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5 Healthy Senior Dog Food Myths Debunked

You care a lot about your old pal and you want to make sure he’s eating the healthiest food available. With so many options out there, there is a lot of misinformation about what is considered healthy for old dogs.

Here we clarify 5 myths about healthy food for senior dogs:

1. The more expensive the food the better it is.

Even though it is true that very cheap food may not be very healthy due to the ingredients used to make it, it is false that the best senior dog food is the most expensive one.

Your old dog probably does not need exotic proteins like duck, emu, or kangaroo to stay healthy, unless he is allergic to the normal kind of protein. If your dog is healthy, the normal protein is very good for him; thus, you don’t have to spend a lot of money without need.

2. Senior dogs have to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables

Your dog may love everything you give him from your table; however, his diet’s main element should be meat protein. Fruits and vegetables are great for senior people, not senior dogs.

Dog food that uses vegetable protein instead of meat will not be as healthy. If he enjoys veggies, by all means give him some, but don’t expect these to be nutritious. That’s not what your senior dog needs.

3. Senior dog food can’t have grains

Today, some dog foods are grain-free because of allergies; nevertheless, instead of grains the manufacturer uses potatoes, soybeans, peas, or sweet potatoes, which could be problematic if your dog does not take starch very well.

In this sense, grains or no grains does not make a difference, it all depends on your dog and his health; however, avoid dog foods with lots of corn, yellow corn, corn gluten, and other grains, because these are not a good nutritional source.

4. Dog food from designer dog food stores is better than the one from big companies

It makes people feel special to buy dog food from designer dog food stores, but this doesn’t mean the food is better. There is a good reason why big companies are still in the picture:

They produce good dog food

They run trials

They have good customer service

They do a lot of R&D

Some small dog food companies that say their food is homemade are in reality using big companies’ equipment to produce it, so one can never know what’s better.

5. Organic food is the best for my senior dog.

This is not necessarily true. The word “organic” is used today in many wrong ways and confused with terms like “holistic” and “natural”. Organic food is not necessarily more nutritious than other types.

There are many gray areas:

Animals raised in organic conditions may not present so many chemicals in their bodies, but they could have more parasites.

a. Organic foods use natural preservatives that expire faster, and these cost much more.

b. A product may be produced using organic means but not be certified organic.

c. Some products can be free of hormones without being organic.

So, it is difficult to buy organic dog food, and it may not be better.

Look at your dog. Is he happy? Is he healthy? Then you’re giving him the right senior dog food. The more you learn about dog food and your dog’s needs, the easier it will be to make a good choice for your old pal.

~ Staff, SeniorDogs.com

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