Best senior dog food: what to look for

There is no single best senior dog food. The best thing to feed an old dog is a complete and balanced food that keeps that particular dog lean, well-muscled and keen to eat, and that fits any health condition the vet has found. For a healthy senior, that may be the adult food the dog already does well on.

This article does not name or rank brands. The right food depends on the dog, and this site does not take money to rank foods. What follows is how to read a bag or can and judge it for yourself, with your vet.

What "senior" on the label means

Less than you would hope. In the United States, the nutrient profiles that pet foods are formulated to (published by AAFCO) cover growth and reproduction, and adult maintenance. There is no separate nutrient standard for senior dogs.

So "senior" is the maker's own description. One senior food is lower in calories with extra fiber. Another is higher in protein with added fish oil. Two senior foods can differ from each other more than either differs from an ordinary adult food. Read the label, not the word on the front.

What to look for on the bag

One note on "all life stages" foods: they are formulated to meet a puppy's needs as well, so they are often richer in calories and minerals. That suits many seniors, but check with your vet if your dog is overweight or has kidney concerns.

Best senior dog food for small breeds and large breeds

Size changes what matters, and it changes when a dog counts as senior in the first place.

• Small dogs tend to live longer and reach old age later. Crowded teeth and dental disease are common, so kibble size and texture matter, and some do better on wet food. Small stomachs suit smaller, more frequent meals. Treats add up fast in a small body.
• Large and giant dogs age sooner, and their joints carry more load. Staying lean matters more than any single ingredient, so a food with moderate calories is often easier to manage. Many large-breed senior foods add omega-3s for joints.

Whatever the size, extra weight is the most common nutrition problem in older dogs. See weight management for senior pets.

Is wet or dry food better for a senior dog?

Either can be complete and balanced. Choose by the dog.

Wet food has more water, a stronger smell and is easier to chew. That helps dogs with a fading appetite, missing teeth or a sore mouth. It costs more per calorie and spoils once opened. Dry food is cheaper, easy to measure and can be softened with warm water. Mixing the two is fine as long as you count the calories from both.

Ordinary kibble is not a substitute for dental care. If your dog has started chewing on one side or dropping food, read about dental care for senior pets and have the mouth checked.

When a prescription diet replaces a senior diet

Once a dog has a diagnosed condition, the diet for that condition takes priority over anything labeled "senior". Common examples:

• Kidney disease. Kidney diets restrict phosphorus and adjust protein. See what to feed a dog with kidney disease.
• Heart disease. Diets with controlled sodium, chosen to suit the stage of disease and the medication.
• Arthritis. Joint diets with high levels of omega-3s and controlled calories.
• Excess weight. Weight-loss diets cut calories while keeping protein and other nutrients up, which simply feeding less of a regular food does not do.

These diets are chosen by your vet from test results. They are not meant for a dog who has not been diagnosed, and an off-the-shelf senior food does not do the same job.

Senior dog vitamins and supplements

A dog eating a complete and balanced food is already getting the vitamins and minerals it needs. Adding a multivitamin on top is usually unnecessary, and it can push some nutrients too high.

The supplements most often discussed for older dogs are fish oil for omega-3s, joint supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin (the evidence for these is mixed), and probiotics. Supplements are not regulated the way medicines are, quality varies between products, and some interact with medication. Clear each one with your vet, who decides whether it suits your dog and how much to give.

Homemade diets for senior dogs

Home cooking can work, but it is hard to get right. Studies that analyzed recipes from books and websites have found that most were short of at least one essential nutrient.

If you want to cook for your dog, have a board-certified veterinary nutritionist write a recipe for your dog, and follow it exactly, including the vitamin and mineral supplement it specifies. That matters even more for a dog with a medical condition. Whatever you feed, keep onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate, macadamia nuts, anything sweetened with xylitol, and cooked bones away from dogs.

How much to feed

The feeding guide on the bag is a starting point, written for an average dog. Your vet sets the real amount from your dog's weight and body condition, and adjusts it at checkups. Measure meals rather than guessing, count treats, and weigh your dog regularly.

How to switch foods gradually

Change over about a week to ten days. Start with mostly the old food and a little of the new, and shift the balance every couple of days. If stools turn loose or the dog vomits, slow down or go back a step. Older dogs with sensitive stomachs may need longer. For a prescription diet, follow the timetable your vet gives you.

How to tell a food is working

Give a new food several weeks before judging it, unless it clearly disagrees with the dog. Signs it suits your dog:

• Weight is steady, and you can feel the ribs easily under a thin covering.
• Muscle over the back and thighs is holding.
• The dog eats willingly.
• Stools are formed and regular.
• The coat is in good condition and energy is normal for the dog.

What to feed an old dog that won't eat

A new food is rarely the answer. An older dog who goes off food usually has a reason, such as mouth pain, nausea, another illness or pain elsewhere, and that needs finding first. See why an old dog stops eating.

While you wait for the appointment, you can warm wet food slightly to bring out the smell, soften kibble with warm water, offer small meals by hand and feed somewhere quiet. Avoid rich or fatty table scraps, which can upset the stomach, and anything seasoned with onion or garlic. Your vet can treat nausea or prescribe an appetite stimulant if one is appropriate.

When to call the vet today

• Your dog has eaten nothing for more than 24 hours, or much less than normal for several days.
• Repeated vomiting or diarrhea, or blood in either.
• Weight loss you can see or feel.
• Drinking or urinating far more than usual.
• Trouble chewing, dropping food or pawing at the mouth.
• A swollen belly, retching without bringing anything up, or collapse. Go to an emergency clinic at once.

For the wider picture, the senior pet nutrition guide covers feeding older dogs and cats in general, and there is a companion piece on choosing a senior cat food. Everyday care is in the senior dog guide.

This article is general educational information about feeding older dogs, not veterinary or nutritional advice for your dog. It does not recommend any brand or product, and no food suits every dog. The right diet, the amount to feed and any supplement should be decided with your veterinarian, especially if your dog has a medical condition, is losing weight or has stopped eating.