Your furry friend has gotten older. It's hard to admit it, but that's how it is. Although in essence he remains the same, you notice something lazier, with less energy, more "manic"... Face it, if he exceeds ten years of age, he has entered what we humans call Third Age. But rather than regretting it, what we recommend is to enjoy his company to the fullest and vary your care of him a little, since his needs have also changed. A canine or feline ethologist will be able to explain in detail the changes he is going through and if it is necessary to change some guidelines. For our part, we recommend:
- Review your diet
- Prevent weight gain
- Strengthen your physical condition with natural supplements
- Relieve your ailments with Acupuncture
- Pay attention to your emotional balance
- Adjust your physical activity
1. Review your diet
Now more than ever your dog or cat needs a natural diet, free of artificial additives and based on quality ingredients (suitable for human consumption). You already know that as the first option we recommend the diet BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food in Spanish), but also processed food wet o dehydrated ecological are good alternatives. If you resort to feed, please do not do it as the only option (you can alternate a meal with feed and another wet one) and, again, make sure it is quality, organic feed and with the ingredients that your dog or cat requires in this stage. If you need an individualized nutrition consultation, you can book it here.
2. Prevent weight gain
Even if your dog or cat looks at you with a sad face, asking for more food, resist! It is for your good, since the obesity It can cause serious health problems. In cats, it is very evident and they usually end up suffering renal problems.
He thinks his metabolism slows down with age. Additionally, if their physical activity has reduced, you should also reduce their caloric intake.
3. Strengthen your physical condition with natural supplements
In older animals, it is generally especially important to strengthen brain and joint functions. For this, some natural nutritional supplements recommended are:
Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), for its anti-inflammatory effect (beneficial when suffering from osteoarthritis) and also to help brain function.
Glucosamine and chondroitin to protect joint cartilage
Probiotics, both to improve digestion and to strengthen the body's defenses, the immune system.
medicinal mushrooms: beta-glucan from mushrooms such as reishi, shiitake or maitake has immunomodulatory and anti-tumor properties.
4. Relieve your ailments with Acupuncture
La acupuncture It is an ancient natural therapy that is beneficial for a multitude of ailments. Its most widespread application is to reduce muscle pain caused by dysplasia or osteoatris, but it can also improve diseases such as epilepsy or degenerative myelopathy. And, of course, at a preventive level, it reinforces the general well-being of the animal.
5. Pay attention to your emotional balance
Both in old age and at any other stage, we must pay attention to the emotional balance of our animals. There are numerous natural therapies that can help you overcome trauma or adapt to changes: Bach flowers, aromatherapy, reiki, etc. Do not underestimate the importance of emotions because it is increasingly obvious that they influence physical health in the short or long term.
6. Adjust your physical activity
A sedentary lifestyle is not good for your dog or cat either, so you should encourage him to do regular exercise to keep his joints and muscles in good condition, and avoid becoming overweight. Additionally, walks or activities at home encourage mental stimulation. Of course, do not overdo it and force, for example, your dog to take strenuous walks for which he is no longer physically or mentally prepared. The key is to remember that the walk is for your dog, not for you 😉 If he wants to go slowly, sniff... let him do it and enjoy!
