A balanced diet that meets your dog's needs is absolutely essential for a healthy life. This means that it should contain everything your dog needs, i.e. it should meet your four-legged friend's nutritional and energy requirements. As your dog gets older, you have to expect that your body will no longer be able to deal with problems so easily.

At VEGDOG you will find specially developed wet food for your loved one. It fully covers the needs and is adapted to the requirements of older dogs.

Which food for good joints?

You should pay close attention to your four-legged friend’s joints.

These are subjected to a lot of strain over the course of a dog's life, especially in large or overweight dogs! Protecting the joints early on by keeping them slim (and here every extra gram counts) and providing them with sufficient nutrients are essential. Essential fatty acids are particularly good for joints, especially the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA . These can have an anti-inflammatory effect and thus relieve pain in the case of arthritic changes in the joint, for example. They also ensure a shiny coat and support the natural skin barrier.

You can use a mixture of vegetable oils that are rich in omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. We recommend our VISH OIL made from algae, hemp and linseed oil. This offers an excellent vegan alternative to conventional fish oil, is tasty and contains significantly more EPA and DHA than pure vegetable oil.

Would you like to give your four-legged friend a little treat? Our low-fat MOBILITIES are particularly suitable for our older furry friends as a healthy snack between meals, as they support your furry friend's joint health thanks to the vegan glucosamine!

Healthy diet for good skin

With age, the coat can lose strength and shine. The skin can become oily and the coat can become dull and matte.

This may be due to an increased need for nutrients due to reduced self-synthesis or absorption capacity. This means that the digestive tract is no longer able to absorb all the nutrients and minerals it needs for a healthy coat through food. Older dogs may therefore need an increased supply of nutrients and important trace elements . Zinc, copper, vitamin A and essential fatty acids are particularly important. These ensure healthy skin and coat and bring back the shine.

Fatty acids are an essential component of a healthy skin barrier and the skin's acid mantle. A lack of these essential fatty acids leads to a disruption of the skin's barrier. Water loss occurs, the skin becomes dry, and the coat becomes dull and matte.

Treats as immune boosters?

Our four-legged friends can also become more susceptible to infections and illnesses as they get older , as their immune systems become weaker over the years. Now it is even more important to provide your four-legged friend with everything he needs every day to keep his immune system working optimally. The immune system can be largely supported and strengthened through a healthy diet , enough exercise and good care .

Here too, the "all-rounder" omega-3 fatty acids (contained in our VISH OIL ) should not be missing from an immune-supporting diet! But also foods that are rich in vitamins, antioxidants and polyphenols. These include, for example: turmeric, blueberries and other wild berries as well as pumpkin seeds - all of these are true immune heroes!

Our VEGGIES IMMUNE with sea buckthorn and turmeric are an immune booster and therefore the ideal healthy reward for your senior. Whether given with food or fed as a snack - your four-legged friend and his immune system will thank you.

Health check with veterinary advice: Counteract weight loss

It's not uncommon for our furry friends to lose weight as they get older. A change in metabolism can lead to weight loss, for example, but muscle loss can also cause the pounds to fall off the scales as you get older. However, if you are unsure or the weight loss is very significant, you can always seek veterinary advice. A health check not only helps to detect any illnesses, but also to find out which diet is right for your furry friend.

Dogs drink a lot in old age

Have you ever wondered why your furry friend's water bowl is empty much more quickly than it used to be? To a certain extent, this is completely normal and a good thing! Your furry friend is doing everything right if it wants to adequately cover this need. Therefore, make sure that you provide your furry friend with enough to drink. To determine whether your furry friend is drinking too much, you can use the following rule of thumb:

40-100 ml per kilogram of body weight

Of course, this value can vary, especially on warm days. However, if your furry friend drinks more on a permanent basis, you should seek veterinary advice. A high water requirement can be a symptom of kidney problems or problems with the pancreas.

A lot of exercise in old age is not only good for people!

Another important topic is exercise. In order to keep the heart and circulatory system fit as they get older, our beloved four-legged friends should be exercised regularly . The main thing to ensure here is that the exercise keeps your darling fit and does not overburden him. It should therefore be adapted to his physical constitution. An example of exercise that is easy on the joints is light swimming. Avoid fast starts and stops and tug-of-war games, for example. To provide a little variety in the mind , you can incorporate small commands into the walk to keep your loyal companion mentally fit too.

New paths and routes also provide new things to sniff out and explore. Another positive effect is that your senior dog doesn't get too fat. Obesity should be avoided at all costs, as it can put massive strain on the joints and also on your four-legged friend's entire metabolism. Studies have even shown that slim dogs live up to 2 years longer!

Social contact is an important topic in every stage of life.

However, you should take into account the character and individual needs of your four-legged friend.

Is he or she more extroverted and looking for contact with other dogs? Or is your dog a little more reserved or even no longer able to run around due to age? Try to find a healthy balance for your darling. There should be the possibility of making contact with other dogs if they are interested or of being able to withdraw if necessary.

If you consider all these points, you will offer your senior the best foundation for a wonderful golden phase of life – enjoy it!