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Medium Breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs
Medium Breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs

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Medium-Breed Mature or Senior Dog’s Nutritional Needs

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Unlike larger-breed dogs that are considered mature at age 5, medium-breed dogs are usually called mature or senior at age 7. By this time, their nutritional requirements are changing. You can help keep your medium-breed dog active, happy and healthy with a specially formulated mature or senior diet that delivers highly digestible, enhanced nutrition.

 

 

The Signs of Aging in Medium-breed Dogs

Your dog might be aging in a number of ways. He may have a dull, dry coat and flaky skin, declining activity or weight gain, decreased immune system response, more frequent intestinal problems, joint stiffness and a loss of lean muscle mass. It’s true that a mature or senior dog generally needs fewer calories, but to address special mature or senior concerns, your dog still needs high-quality protein and carefully balanced nutrients.

 

 

What to Look for in a Mature or Senior Diet

What your medium-breed dog needs is a high-quality, balanced maintenance food formulated for his changing metabolism. Look for options with these age-essential dietary components:

  • Vitamin-rich fish oils for healthy skin, a shiny coat and overall health
  • Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene to help boost the immune system
  • High-quality animal-based protein sources to help maintain muscle mass
  • A special fiber source, such as beet pulp, to help maintain intestinal health and enhance your dog’s ability to absorb age-essential nutrients
  • A special carbohydrate blend of healthy grains for sustained energy

These ingredients are the keys to mature or senior nutrition whether you feed dry or wet dog food or give your dog treats.

 

 

Special Needs in Medium-breed Mature or Senior Dogs

Older, less active dogs are prone to weight gain. Controlling your dog’s weight can help minimize health complications such as diabetes or joint stress. Your dog can benefit from a weight-control diet with these key characteristics:

  • A reduced fat level that still offers essential nutrients for skin and coat health
  • L-carnitine, a key nutrient that helps burn fat and maintain muscle mass during weight loss
  • Special carbohydrate blends that help maintain energy while managing weight
  • Vitamin-rich fish oils for overall health

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  • Why Is Fiber in Your Dog's Food?
    Why Is Fiber in Your Dog's Food?
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    Importance of Fiber in Dog Food

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    Your pooch’s diet defines its overall health and well-being. What it eats contributes to the amount of energy it has throughout the day. As a caregiver, it becomes your responsibility to provide the correct amount of nutrition and nourishment to your fur baby. Understanding the various components of your pet’s diet helps in providing them with the right nourishment.
     

    Although everyone knows dogs need protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, and minerals; did you know your canine friend also requires fiber in their diet? Even though fiber is not completely digestible it is an essential part of your pooch’s diet. High-fiber dog food aids in better digestion and bowel movement. Soluble fiber for dogs helps them in absorbing water. This type of fiber then gets fermented in their intestines to release fatty acids for better gut health. Other than soluble fiber, dogs also require insoluble fiber for better water absorption and digestion.
     

    Benefits of high fiber dog food

    Fiber in dog food helps the dogs digest their food better. Proper digestion equates to better bowel movement and good gut and gastrointestinal health. Your canine friend’s food should contain at least 2-4% fiber to assist their gut health’s growth and development. Besides, fiber for dogs acts as an absorbing substance that collects excess water and acids. Given below are a few other benefits of fiber for dogs.

    • Useful for treating constipation and diarrhea: Apart from absorbing extra water and acid, the insoluble fiber also helps in cleaning your pet’s gut tract. This makes their bowel movement better. Consuming the right amount of fiber also helps maintain your dog’s anal gland issues. Smaller breeds of dogs are more likely to suffer from these issues. The fiber in dog food makes it easier for stool to pass smoothly without any added effort. Hence, reducing the chances of your pet developing gastrointestinal and anal gland illnesses.
    • Weight management: Many breeds of dogs are meant for outdoor life; the lack of proper activity may lead to obesity in such breeds. Pet caregivers often worry about their fur baby being overweight because of the countless hours spent indoors with little to no activity. In such cases, high-fiber dog food is suggested alongside regular walks and playtime to manage the pooch’s weight. The fiber allows your fur baby to digest more food and aid in controlling its calorie intake.
    • Manages blood-sugar levels: Some types of fiber are slow to digest. This helps in maintaining blood sugar levels in dogs. Slow digestion of fiber stops sudden rise in blood sugar levels. Dogs that consume high-fiber dog food often have lower blood-sugar fluctuations and hence have lesser chances of suffering from diabetes

    Is too much fiber bad for dogs?

    On average dogs need only 2-4% fiber in their daily diet. Anything beyond this measure can be considered excessive fiber consumption for dogs. While fiber is needed for better gut and gastrointestinal health, too much fiber for dogs can be a topic of concern. Given below are a few issues that may occur because of excessive fiber consumption.

    • Gas: Fiber is not completely digestible. Hence, even though limited consumption of fiber helps in eliminating gut-related problems, too much fiber can lead to gastrointestinal problems and increase gas and acidity issues.
    • Diarrhea: While soluble fiber manages water content in the body, insoluble fiber can lead to digestive issues when consumed in excess. Frequent urge to pass stool and diarrhea are some known side effects of consuming too much fiber.

    Even if is fiber bad for dogs is a common query, the conclusion is fiber is needed for better digestion and gut health of your pooch. However, excess fiber consumption can lead to certain stomach and gut-related issues, while eating little to no fiber is also not a good choice. Avoiding fiber altogether can lead to the anal gland diseases and gut illness. Hence, as a pet parent, you must ensure your canine friend is provided with the right amount of fiber in their daily diet. Besides fiber dogs also need adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat in their diet for consistent growth and development.

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