by Anne StClair

Created on: December 20, 2008

As dogs age their nutritional requirements change and their ability to digest their food changes, in much the same way as the digestion and nutritional needs of elderly people change. It is important to adjust your dog's diet as he or she ages, but ANY CHANGES MUST BE MADE GRADUALLY.

LESS FOOD, OR LOWER ENERGY FOOD
As dogs age they become less energetic and more easily tired, and they may suffer from conditions such as arthritis that mean their exercise choices are limited and less energetic. Since the elderly dog is using less energy than before, the amount of food needed also is less. If you continue to feed the same amount of food as your dog ages and becomes less active, the dog will become overweight or obese, and this will only worsen any arthritic conditions.

If you do not want to reduce your dog's food intake, you can choose some of the special foods available now for elderly dogs. These are lower energy foods or light' foods, and have a lower calorific value.

EASIER FOOD TO EAT
As the dog ages it may be necessary to feed softer food, and to add water to soften any dog biscuits or kibble. Occasional meals of omelette with a few well-cooked and pureed vegetables are a healthy alternative to manufactured foods. You can also feed raw meats, which may need to be ground or minced well for an elderly dog. Cooked meats with well-cooked rice and soft, pureed vegetables are also a great option for the elderly dog.

KEEPING TEETH AND GUMS HEALTHY
If your dog has been used to raw bones in her youth, she will have great teeth and gums, and you will never need a doggie dentist! Raw bones are a great addition to almost any dog's diet since they give the dog calcium, give their jaws a workout, keep their teeth clean and gums healthy, and because dogs love them. Most young dogs can munch away at big bones for hours, and can digest great chunks of bone without problems, but as they age they become less able to digest bones, and can damage their teeth. A diet including raw bones may make an elderly dog vomit and lose appetite.

Even if your dog has never eaten bones, you can gradually add a few raw chicken necks or chicken wings to his diet as he ages (unless his teeth are really bad) since both of these are easier to digest than marrow bones or brisket bones.

Alternatives to bones that are easier to digest but still keep the dog's teeth and gums healthy are treats such as dried pig's ears or pig's trotters, or manufactured leather' or even plastic chews. Just because the dog is

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