Five Supplements for Senior Dogs Part 1 of 5
| (Even though this article is written with dogs in mind, probiotics can be very beneficial for cats as well). As your dog ages, their body starts to fail. They won’t get as much nutrition out of his food. Their liver won’t be able to push out as many toxins. And their brain will begin to slow down. That’s why senior dogs need a boost as they age. It helps them to get what they need to live a healthy and comfortable life. So, let’s look at 5 important supplements you should consider giving your senior dog. 1. Prebiotics and Probiotics 2. Digestive Enzymes 3. Antioxidants 4. Vitamin C 5. Omega 3 Fats PREBIOTICS AND PROBIOTICS: I think this is important to give at any age, especially if you are feeding a high processed food. If you have a senior dog, and they have not had them in their diet, their microbiome can become unbalanced. And that’s a problem. Your dog’s microbiome is made up of bacteria and other microorganisms that live all over his body. The more populated and diverse your dog’s microbiome is, the healthier he’ll be. But with age, the diversity and number of bacteria and microorganisms change. If harmful bacteria begin to crowd out the good ones, your dog will have to deal with inflammation, leaky gut and chronic disease. This is where prebiotics and probiotics come in for senior dogs. Prebiotics feed the beneficial bacteria already living in your dog’s gut. They’ll help boost the population of species that already call your dog’s gut home. And the more beneficial bacteria there are, the more benefits they will provide. How To Give Your Senior Dog Prebiotics And Probiotics. There are many prebiotic-rich foods that you can add to your dog’s diet to boost his health. These foods also have other health benefits that your senior dog may benefit from. Some good choices include: Mushrooms – help fight cancer, support the liver, heart, bladder and digestive tract, manage diabetes and slow aging. Try turkey tail, chaga, and reishi for the best results. Chicory root – helps improve digestion and reduces inflammation. Garlic – regulates blood pressure, prevents blood clots, may prevent cancer and helps remove waste. Burdock root – regulates blood sugar, helps prevent cancer, supports organ health and reduces inflammation. Dandelion greens – helps with detoxification, stimulates appetite and supports the liver. Probiotics are best given as a supplement for senior dogs. A good probiotic will have 10 or more strains of bacteria and 30+ billion CFU (colony forming units). This will help make sure that at least some of the probiotics survive the trip to the colon. One exception is soil-based probiotics. Products that use soil-based organisms (SBOs) are less fragile and will last longer in the colon. If you buy a probiotic product with SBOs, you’ll be good with 1 or 2 strains and less than 1 billion CFU. For convenience, look for a probiotic that has prebiotics as well. This will help make the probiotics more effective. We carry: Answers Pet Food witch is fermented, the meats contain prebiotics and probiotics. They also have fermented milks and stocks which also contain enzymes and probiotics. Animal Essential – A pant enzyme and probiotics Healthy Gut – A Prebiotic/Probiotic and Enzyme. Immune Recharge – 14 Medicinal Mushroom Blend – Organic If you have any nutritional questions, please feel free to reach out and contact me or Deana. Next week we will talk about Enzymes. |
| Disclaimer – Kristina McLeskey is not a Veterinarian. These are just general guidelines. If you have any concerns about your pet’s health, please see your veterinarian. |
Recommended Posts
FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH
February 03, 2024
National Pet Obesity Awareness Day
October 11, 2023
Vitamin D Deficiency in Cats and Dog
September 01, 2023