Best senior dog food UK
Which is the best senior dog food in 2024?
VIEW OFFERBest of 2024: Find the right senior dog food in the UK
Since dogs age much quicker than humans, it’s easy to see why they are considered senior when reaching around 7 years old. As a result, the best senior dog food is necessary to ensure your aging dog remains in good health, preventing all kinds of health issues that become more likely in their later years. With so many options available, it’s understandable that many people are unsure how to find the best dog food for senior dogs. Check out the buying guide below for how to choose a great senior dog food.
The 10 best senior dog foods in the UK (December 2024)
The bestseller list compares senior dog foods from multiple brands
- Weight: L-Carnitine for healthy weight and lean muscle maintenance.
- Joints: Added Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and fish oils for joint support.
- Nutrition: Complete & balanced with natural ingredients for a senior dog's health.
- Immune: Antioxidants with vitamins C & E boost the immune system.
- Digestion: Fibre blend with prebiotics and beet pulp ensures healthy digestion.
- Nutrition: 100% balanced food with fresh chicken, tailored for small & medium senior dogs.
- Heritage: Produced by a trusted, family-owned brand with seven generations of experience.
- Ingredients: Made with natural ingredients, no artificial additives.
- Nutrition: A complete diet for senior dogs, meeting all their nutritional needs.
- Joint: Includes omega-3 fatty acids to support joint mobility.
- Digestion: Contains natural prebiotics to support digestive health.
- Ingredients: Chicken is the primary ingredient; no artificial colours, flavours, or preservatives.
- Pure: Avoids artificial ingredients, focusing on nutritionally balanced meals with meat as the #1 ingredient.
- Rich: Contains chicken as a primary ingredient for complete adult dog nutrition.
- Natural: Believes in balanced, wholesome, tasty, natural senior dog food.
- Teeth: Crunchy kibbles and minerals reduce tartar for healthy teeth.
- Coat: Omega 3 & 6 ensure healthy skin and a shiny coat.
- Digestion: Tailored fiber blend with prebiotics and beet pulp supports healthy digestion.
- Immunity: Contains vitamin E and essential amino acids to support the immune system.
- Protein: Single source animal protein recipe excludes common allergens like beef, pork, soya, and more.
- Hypoallergenic: Ideal for pets with sensitivities, no added artificial flavours, and colours.
- Flavor: Balanced dry dog food with tasty beef and vegetables for a satisfying meal.
- Health: Contains yucca extract for joint support and crunchy kibble for dental health.
- Nutrition: Only the finest ingredients in a balanced formula with 18% protein and 6% fat.
- Digestive: Prebiotics ensure optimal digestive health for senior dogs.
- Joint: Glucosamine enhances joint health and mobility in aging dogs.
- Hypoallergenic: Reduces risk of food allergies and intolerances in senior dogs.
- GrainFree: Excludes common allergens like beef, pork, soy, and eggs for better digestion.
- Immune: Fortified with vitamin E and minerals to support senior dogs' immune systems.
- Hypoallergenic: Suitable for pets with sensitivities, free from artificial colors and flavors.
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- Read the definitive senior dog food buying guide
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senior dog food buying guide
Do you want to buy a good senior dog food? This is all you need to know.
A short explanation: What are senior dog foods?
As the name suggests, senior dog food is a type of dog food designed for older dogs. While the age at which a dog is considered senior can vary depending on the breed, dogs are generally considered senior around 7-9 years of age. Senior dog food is typically lower in calories and fat than adult dog food, as older dogs are less active and therefore require fewer calories. The best dog food for senior canines increases important nutrients that may have become deficient in old age too.
What are the benefits of good dog foods?
Older dogs have different nutritional needs compared to adult and young dogs. For instance, they require a diet that is easy to digest to ensure they get enough nutrients from their food, which is why a high-quality senior dog food is recommend. It provides all the extra vitamins and minerals that an older dog needs, including higher levels of antioxidants that help to boost the immune system, lower phosphorous content for improved kidney function and lower protein content to protect aging kidneys. Plus, the best senior dog foods taste great, encouraging even the pickiest of eaters to tuck in.
How to choose the best senior dog food in 2024?
Senior dogs require more specialized diets to ensure they remain healthy in these later years, and failing to provide this could result in various health issues. So, here are some important things to consider when choosing the best dog food for a senior dog:
- Nutrients: Senior dogs need more of certain nutrients that might not be overly present in standard dog food, so it is important to search for these when looking for suitable food. For instance, you need to find dog food containing high-quality proteins with a good amino acid profile, as these help maintain lean muscle mass. Proteins found in meat are a good standard to look out for.
- Lower calories: Senior dogs are typically less active than they were, so their calorie intake should be reduced to prevent weight gain. This is important as added weight can have a negative impact on the dog’s health, so be sure to find a food that has lower calories, and therefore fats. This is often an underlooked issue for dogs, but a healthy weight is just as important for the senior dog as it is any other.
- Small portions: The texture of the food is also important, with a preference for food that can be eaten in smaller portions. This is because many senior dogs will have a decreased appetite, so will not want to eat as much food as they should, in many cases. Thicker and denser foods can help achieve this, as the dog is more likely to eat a good amount when compared to wet foods. Consider their eating habits and choose accordingly - some older dogs won’t enjoy dry food and would far prefer wet food, in which case you need to find a quality wet food!
Which types of senior dog foods are available to buy in the UK?
There are a few senior dog foods available to buy, with many being best-sellers:
- Wet Senior Dog Food: Wet dog food is a popular choice for senior canines since they are more vulnerable to issues with their teeth. Because their teeth are weaker, softer wet food is much easier for them to eat. Not only that, wet dog food is also the most hydrating food for dogs, which is another important issue for senior dogs.
- Dry Senior Dog Food: Aged dogs can still eat dry food, especially those that don’t have any issues with their teeth. It’s also good for keeping their jaw muscles strong, so if they don’t have the best teeth but are still healthy enough to eat unassisted, dry food is a fine choice.
- Grain Free Senior Dog Food: A grain free diet is just as important for senior dogs as it is for younger and adult dogs. Grain dog food for seniors is great at regulating their weight, providing much-needed hydration, and helping to keep their muscles strong and lean.