Signs to look for
- less active
- slower to respond
- pacing or disoriented at night
- weight has changed
Why it happens
In old age the move is not cutting protein across the board but raising its quality.
With cats the direction reverses partway through. Around age 7 the problem is obesity; after 11 it is being underweight. Same "senior", opposite metric.
For cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), therapeutic diets enriched with unsaturated fatty acids such as DHA and with antioxidants are a promising area.
"Dogs fed 25% less lived longer" — in a lifelong study following 48 Labradors, the diet-restricted group lived significantly longer. (Kealy et al., JAVMA 220(9), 2002) In senior care, the intervention with the strongest evidence is body weight.
Signs that mean go to the vet
A 1°C rise in body temperature raises energy expenditure by 10–13%. That is the basis for feeding more, not less, when an animal is ill
Related ingredients
Related behaviour
General nutrition information. It does not replace a diagnosis or a prescription. If your animal has a medical condition or is on medication, talk to your veterinarian first.