All Natural Senior Dog Food

All natural senior dog food normally contains no artificial dyes or preservatives. Many contain few or no grains and have human-grade meat as the first ingredient, rather than meat by-products. In general, natural dog foods should be appropriate for most senior dogs. However, ingredients in these dogs foods vary greatly from brand to brand. Not all ingredients, though natural, may be suitable for your particular dog.

Brands that sell natural senior dog foods include AvoDerm, Eukanuba, Nutro, Canidae and Wellness. Types of natural senior dog foods include regular senior formulas and special formulas for dogs that suffer from food-related allergies.

Natural senior dog foods use only natural preservatives and most leave out artificial dyes. In addition, these dog foods often contain human-grade meat rather than meat by-products like brain and spinal tissue and other less desirable parts of an animal. Formulas for dogs with food allergies often contain no wheat or other foods that some dogs are allergic to. In addition these foods may contain extra essential fatty acids, which are supposed to help reduce occurrences of skin allergies.

Senior dogs usually require as much nutrition but fewer calories than younger dogs. Because of this, many senior dog food formulas, including natural dog food, contain essential vitamins and minerals, but fewer calories than other dog foods.

Many kinds of natural dog foods are formulated to be more digestible than the average commercial dog food. For the senior dog, this can mean fewer gastrointestinal problems and easier absorption of nutrients from food. In addition, Glucosamine and chondroitin are also commonly added to natural senior dog food to increase joint health in aging pets, along with natural antioxidants to promote a stronger immune system.

Individual dogs have specific nutritional needs. These needs are dependent on general health and physiology. If your senior dog has known health problems, talk with her veterinarian before trying a new food.

Many natural dog food brands also produce grain-free dog foods, which may be beneficial for senior dogs with allergies to grains. Labels can be misleading. While most dog food using "natural" in the label are indeed made from all natural ingredients, it pays to read the ingredient label to know exactly what you are getting. When switching to a natural food, add the food gradually to your dog's diet, just as you would any other dog food.