life have all the right stuff vitamins, minerals, nutrients to ensure puppies grow up big and strong. But sooner or later all pooches, including finicky ones like Toby, need to switch to an adult variety. It’s not that puppy kibble lacks something an older dog needs just the opposite. Formulated to fuel a growing animal, these high-octane chows simply contain too many calories for dogs who have reached their full size.
To introduce a more age-appropriate menu without causing Toby digestive problems , add a tiny bit of adult mix to his regular meal. Continue to slowly increase his daily intake of adult chow, while reducing the amount of puppy food, until you transition Toby completely to the new stuff. Incidentally, this method also works like a charm when you’re changing from one brand of kibble to another.
Puppy Food Lacks Nutrients For Older Dogs
A good senior dog diet includes glucosamine, msm, and omega fatty acids to help keep senior dogs joints cushioned in old age. Our senior dogs experience pain from inflammation and they develop arthritis, hip dysplasia, and other joint disorders as they progress through their senior years. ;None of these much needed nutrients will be found in puppy food.
Glucosamine supports cartilage and omega fatty acids help keep joints lubricated and both nutrients help keep our older dogs mobile.
Read Also: When Should Dogs Eat Wet Food
Can Puppies Eat Adult Dog Food
What can puppies eat? Can I feed my puppy adult dog food? What food is the best for puppies? New puppy owners may find themselves asking these questions and more. Making sure your puppy has all the nutrition he needs is one of the most important things you can do to help him grow into a strong, healthy dog. Puppies and adult dogs have different nutritional needs, and as a result, its important to feed your puppy a complete and balanced food formulated for his life stage.
When can puppies start eating dog food? Generally, puppies begin to transition to adult food when they have reached maturity for their breed size. But this varies widely. Its important to not rush to feed a puppy adult food since he is building the bones, teeth, organs, etc. This early growth is something hell need for a lifetime, so you want them to be the best they can be. As with anything else, it usually requires greater resources to build something than to maintain it. So if youre feeding your puppy an adult maintenance dog food, he may not be getting all of the essential nutrients he needs in these crucial, early months.
Can Older Dogs Eat Puppy Food
puppy foodadult dogspuppiesadult dogsadultfood
Puppies and adult dogs have different nutritional needs, and as a result, it’s important to feed your puppy a complete and balanced food formulated for his life stage. When can puppies start eating dog food? Generally, puppies begin to transition to adult food when they have reached maturity for their breed size.
Subsequently, question is, can puppy food make a grown dog sick? Puppy food has a higher fat content than adult dog food, which helps to support healthy growth in little pups. This difference can make your adult pooch sick because high-fat foods can cause pancreatitis in our fully-grown canine companions, according to WebMD.
Likewise, people ask, how long should dogs eat puppy food?
one year
At what age is a dog no longer a puppy?
Puppies mature into adults at a different time, which means that a large dog breed will mature into an adult at about 15 months, while smaller breeds will be puppies for only 9 months. So, you’ll need to feed a larger dog breed specially formulated puppy food for much longer than you would a smaller dog breed.
Recommended Reading: Where Can I Buy Nutrisource Dog Food
Will It Hurt My Senior Dog To Eat Puppy Food
Its not necessarily bad to feed an older pet puppy meal. Older dogs receiving puppy foods can be especially damaging. Adult pets in their senior years can run into a series of kidney problems and obesity problems. The diets of the senior dog are often designed to be very low in calories as well as low in protein.
Learn All About Grains In Pet Food
Grains? No grains? What are they and what do they mean for your dog or cat? Find out on this special Blue Buffalo Grain FAQ page.
LEARN ABOUT OUR NEW APP
Dog Articles: Health
Puppy, adult and senior: all three stages are important times in your furry pals life when its appropriate to ask your veterinarian about your dogs diet.
Growth foods necessary at the puppy stage have higher protein levels and calorie counts to meet your pups developmental needs. But once your pup is six to 12 months old those needs change.
Thats usually when your puppy is nearing his adult height and can transition to adult food. Spaying or neutering usually occurs at this age as well, lowering your dogs need for increased energy; hence a reason to switch from puppy to adult dog food.
Breed size matters
Switching to adult food coincides with maturity, but due to the large variety of breeds, different dogs mature at different rates. Smaller breeds tend to mature faster than larger breeds:
Dogs up to 30 pounds mature around 10 to 12 months of age.
