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This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only. You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet. There is considerable interest in changes that occur with advancing age in both people and our domestic pets. We know that with increasing age many changes occur which may affect organ functional, and indirectly influence health. At the same time we are finding out more and more about the profound influence that nutrition can have over normal health, and the effect that it can have in the management of age-related diseases. Examples of changes that occur with increasing age and which may influence the best choice of food for old animals include
One example of an age-related change which we believe may be influenced by nutritional factors is reduced immune function which makes an older animal more susceptible to infections and to the development of cancer. Certain nutrients (eg vitamin E) may help to improve immune-status. An example of the important role that nutrition can have in the management of disease is the demonstrated by the recent launch of a diet which can significantly affect the progression of the cancer lymphoma, in dogs. So, it is likely that we can have a significant affect on the health of our old pets by careful selection of nutrients in foods. There are already pet foods available which have been "designed" to meet the needs of older animals better than other foods, based upon current knowledge. However, long term, properly controlled studies into the actual benefits of these foods on health have not been conducted, so whilst the theory may be good, some of the innovations are controversial (eg how much protein to include) and the long term benefits have still to be proved. However, as we learn more in the future we can look forward to special foods designed to meet not only the needs of old dogs, but the needs of different breeds with different risk factors for age-related disease.
Updated October 2013 | |||