Some toy breeds can mature as early as seven to nine months old.
Medium breeds, up to 80 pounds, mature between 12 to 16 months.
Large breeds can mature at 12, 13, or even 14 months old.
Giant breed dogs can take up to two years to reach full maturity.
No more three squares a day
Most pet parents feed two half-portions of adult food when their dogs are over a year old.
Eyes on your furry friend. Not his food.
Switch slowly
Read Also: How To Make My Dog Eat Dry Food
Pregnant Or Nursing Dogs
Pregnant and nursing dogs have different nutritional requirements than other adult dogs. These dogs should be eating food that is calorie dense and high in protein. Look for foods that are at least 22 percent protein.
It may seem unusual, but feeding puppy food, like Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food, to a pregnant or nursing dog is a good way to meet these requirements. Because puppies, like pregnant and nursing dogs, also need more calories and protein than other dogs, food made for them is suitable for dogs who are moms or moms-to-be too.
And heres the good news for your pregnant or nursing dog: Unless she is overweight, you can let her have all she wants.
Adult Dog Food: Why Is It Important
With his scavenging ancestors, pet parents may wonder why their dog cant just eat whatever he wants in order to be healthy table scraps, for example rather than a balanced diet. Just as with humans, there is a big gap between surviving and thriving! A dog needs a diet tailored to his nutritional needs for the same reason humans strive to eat healthy: its the best way to ward off common illnesses, stay strong and active, and ensure a long, high-quality lifespan.
Adult dog food varieties are formulated specifically for older dogs: their protein balance is designed to provide exactly what is needed without going overboard or contributing to canine obesity. Depending on a dogs specific needs, his adult dog food may also require certain adjustments to the ingredients, as with raw, allergen-free, or grain-free canine diets. Puppy food, which is generally less specific in its ingredients, can set his diet off-kilter and cause flare-ups of health or canine allergy issues.
Don’t Miss: Why Is Dog Food Grain Free
Added Joint Supplements For Seniors
Dogs are more likely to develop arthritis as they age, especially if they are overweight or obese. Supplementing with glucosamine and chondroitin, both precursors for cartilage, may reduce the symptoms of arthritis in dogs after a few months;according to some studies. Research offers even more definitive evidence for the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA,;both of which have been shown to reduce inflammation in the joints and the symptoms of arthritis;.
Unfortunately, many diets marketed for seniors advertising glucosamine, chondroitin, EPA, and DHA do not contain effective amounts of these substances. To get results, you may need to add them to your dog’s food unless it is one specifically labeled for joint health.
Home Made Diets For Adult Chihuahuas
Since dogs have different nutritional needs than we do, feeding a home made diet is not as simple as sharing a portion of your plate with your Chihuahua. If you would prefer to feed your Chihuahua a home made diet, know that it should only be done with the assistance of a veterinarian.
While there are many home made dog food recipes available online, I would advise my readers to exercise extreme caution with these recipes. Many of these recipes are not made with the assistance of a veterinarian and therefore contain ingredients that are not doggy safe. For owners of Chihuahuas and other small breeds, this is an especially critical area to exercise caution in, because the smaller the dog, the less of a toxin is needed to cause real harm.
The safest route is to go with a book that was formally published, and to discuss those recipes with your veterinarian.
Here are some recipe books to discuss with your veterinarian as you plan your Chihuahuas home made diet together:
Since commercial diets include vitamins and minerals that dogs need, you will also need to supplement your dogs home made diet with these nutrients with the guidance of your veterinarian. A good quality choice to consider is The Missing Link Supplement.
Do you feed your Chihuahua a commercial diet or a home made diet? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Recommended Reading: How To Transition Dog Food
What Kind Of Snacks Can I Feed My Dog With Kidney Disease
Our dogs walk a bit on the wild side when it comes to snacks as they love thin apple slices, banana chunks, carrots, whole unsalted peanuts in the husks, and dehydrated sweet potatoes! Dogs with kidney disease should avoid meat based chews/treats that are high in phosphorus, so you may find that you need to explore doing friendly fruit and veggies for treats like we have. We still on occasion will offer Hooch bully sticks;or a jerky treat, but it is better for him if we limit his intake due to the levels of phosphorous that those treats contain.;